Comparison

TermCOW vs ShellRelay

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

ShellRelay

Access and manage remote terminal sessions securely from your mobile device. Launch a personal server, connect to your own, and run commands with a touch-friendly interface. Share access with teammates and sign in easily without passwords.

Highlights
  • Remote terminal access
  • Docker playground server
  • Secure WebSocket relay
  • Touch-friendly interface
  • Team access sharing
  • Passwordless sign-in
Features
Read full description

ShellRelay — Terminal in Your Pocket ShellRelay lets you securely access and manage remote terminal sessions from your iPhone. Connect to any server, run commands, and stay productive — wherever you are. What you can do: - Launch a personal Docker-based playground server in seconds - Connect to your own servers via secure WebSocket relay - Run terminal sessions with a touch-friendly interface - Share server access with teammates using invite links - Sign in with Apple, Google or GitHub — no password required Pro Subscription: Upgrade to Pro to add more servers and unlock full access. Subscriptions are billed monthly through your Apple ID. Payment is charged at confirmation of purchase. Your subscription auto-renews unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. Manage or cancel anytime in your iPhone Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Privacy & Legal: - Privacy Policy: https://www.shellrelay.com/privacy - Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.shellrelay.com/terms

Screenshots

TermCOW4 screens
ShellRelay4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ratings volume: TermCOW at 3 against ShellRelay's 1. On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases 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 and ShellRelay sells 1 in-app purchase, starting at $4.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

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

Scorecard1 real difference · 8 level
TermCOW versus ShellRelay: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTermCOWShellRelay
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (3 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Number of ratings3 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS16.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size149 MB5 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperFynetiq LLCLicong Chen

Customer experience

TermCOW

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

ShellRelay

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TermCOW

One-time1
  • TermCOW Pro Upgrade$9.99
1 purchases

ShellRelay

Subscriptions1
  • ShellRelay Pro$4.991 Month

Questions

Is TermCOW free?
TermCOW is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ShellRelay free?
ShellRelay is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, TermCOW or ShellRelay?
TermCOW and ShellRelay are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 3 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do TermCOW or ShellRelay have ads?
Neither TermCOW nor ShellRelay shows ads.

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