SSHive vs Shepherd
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SSHive
This app provides comprehensive remote access to servers and desktops, supporting SSH, SFTP, RDP, VNC, and VPN. Manage files, open terminals, and control remote machines securely from your iPhone or iPad.
- SSH terminal access
- SFTP file management
- RDP and VNC remote desktop
- Built-in VPN
- Secure credential management
- iCloud sync
- Face ID/Touch ID protection
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SSHive is a remote access client for iPhone and iPad: SSH, SFTP, RDP, VNC and a built-in VPN client in one private, native app. Manage your servers, open a terminal, transfer files and control remote Windows, macOS and Linux desktops from anywhere. SUPPORTED PROTOCOLS • SSH: full terminal (SwiftTerm), key or password authentication • SFTP: browse, upload, download and manage files • RDP: Remote Desktop to Windows PCs and servers • VNC: screen sharing for macOS and Linux • VPN: connects to your own OpenVPN, IKEv2 or IPsec server before the session opens KEY FEATURES • Touch mouse and keyboard for RDP and VNC, with a trackpad mode • SSH key generation, import and management • Port forwarding (SSH tunnels) • Command snippets, with a history of the ones you ran • Shared credentials reused across profiles • Folders to organize your connections • Optional Face ID / Touch ID before each connection • iCloud sync of profiles, passwords and keys across your devices • Import and export of your connections (.sshive) • Native SwiftUI design for iPhone and iPad, light and dark NETWORK TOOLS • Ping: test host reachability • DNS Lookup: resolve domain names • Traceroute: trace the network path • Whois: domain registration info • MX Lookup: a domain's mail servers • Blacklist Check (DNSBL): see if an IP is blacklisted • Network interfaces: local IP, netmask and active interfaces PRIVACY Your passwords and keys live in the iOS Keychain, and you can require Face ID / Touch ID to use them. Nothing goes through our servers: connections go straight from your device to your servers. FREE & PRO Free: SSH terminal, SFTP, SSH keys, Face ID / Touch ID and the network tools. Limits: 2 SSH sessions at a time, 5 profiles, 1 local tunnel, 3 custom snippets, uploads up to 10 MB. Pro: RDP, VNC, VPN, unlimited SSH sessions, profiles and snippets, remote tunnels and extra local tunnels, shared accounts, session logging, .sshive import and export, iCloud sync and all terminal themes. One Pro purchase, with no subscription, also unlocks Pro in SSHive for Mac from the Mac App Store (Mac with Apple silicon), with the same Apple Account. On the Mac, use Restore purchases if Pro is not active yet. SSHive is made for developers, sysadmins and DevOps engineers who look after servers from an iPhone or iPad.
Shepherd
This app provides a fast and secure SSH client for accessing servers directly from your mobile device. It offers features like saved connections, custom command shortcuts, and extensive theming options for a personalized experience.
- Fast SSH client
- Save server connections
- Custom command shortcuts
- Extensive terminal themes
- Face ID protected keys
- Multiple simultaneous sessions
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Mochi is the place to control your AI coding agents from your iPhone. The agents run in herdr on your server. Mochi shows what each one is doing and takes you to it when it needs you. CONTROL YOUR AGENTS WITH HERDR • Live Activity on the lock screen: which agents are working and which are waiting for you • A notification when an agent is blocked or done, even when Mochi is closed • Tap it to open that agent's pane and answer from the chat input • Swipe to switch herdr tabs A REAL TERMINAL UNDERNEATH Mochi is a fast, beautiful SSH client built on the Ghostty terminal engine — a real terminal emulator in your pocket, not a toy. SSH INTO ANY SERVER Save your connections and jump into any of them in a tap. Password and key auth, custom ports, works great over Tailscale. FIRE COMMANDS IN ONE TAP Build your own shortcut groups: tmux prefixes, Ctrl combos, slash commands, whole snippets with Enter. The keyboard toolbar puts esc, tab, ctrl and ⌘ right above the keys — no more fighting the mobile keyboard. MAKE IT YOURS 500+ built-in terminal themes with search and light/dark filters. Real monospace fonts (JetBrains Mono and more), adjustable size, pinch to zoom in session. LOCK KEYS BEHIND FACE ID Private keys live in the iOS Keychain. Flip one switch and every use of a key requires Face ID. BUILT FOR ENGINEERS • Ghostty-powered terminal emulation — fast, correct, modern • Multiple simultaneous sessions • Native iOS design that feels at home on iOS 26 • No accounts, no tracking — your servers are your business
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Shepherd at none against SSHive's 1. Shepherd also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks) and ratings volume (3 vs 1). On price, rating, review sentiment 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
Both are free to download. SSHive sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Shepherd asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for SSHive against 5.0 for Shepherd. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 3 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
SSHive ships an update every 3 weeks, Shepherd weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | SSHive | Shepherd |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 3 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 28 MB | 61 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | +4 |
| Developer | NetMeSafe | Egor Kolesnikov |
Customer experience
SSHive
Shepherd
In-app purchases
SSHive
- SSHive Pro$11.99
Shepherd
No in-app purchases








