Comparison

TermCOW 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

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/

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

TermCOW4 screens
Terminal W4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Terminal W at none against TermCOW's 1. Terminal W also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs fortnightly). TermCOW's advantage is iOS requirement (16.1 vs 26.0). On price, 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. Terminal W asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TermCOW ships an update fortnightly, Terminal W every 4 days. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.

Scorecard3 real differences · 6 level
TermCOW versus Terminal W: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTermCOWTerminal W
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings) — better—
Number of ratings3 — better—
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.1 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperFynetiq LLCWeiming Chen

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TermCOW

One-time1
  • TermCOW Pro Upgrade$9.99
None

Terminal W

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is TermCOW free?
TermCOW 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 TermCOW or Terminal W have ads?
Neither TermCOW nor Terminal W shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TermCOW or Terminal W?
TermCOW ships an update fortnightly, and Terminal W every 4 days. Most recently, TermCOW was updated on October 31, 2026 and Terminal W on October 31, 2026.

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