# PocketSSH vs ShellPhone

PocketSSH and ShellPhone are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

Both are free to download. PocketSSH sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and ShellPhone sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PocketSSH ships an update every 5 days, ShellPhone every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketSSH | ShellPhone |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 9 days |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 18 MB | 52 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **15.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [利龙 张](https://appshunter.io/developer/1649262253) | [Antonio Martinez Gimeno](https://appshunter.io/developer/445290519) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketSSH

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketssh/id6759629399)

This app provides a secure and responsive terminal experience for connecting to remote hosts. It offers multi-host profile management, flexible authentication options, and a mobile shortcut bar for efficient input on touch devices.

**Highlights:** Multi-host profile management, Password and private key authentication, Real-time terminal interaction, Mobile shortcut bar, Light and dark mode personalization, Local profile storage

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PocketSSH Pro | $0.99 | one-time |


### ShellPhone

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellphone-ssh-client/id6764346831)

**In-app purchases (4)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Power user | $1.99 | per year |
| Network tools | $1.99 | per year |
| Remote desktop | $3.99 | per year |
| All-in-one | $5.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketSSH free?

PocketSSH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is ShellPhone free?

ShellPhone is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PocketSSH or ShellPhone have ads?

Neither PocketSSH nor ShellPhone shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PocketSSH or ShellPhone?

PocketSSH ships an update every 5 days, and ShellPhone every 9 days. Most recently, PocketSSH was updated on October 16, 2026 and ShellPhone on October 4, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*