Comparison

Hermit SSH vs AppRelay Remote

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

AppRelay Remote

Features
Read full description

Stop walking back to your desk to kick off a build. Ship from the couch. AppRelay Remote is the mobile companion to AppRelay Server for desktop — a remote control that commands your Mac or PC to build, run, test, and ship your app projects. The Mac does the work; your phone drives it. Pair once over your local Wi-Fi and your whole AppRelay workspace comes with you: every project, every lane, every release channel, right on your iPhone or iPad. WHAT YOU CAN DO • Trigger builds, runs, and test suites on your Mac with a tap • Cut a release — ship a lane to its distribution channel without touching your desk • Watch live, streaming log output as each build runs, with a Stop button when you need it • Browse every project as a card: toolchain, lanes, version, and source-control status at a glance • Edit the full project configuration — general settings, lanes, servers, toolchains, test suites — and save it back to your Mac • Bump or set version and build numbers • Edit .env / dotenv files on disk, remotely • Manage your Mac's AppRelay license: activate a key, check status, or move the seat BUILT FOR iPHONE AND iPAD On iPhone you get a fast, single-column flow. On iPad you get the same two-column sidebar-and-detail layout as the Mac app — it even re-skins live when you change the desktop theme. SECURE BY DESIGN • Discovers Macs on your network automatically over Bonjour • Pair with a one-time token shown on your Mac — each device gets its own credential • All traffic runs over TLS, pinned to your Mac on first connection • Your Mac stays in control: block or disconnect any device at any time • Secrets never leave your Mac — the phone sees credential labels only, never their values REQUIRES THE MAC APP AppRelay Remote needs AppRelay for macOS running on the same network. Get it at apprelay.io/download. Free to pair; Pro features are managed on the Mac. AppRelay Remote needs the desktop app, which is **not** on the Mac App Store — it ships directly from the website (Sparkle-updated, notarized DMG). **Download:** https://apprelay.io/download **Requirement:** macOS 13 (Ventura) or later. **Enable the server:** open AppRelay → **Relay Monitor** → **Start**. This starts a local HTTPS server, advertises it over Bonjour (`_apprelay._tcp`), and shows the address + a pairing token. **Pair:** on the same Wi-Fi, open AppRelay Remote, pick the Mac under "Discovered Macs" (or enter host/port manually), and enter the pairing token. **Security:** self-signed TLS pinned trust-on-first-use; each device gets its own token; the Mac can block/disconnect any device from Relay Monitor.

Screenshots

Hermit SSH4 screens
AppRelay Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: AppRelay Remote at every 4 days against Hermit SSH's monthly. Hermit SSH's advantage is iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hermit SSH ships an update monthly, AppRelay Remote every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 4, 2026 and October 1, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Hermit SSH versus AppRelay Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHermit SSHAppRelay Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhoneiPhone, iPad — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size9 MB3 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDave StantonWrights Creative Services, L.L.C.

In-app purchases

None

Hermit SSH

No in-app purchases

None

AppRelay Remote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hermit SSH free?
Hermit SSH is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is AppRelay Remote free?
AppRelay Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hermit SSH or AppRelay Remote have ads?
Neither Hermit SSH nor AppRelay Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hermit SSH or AppRelay Remote?
Hermit SSH ships an update monthly, and AppRelay Remote every 4 days. Most recently, Hermit SSH was updated on October 4, 2026 and AppRelay Remote on October 1, 2026.

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