Comparison

ZenTerm vs ShiftWake

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

Head to head
About

ZenTerm

Features
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ZenTerm is a self-hosted terminal client for iPhone and iPad, designed to run AI coding agents on a server you own โ€” no cloud, no middleman, no account. It connects your device directly to your own machine (a Mac at home, a single-board computer, or a Linux VPS), letting you browse, edit, and run commands from anywhere. FEATURES โ€ข Full Terminal โ€” A real xterm.js-based shell with tmux multi-window tabs โ€ข Multiple Sessions โ€” Run several AI coding agents in parallel and switch between them โ€ข iPad Workspace โ€” Landscape support, sidebar navigation, and split panes for side-by-side work โ€ข Guided Setup โ€” Start the Gateway, pair by QR code, and configure remote access step by step โ€ข Rate Limit Tracking โ€” Monitor your AI agent usage at a glance from Settings โ€ข File Browser โ€” Browse, upload, and download files on your server โ€ข Dark & Light Themes โ€” A calm Zen Garden visual design HOW IT WORKS Run the open-source ZenTerm Gateway on a computer you own (any Mac, Linux machine, single-board computer, or VPS). Your iPhone or iPad communicates directly with the Gateway over WebSocket. Nothing routes through our servers โ€” your data stays with you. WHO IT'S FOR โ€ข Check on your server from anywhere โ€ข Operate AI coding agents from your iPhone or iPad โ€ข Prefer a self-hosted, open-source solution over a SaaS terminal PRIVACY No account required. No ads. No analytics. No tracking. All data stays on your device and on your server. Gateway source code on GitHub: https://github.com/phni3j9a/zenterm

About

ShiftWake

Features
Read full description

Never oversleep a shift again because you forgot to set the alarm. ShiftWake reads the shift symbols you already write in your iPhone Calendar (like "โ‘ " or "Night") and automatically sets a real alarm for that day. Powered by iOS 26 AlarmKit, the alarm rings even in Silent or Focus mode, so you actually wake up. โ–  Made for - Rotating shift workers: nurses, caregivers, factory, security - Anyone whose alarm time changes from day to day - People who've been burned by forgetting to set an alarm โ–  Features - Auto-schedules alarms from your calendar shift symbols - Job presets (nurse 3/2-shift, factory 2/3-shift) for instant setup - "Minutes before event" mode for appointments and handovers - Follows shift changes automatically and notifies you - 12 built-in alarm sounds to choose from - A reassuring home screen that lists all upcoming alarms - Dark & Light mode โ–  Pricing - Free for up to 2 rules (covers a simple two-shift pattern) - Pro (monthly or one-time purchase) unlocks unlimited rules Note: Due to iOS restrictions, ringtones and alarm tones set in the system Clock app cannot be used by third-party apps. Choose from the built-in sounds instead.

Screenshots

ZenTerm4 screens
ShiftWake4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: ZenTerm at none against ShiftWake's 2. ZenTerm also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, update cadence and ads 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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. ShiftWake sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month. ZenTerm asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ZenTerm ships an update every 9 days, ShiftWake every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences ยท 3 level
ZenTerm versus ShiftWake: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterZenTermShiftWake
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysEvery 5 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS15.1 โ€” better26.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size50 MB12 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuki NakanoWataru Ishibashi

In-app purchases

None

ZenTerm

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

ShiftWake

Subscriptions1
  • ShiftWake Pro (Monthly)$0.991 Month
One-time1
  • ShiftWake Pro (Lifetime)$9.99

Questions

Is ZenTerm free?
ZenTerm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is ShiftWake free?
ShiftWake is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ZenTerm or ShiftWake have ads?
Neither ZenTerm nor ShiftWake shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ZenTerm or ShiftWake?
ZenTerm ships an update every 9 days, and ShiftWake every 5 days. Most recently, ZenTerm was updated on October 5, 2026 and ShiftWake on October 14, 2026.

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