Comparison

SaiTerm vs Terminal W

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

Head to head
About

SaiTerm

Features
Read full description

SaiTerm brings a full-featured SSH terminal experience to iPhone and iPad. **Easy Connection** Enter a hostname, port, and username to connect to your server instantly. Supports password and public key authentication (Ed25519 / ECDSA). Generate or import SSH keys directly in the app. Passwords and private keys are stored securely in the Keychain. **Multi-hop SSH (Jump Hosts)** Connect through bastion servers with multi-hop SSH. Access internal servers and private networks without a VPN. **Port Forwarding** Access services on remote servers from your device with local port forwarding. Configure multiple port forwards per host and start them automatically on connection. Open forwarded web services directly in your browser. **Multiple Sessions** Connect multiple sessions to the same host simultaneously and switch between them with tabs. Sessions are maintained even in the background. **Terminal Customization** Choose from 8 themes including Dark, Light, Solarized, Dracula, Nord, Monokai, and Tokyo Night. Adjust the font size to your preference. **Connection Stability** Auto-reconnect on unexpected disconnections, automatic recovery from WebView crashes, and connection buffer preservation for a reliable experience. **Startup Commands** Set commands to run automatically after login for each host. No need to manually type shell initialization or aliases every time. **Hardware Keyboard Support** Full support for external keyboards on iPad. An accessory bar with Escape, Tab, Ctrl, Alt, and arrow keys is also available for comfortable use with the on-screen keyboard. **Pro Subscription** Jump host connections, premium themes (Solarized, Dracula, Nord, Monokai, Tokyo Night), and startup commands are available with the Pro plan. Please review our privacy policy and term of use: Privacy Policy: https://saiterm.isidesystem.net/privacy-policy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Terminal W

Features
Read full description

Terminal W is a native SSH client for iPhone, iPad, and Apple silicon Mac. Connect to remote servers, keep several shells open, and return to your sessions as you move around the app. CONNECTIONS AND SECURITY • Save hosts, organize them into groups, and connect with a tap. • Authenticate with passwords, imported Ed25519 or ECDSA keys, or device-generated P-256 keys. • Import supported passphrase-protected private keys without saving the passphrase. • Verify SSH host keys with stable SHA-256 fingerprints. • Reach servers through SSH jump hosts and local port forwards. • Keep passwords and private keys in the device Keychain, with Secure Enclave support for generated keys on supported hardware. • Protect access with Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode. YOUR TERMINAL • Open multiple sessions, including several shells on the same server. • Use a terminal with UTF-8, ANSI colors, copy and paste, scrollback, and search. • Customize the special key bar with Esc, Tab, Ctrl, Alt, arrows, Home, End, and Page Up or Down. • Use hardware keyboard shortcuts for sessions, search, text size, and reconnecting. • Save command snippets with {{variable}} placeholders and reuse commands from history. • Upload photos and files over SFTP and insert their remote paths at the prompt. • Choose a terminal theme or follow your device's Light and Dark appearance. MADE FOR IPHONE AND IPAD • See connected sessions in a Live Activity on the Lock Screen and, on supported iPhones, the Dynamic Island. • Open separate terminals in multiple iPad windows. • Return to an open session from Hosts, Sessions, or a Live Activity. • Enable Keep Sessions Alive when you want connections to continue in the background. This optional setting is off by default. ICLOUD AND PRIVACY Saved hosts, host groups, snippets, and trusted host-key fingerprints sync through your private iCloud database. Passwords and private keys remain in the Keychain on each device, so set up credentials separately on every device. Terminal W uses Apple SwiftNIO SSH and CryptoKit. It has no analytics or tracking, requires no app account or subscription, and has no developer-operated credential vault. All shell commands run on your remote server. Requires iOS or iPadOS 26 or later. The iPad app also runs directly on Macs with macOS 26 or later and an Apple M1 chip or later.

Screenshots

SaiTerm3 screens
Terminal W4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Terminal W at none against SaiTerm's 2. SaiTerm's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

CostPrice Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Ads Ā· Monetization

Both are free to download. SaiTerm sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Terminal W asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences Ā· 4 level
SaiTerm versus Terminal W: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSaiTermTerminal W
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 4 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size6 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developeriside systemWeiming Chen

In-app purchases

2 purchases

SaiTerm

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly14 Days trial$9.991 Year
None

Terminal W

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SaiTerm free?
SaiTerm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Terminal W free?
Terminal W is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do SaiTerm or Terminal W have ads?
Neither SaiTerm nor Terminal W shows ads.

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