Comparison

TERMinator vs BBStelnet

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

Head to head
About

TERMinator

Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with a retro terminal client. Experience authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Manage your connections with a phonebook and quick connect options.

Highlights
  • Telnet and SSH connections
  • CP437/ANSI art rendering
  • Classic bitmap fonts
  • ZMODEM file transfer
  • Scrollback history
  • Phonebook management
Features
Read full description

TERMinator is a retro BBS terminal client for iOS. Connect to Bulletin Board Systems and SSH servers with authentic CP437 ANSI art rendering, multiple classic fonts, and ZMODEM file transfers. Features: - Telnet and SSH connections - Pixel-perfect CP437/ANSI art with Metal rendering - Multiple screen modes (80x25, 80x40, 80x50, 132x25, 132x50) - Classic bitmap fonts including IBM VGA, Topaz, and more - ZMODEM file upload and download - Scrollback history - Session logging - Phonebook with drag-to-reorder and thumbnails - Quick Connect buttons for favorite BBSes - Zoom and pan controls - Clickable URL detection - Export/import BBS lists

About

BBStelnet

Features
Read full description

BBStelnet — A minimalist BBS terminal designed exclusively for iPhone. Built with native SwiftUI for fluid performance and excellent battery efficiency. [Supported Servers] • PTT — secure WebSocket (WSS) connection • Bahamut, Hua Kui, and any Telnet / WebSocket BBS • Custom host / port; save multiple servers and accounts [Full Chinese Support] • Dual BIG5 / UTF-8 encoding with built-in Big5-UAO character mapping (25,916 characters) • Built-in Bopomofo (Zhuyin) input method with familiar key layout • Clean rendering of PTT push messages, posts, and mail — no garbled text [Reading Experience] • 14 ambient sounds (rain, waves, thunderstorm, waterfall, campfire, and more) for immersive reading • Full 16-color ANSI palette customization • Adjustable font family and size • Portrait / landscape rotation [Productivity Tools] • Floating keyboard for one-tap BBS commands • Quick Keys with cross-page paging, sorting, and grouping — kaomoji, arrow keys, and edit commands all included • Auto-login scripts and keep-alive (no idle disconnects) • Automatic URL detection in articles; built-in pinch-zoom image viewer [BBStelnet Pro — One-time purchase, unlocks forever] • Permanently remove ads (banner + interstitial) • Unlock 10 additional ambient sounds • Data export / import — back up sites, quick keys, and floating keyboard layouts in one tap Also available as consumable add-ons: Quick Key +10 cells, Station +5 slots — purchase as needed. Actively maintained by the developer. Welcome to all BBS enthusiasts and longtime PTT users.

Screenshots

TERMinator2 screens
BBStelnet4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: TERMinator at none against BBStelnet's 3. TERMinator also leads on ads (none vs shown). On price, update cadence, device support and iOS requirement 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. BBStelnet sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. TERMinator asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TERMinator ships an update every 8 days, BBStelnet every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
TERMinator versus BBStelnet: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTERMinatorBBStelnet
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (9 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews66.7% of reviews—
Number of ratings9 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPhone
Requires iOS16.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size120 MB12 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperPhil WhittemoreHsu Chia-cheng

In-app purchases

None

TERMinator

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

BBStelnet

One-time3
  • Quick Key Cells +10$0.99
  • Station Slots +5$0.99
  • BBStelnet Pro$9.99

Questions

Is TERMinator free?
TERMinator is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is BBStelnet free?
BBStelnet is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TERMinator or BBStelnet have ads?
BBStelnet shows ads; TERMinator does not.
Which is updated more often, TERMinator or BBStelnet?
TERMinator ships an update every 8 days, and BBStelnet every 9 days. Most recently, TERMinator was updated on October 17, 2026 and BBStelnet on October 9, 2026.

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