# TermCOW vs Hey Terminal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hey Terminal at none against TermCOW's 1. Hey Terminal also leads on update cadence (every 6 days vs fortnightly). TermCOW's advantage is ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

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

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for TermCOW against 5.0 for Hey Terminal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively.

TermCOW ships an update fortnightly, Hey Terminal every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 13, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TermCOW | Hey Terminal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (3 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/termcow-stable-ssh-terminal/id6760620027/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hey-terminal-ssh-client/id6761189074/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **3** | 1 |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Size | 149 MB | 14 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.1** | 17.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | +9 |
| Developer | [Fynetiq LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1885363540) | [JONGMIN CHOI](https://appshunter.io/developer/1871461547) |

## What reviewers say

### TermCOW

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/termcow-stable-ssh-terminal/id6760620027)

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:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TermCOW Pro Upgrade | $9.99 | one-time |


### Hey Terminal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hey-terminal-ssh-client/id6761189074)

A fast, keyboard-first SSH terminal application designed for iPad. It offers a distraction-free environment for real terminal workflows, supporting tools like vim, tmux, and top.

**Highlights:** Fast SSH terminal, Keyboard-first workflow, Distraction-free experience, Supports vim, tmux, top, Built for real terminal workflows

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

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TermCOW free?

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

### Is Hey Terminal free?

Hey Terminal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, TermCOW or Hey Terminal?

TermCOW and Hey Terminal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do TermCOW or Hey Terminal have ads?

Neither TermCOW nor Hey Terminal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, TermCOW or Hey Terminal?

TermCOW ships an update fortnightly, and Hey Terminal every 6 days. Most recently, TermCOW was updated on October 1, 2026 and Hey Terminal on October 13, 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.*