Comparison

ShellPilot vs Tessera

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

Head to head
About

ShellPilot

Features
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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 — restarts, log checks, deploy steps — 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 — 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 • Developers deploying and checking on servers • Sysadmins managing a VPS or home server • Raspberry Pi and homelab owners • 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 • ShellPilot Pro — one-time purchase • Payment is charged to your Apple Account at confirmation of purchase • One-time purchase — 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

About

Tessera

A fast, keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal for iOS devices. It offers seamless session handoff between devices, robust tmux integration, and secure, private connections directly to your servers without any tracking.

Highlights
  • Keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal
  • Seamless session handoff between devices
  • First-class tmux integration with auto-attach
  • Mosh for persistent connections across network changes
  • Hardware keyboard support with shortcuts and key legend
  • Configurable swipe pad for quick access
  • Remote file panel with native iOS sharing
Features
Read full description

Tessera is a fast, keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal for iPhone and iPad. It connects directly to servers you own or control — no middleman, no account, no tracking. MOVE BETWEEN YOUR DEVICES • Hand off a live session: start on iPad, pick it up on iPhone, then double-tap to take back control. The session keeps running either way. • Your focused session appears in the App Switcher and Dock on your other devices. • Nearby Setup copies your hosts, keys, and preferences to a new device directly over the local network — you choose exactly what to copy, both devices confirm a matching code, and each grant needs Face ID. • Or don't sync at all: choose whether sessions follow you or stay on each device. STAY CONNECTED • First-class tmux integration: auto-attach on connect, so a dropped connection never loses your work. • Native tmux windows as tabs, with real panes. • Mosh keeps your session alive across Wi-Fi ↔ cellular roaming and sleep/wake — pick up exactly where you left off. • Session restore brings your saved hosts and layout back after relaunch. BUILT FOR TOUCH AND KEYBOARD • First-class hardware-keyboard support: shortcuts, a key legend (⌘ hold), and careful handling of modifier keys for real terminal work. • A configurable swipe pad puts arrows, Esc, Ctrl and your own macros in the thumb zone. • Mouse and trackpad support, including scrolling that works. • Find-in-terminal, themes, and adjustable fonts and appearance. • Optional on-device dictation straight into the terminal. FILES, PORTS, AND JUMP HOSTS • A remote file panel that tracks your shell's current directory, over SSH and mosh alike — with native iOS sharing to move files and images in and out. • Local port forwarding with a live tunnels overview. • Jump hosts for servers you can only reach through a bastion. PRIVATE BY DEFAULT • Tessera has no servers, no analytics, and collects no data. Connections go directly from your iOS devices to your machines. SECURITY YOU EXPECT • Keys are generated and stored in the iOS Keychain; Secure Enclave–backed keys never leave your device and can require Face ID to use. • Host-key verification with a persistent known-hosts store. • App lock with Face ID / passcode on launch, background return, and idle timeout. OPEN SOURCE • Tessera is free software (GPL-3.0). The full source code is available at github.com/bambouville/tessera. Tessera requires servers you provide — it is a client, not a hosting service. Mosh and tmux features require mosh/tmux installed on the server.

Screenshots

ShellPilot4 screens
Tessera4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Tessera at every 4 days against ShellPilot's every 6 months. ShellPilot's advantage is iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). 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. ShellPilot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Tessera sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ShellPilot ships an update every 6 months, Tessera every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 5, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
ShellPilot versus Tessera: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShellPilotTessera
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (2 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—2 — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size72 MB26 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperSahana A SBambouville Inc.

In-app purchases

1 purchases

ShellPilot

One-time1
  • ShellPilot Pro$4.99
1 purchases

Tessera

One-time1
  • Unlimited Saved Hosts$9.99

Questions

Is ShellPilot free?
ShellPilot is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Tessera free?
Tessera is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ShellPilot or Tessera have ads?
Neither ShellPilot nor Tessera shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ShellPilot or Tessera?
ShellPilot ships an update every 6 months, and Tessera every 4 days. Most recently, ShellPilot was updated on October 13, 2026 and Tessera on October 5, 2026.

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