Comparison

AFK vs TermCOW

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

AFK

Features
Read full description

Move your AI coding sessions from desktop to phone without SSH, VPNs, or exposing your computer to the internet. AFK streams your live terminal session to your iPhone over outbound WebSockets, so it works in most restricted networks where inbound SSH or remote desktop setups are blocked. Use Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, OpenCode, or any terminal command on your computer. When you step away, AFK keeps the same session in your pocket so you can monitor progress, approve prompts, type replies, and steer the work from anywhere. Try AFK instantly with the free live demo, or connect your own machine in minutes. WHY DEVELOPERS USE AFK AI coding agents can work for hours, but they still need you for tool approvals, error decisions, direction changes, and quick replies. AFK keeps your agent moving without keeping you at your desk. - Start work on desktop and continue from iPhone - Watch terminal sessions live with GPU-accelerated rendering - Approve prompts and tool calls remotely - Type commands or use precision voice input - Get mobile alerts when your agent needs attention - Works without SSH, VPNs, port forwarding, or remote desktop HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the AFK CLI on your machine 2. Run your agent or terminal command with AFK 3. Open the iPhone app 4. Monitor, approve, and respond from anywhere AFK uses outbound WebSocket streaming, so your computer does not need to accept inbound connections. No router changes. No public ports. No messy network setup. BUILT FOR AI CODING WORKFLOWS AFK works with any terminal command, and is designed for modern AI-assisted development: - Claude Code - OpenAI Codex - Gemini CLI - OpenCode - Custom scripts and long-running CLI tools REAL-TIME TERMINAL STREAMING - Low-latency WebSocket streaming - GPU-accelerated terminal rendering with Metal - Full bidirectional I/O - Automatic terminal resize - Push notifications for agent activity - Smooth terminal experience on mobile SECURE BY DESIGN Your terminal data is end-to-end encrypted. The backend acts as a relay and cannot read your session contents. - End-to-end encrypted terminal streams - X25519 key exchange - AES-256-GCM encryption - TLS 1.3 for transport security FREE TO START Free: - 2 concurrent sessions - End-to-end encryption - 20 voice commands per month Pro: - Unlimited sessions - Unlimited precision voice input - Push notifications when your AI agent needs input - Priority support Start with a 7-day free Pro trial. Refer 3 friends to earn a free month of Pro. AFK is built by Thaker Innovations. Website: https://getafk.dev Support: https://getafk.dev/support Privacy Policy: https://getafk.dev/legal/privacy Terms of Service: https://getafk.dev/legal/terms

About

TermCOW

This app provides a stable SSH terminal experience for mobile devices, allowing users to connect to remote machines with features like pan and zoom for a desktop-class interface. It supports standard SSH protocols, SFTP, and secure credential storage.

Highlights
  • SSH with password and key authentication
  • SFTP file transfer
  • Encrypted credential vault
  • Pan and zoom for stable terminal view
  • Customizable multi-state shortcuts
  • Port forwarding
  • Jump host/bastion support
Features
Read full description

TermCOW is an SSH terminal for developers, sysadmins, and anyone who wants to do their work anywhere. I originally built it so I could connect to my machine at home running AI coding agents in tmux from my phone. On a phone, it’s usually either tiny unreadable text to fit the whole terminal, or confusing text reflow, flashing, and wrapping when you zoom in. TermCOW uses pan and zoom instead of text reflow, so the terminal stays stable while you work. But if you like text reflow, TermCOW supports that too. All standard SSH features are free, including password/key auth, SFTP, and encrypted credential storage. Features • SSH with password and key auth • SFTP file transfer • Encrypted credential vault • Pan and zoom for a stable desktop-class terminal • Customizable multi-state shortcuts • Port forwarding • Jump host / bastion support • Back up settings to the TermCOW service • Premium jump host service for private IP access Clean, functional, minimal UI that stays out of your way while you do real work with a desktop-class terminal from your phone. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

AFK4 screens
TermCOW4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: AFK at none against TermCOW's 1. On price, update cadence, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. TermCOW sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. AFK asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
AFK versus TermCOW: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAFKTermCOW
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyFortnightlyFortnightly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.016.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size36 MB149 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTapan ThakerFynetiq LLC

In-app purchases

None

AFK

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

TermCOW

One-time1
  • TermCOW Pro Upgrade$9.99

Questions

Is AFK free?
AFK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is TermCOW free?
TermCOW is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AFK or TermCOW have ads?
Neither AFK nor TermCOW shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AFK or TermCOW?
AFK ships an update fortnightly, and TermCOW fortnightly. Most recently, AFK was updated on October 14, 2026 and TermCOW on October 1, 2026.

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