ShellPilot vs DeskBridge
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
ShellPilot
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Connect to any server from your iPhone or iPad, and keep the commands you run often ready to reuse. ShellPilot is a full SSH terminal built for developers, sysadmins, and anyone who manages a server, a VPS, or a Raspberry Pi on the go. SAVED SNIPPETS Keep the commands you run often โ restarts, log checks, deploy steps โ and run them in a tap on any saved server, instead of retyping them every time you connect. FULL TERMINAL A real terminal emulator with xterm-compatible rendering, not a cut-down text box. Works with tmux, vim, and anything else you run over SSH. SSH KEYS Generate or import Ed25519 and RSA keys. Keys stay on your device โ nothing is uploaded anywhere. SFTP FILE BROWSER Browse remote files next to your local storage over SFTP. Upload, download, rename and delete without leaving the app. MULTIPLE SERVERS Save connections for every server you manage. Switch between a VPS, a Raspberry Pi, or a Docker host in a tap. RECENT SESSIONS Jump back into a server you connected to recently, without hunting through a list. WORKS WELL FOR โข Developers deploying and checking on servers โข Sysadmins managing a VPS or home server โข Raspberry Pi and homelab owners โข Anyone who needs a real terminal without a laptop ABOUT THIS APP Your connections, keys and snippets stay on your device. No account, no cloud sync of credentials. PURCHASES โข ShellPilot Pro โ one-time purchase โข Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase โข One-time purchase โ no subscription and no renewals Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://cosmovex.web.app/apps/shellpilot/privacy-policy
DeskBridge
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DeskBridge turns your iPhone or iPad into a remote desk for your Mac. See your Mac's screen live, move its mouse, type on its keyboard, manage windows, and sync the clipboard โ from the next room or across the world. Built for developers running long builds and AI coding agents, DeskBridge lets you keep an eye on a session's progress and step in the moment it needs you โ from the next room or across the world. FEATURES โข Live screen โ watch your Mac's display in real time โข Full control โ mouse, keyboard, shortcuts, media keys, clipboard sync โข Window management โ switch between windows and maximize, minimize, or close them remotely โข Made for AI coding โ glance at your coding agent's progress and nudge it along from the couch โข Private & direct โ your screen and input travel peer-to-peer over an encrypted connection, directly between your own devices, and are never stored on a server HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the free DeskBridge host on your Mac (a separate, free Mac app) 2. Install DeskBridge on your iPhone or iPad 3. Sign in with the same Apple ID โ your devices pair automatically PRICING Free for 30 days. After that, a single one-time purchase keeps it yours โ no subscription. The Mac host is always free. PRIVACY No ads, no third-party tracking, no analytics SDKs. Your screen and input never pass through our servers; the signaling server only helps your two devices find each other. Questions? tiejun.hu@outlook.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: DeskBridge at every 2 weeks against ShellPilot's every 6 months. On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
Both are free to download. ShellPilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and DeskBridge sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
ShellPilot ships an update every 6 months, DeskBridge every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | ShellPilot | DeskBridge |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 6 months | Every 2 weeks โ better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod โ better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 โ better | 16.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 72 MB | 11 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Sahana A S | Tiejun Hu |
In-app purchases
ShellPilot
- ShellPilot Pro$4.99
DeskBridge
- DeskBridge Pro$3.99
Questions
Is ShellPilot free?
Is DeskBridge free?
Do ShellPilot or DeskBridge have ads?
Which is updated more often, ShellPilot or DeskBridge?
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