Comparison

Hermit SSH vs JTerm

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

Head to head
About

Hermit SSH

A focused SSH client for developers interacting with AI coding assistants on remote machines. Connect to your dev server, manage tmux sessions, and use configurable soft keys and voice input for efficient command execution.

Highlights
  • SSH connections with ed25519 private key authentication
  • Automatic tmux session attach
  • Configurable soft key ribbon bar
  • Voice input with iOS dictation
  • xterm.js terminal rendering
  • iCloud Drive sync
  • Private keys stored securely in iOS Keychain
Features
Read full description

Hermit is a focused SSH client built for developers who work with AI coding assistants on remote machines. Connect to your dev server, attach to tmux sessions, and interact using configurable soft keys and voice input. Unlike general-purpose terminal apps, Hermit is designed around a specific workflow: you have an AI CLI tool running in a tmux session on a remote machine, and you want to monitor and interact with it from your phone. Five soft keys — 1, 2, Enter, Escape, and a microphone — give you everything you need to approve tool calls, reject changes, send commands, and dictate instructions. KEY FEATURES * SSH connections with ed25519 private key authentication * Automatic tmux session attach on connect * Configurable soft key ribbon bar optimized for AI coding workflows * Voice input with iOS dictation — speak your instructions, proofread, and send * xterm.js terminal rendering with proper color and escape code support * Automatic iCloud Drive sync — your hosts and sessions available on all devices * Dark mode interface designed for terminal use * Private keys stored securely in the iOS Keychain BUILT FOR AI CODING WORKFLOWS The default soft keys map directly to common AI CLI approval patterns: 1 — Accept (approve tool calls and edits) 2 — Reject Enter — Confirm multi-line input Escape — Cancel or interrupt Mic — Open voice input for longer instructions OPEN SOURCE Hermit is open source so you can review exactly what runs on your device and how your SSH credentials are handled. No analytics, no tracking, no data collection.

About

JTerm

A native SSH client and terminal emulator for iOS devices. It allows secure connections, file management via SFTP, and supports multiple live sessions with an AI assistant for terminal workflows. Offers custom keyboard rows and hardware keyboard support.

Highlights
  • Secure SSH connections
  • SFTP file explorer
  • Multiple live sessions
  • AI Assistant
  • Custom keyboard row
  • Hardware keyboard support
Features
Read full description

JTerm is a fast, native SSH client and xterm-compatible terminal for iPhone and iPad. Connect securely, manage remote files with SFTP, and keep essential server workflows close at hand. FEATURES • Secure SSH connections with ordered multi-hop jump hosts • Saved hosts with sortable groups and credentials protected by the iOS Keychain • Reusable SSH keys shared across hosts • SFTP file explorer with uploads, downloads, favorite folders, sharing, and inline text editing • Multiple live sessions — keep several connections open and switch instantly • Automatic reconnection with backoff when your network drops or changes • Saved commands for frequently used terminal workflows • AI Assistant that can work with active terminal sessions using built-in AI or your own provider • Custom keyboard row with Esc, Ctrl, Alt, arrows, Tab, pipe, and more • Hardware-keyboard support on iPad with Command shortcuts • iPad split view with hosts and sessions beside the terminal • Pinch to zoom the terminal font • iCloud sync for hosts, keys, and settings across your devices Your secrets stay on-device: passwords, private keys, and AI API keys are protected by the iOS Keychain and sync only through iCloud Keychain. Built-in AI requires Sign in with Apple and cloud-processing consent. Permanent AI credits do not expire. One-time AI plans last 31 days. Independent monthly AI credit packs renew automatically; different amounts can be subscribed to together and are billed separately. Unused monthly allowance expires at the end of each billing period. These purchases are separate from JTerm Pro. Find balances and purchases in Settings > Buy AI Credits, configure AI in Settings > AI Information, and manage or delete your account in Settings > Account. Privacy Policy: https://jterm.jimeji.com/privacy.html Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Hermit SSH4 screens
JTerm3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Hermit SSH at none against JTerm's 7. Hermit SSH also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). JTerm's advantage is update cadence (every 5 days vs monthly) and device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. JTerm sells 7 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per year. Hermit SSH asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Hermit SSH against 5.0 for JTerm. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hermit SSH ships an update monthly, JTerm every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 21, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Hermit SSH versus JTerm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHermit SSHJTerm
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 5 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDave StantonHangzhou Blade Technology Co., Ltd

Customer experience

Hermit SSH

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

JTerm

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

In-app purchases

None

Hermit SSH

No in-app purchases

7 purchases

JTerm

Subscriptions4
  • 1 Year Pro1 Year trial$1.991 Year
  • 1,000 Monthly AI Credits$1.991 Month
  • 3,000 Monthly AI Credits$4.991 Month
Show 1 more
  • 10,000 Monthly AI Credits$14.991 Month
One-time3
  • 1,000 AI Credits$2.99
  • 3,000 AI Credits$7.49
  • 10,000 AI Credits$22.49

Questions

Is Hermit SSH free?
Hermit SSH is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is JTerm free?
JTerm is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Hermit SSH or JTerm?
Hermit SSH and JTerm are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do Hermit SSH or JTerm have ads?
Neither Hermit SSH nor JTerm shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hermit SSH or JTerm?
Hermit SSH ships an update monthly, and JTerm every 5 days. Most recently, Hermit SSH was updated on October 16, 2026 and JTerm on October 21, 2026.

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