Shell Drop vs Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Shell Drop
This app provides a native terminal experience for iOS and iPadOS, designed for running AI agents via SSH. It allows seamless integration with AI models by enabling image and file uploads directly into sessions, with customizable upload limits. Features include tmux awareness, secure SSH key authentication, and on-device voice input for commands.
- AI agent integration
- Image and file uploads
- Tmux session management
- SSH key authentication
- On-device voice input
- Customizable keyboard toolbar
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ShellDrop is a fast, native terminal for iPhone, iPad and Vision Pro, built for running AI agents: Claude Code, Codex, Grok, Hermes, OpenClaw, opencode, anything that lives in tmux on a Mac mini, VPS or any box you can SSH into. WORK WITH YOUR AGENTS - Paste images straight into a session. Copy a screenshot from any app, paste it in the terminal, and your agent reads it. - Attach files too. Tap the paperclip in the toolbar to pick a file from Files, or a photo or video from your library, and it uploads to the server for your agent to read. - You choose the upload size limit. Settings goes from 100 MB to 1 GB, and if a file is over, ShellDrop offers to raise it on the spot. - Tmux aware. Vertical swipe scrolls history, horizontal swipe switches sessions. - Tab names sync with the real tmux session names automatically. - Sessions stay alive in the background while you switch apps. - Agent to clipboard. Ask your agent to write an email, say "copy that to my clipboard", and it lands on your phone ready to paste into your mail app. - Droplet Visualizer: the feature nobody asked for. See all your sessions from the perspective of an Egyptian god. BUILT LIKE A REAL TERMINAL - SSH key authentication. Generate Ed25519 keys or hardware-backed Secure Enclave keys in-app, where the private key never leaves the chip. - Paste-import your existing OpenSSH keys. - The keyboard toolbar is yours. Tap and hold to rearrange the keys you use most, and create your own custom Tmux key bindings. - Sticky ctrl for all of your perverted tmux activities. - Text selection with a dedicated selection mode, long-press word select, and one-tap links. - Nerd Fonts. FiraCode and JetBrains Mono render the glyphs nvim and LazyVim need. - Full screen mode for extra real estate. - Full iPad support including 13" iPad Pro, plus hardware keyboards. - iCloud sync keeps saved connections on every device, and you can switch it off in Settings any time. Private keys stay on your device by design. NO SUBSCRIPTION Every feature included. VOICE DROP Tap the mic on the keyboard toolbar and talk. Your words drop into the prompt at the cursor. Transcription runs on-device with Apple speech, or through your own Groq API key for whisper-large-v3-turbo. Nothing sends until you hit return. Prefer a dictation keyboard like Wispr Flow? Works great here too. PRIVACY Credentials live in the iOS keychain on your device. There is no account, and no telemetry or analytics are collected. Terminal traffic goes to your servers over SSH and nowhere else. Built by an indie developer who runs AI agents every day.
Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT
This app provides a mobile interface for a desktop AI coding environment, allowing developers to edit code, run commands, manage Git, and interact with AI assistants from their iPhone. It enables productive use of idle moments by offering real-time access to projects and a built-in terminal.
- Real-time desktop bridge
- Built-in terminal
- Full Git support
- Code editor with syntax highlighting
- File explorer
- Multiple AI agents
- Hands-free voice input
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Mobile IDE for Codex brings your desktop AI coding environment to your pocket. Browse your project, edit code, run commands, manage Git, and work with an AI assistant, all from your iPhone, no matter where you are. Built for developers who refuse to wait until they're back at their desk, Mobile IDE for Codex turns idle moments into productive ones. Review a pull request on your commute, fix a bug over coffee, or push a quick commit from the couch. Why Remote Access Matters Your best ideas don't always happen in front of a monitor. Mobile IDE for Codex gives you a direct, real-time channel to your desktop Codex so you can act on those ideas immediately, not hours later when you've already forgotten the details. Core Features - Real-Time Desktop Bridge. Your phone connects directly to Codex running on your Mac, Linux, or Windows machine. Every message, command, and response syncs instantly, with full conversation history on your device. - Built-In Terminal. Run shell commands and watch live output right from your phone, no laptop required. - Source Control. Full Git support: browse changes, review diffs line by line, and stage, commit, push, and pull without leaving the app. - Code Editor. Open, read, and edit project files on the go, with syntax highlighting for a comfortable mobile coding experience. - File Explorer. Navigate your entire workspace, jump to any file, and keep the whole project at your fingertips. - Multiple AI Agents. Create, pin, and switch between specialized agents (iOS, Android, UX, Q&A, or your own), each tuned for a different job. - Hands-Free Voice Input. Describe a bug, ask an architectural question, or dictate a change, all by voice, hands free. - Agents & Skills Catalog. Discover, install, and manage Codex plugins, skills, and prompt templates to supercharge your workflow. - Push Notifications. Get notified the moment a long-running task finishes, so you never sit and wait. - Sessions That Stay Alive. Network hiccups happen. Mobile IDE for Codex keeps your session context so you pick up right where you left off, with no re-authentication and no lost messages. Getting Started: It Takes Under a Minute 1. Install Codex on your Mac if you haven't already. 2. Open Mobile IDE for Codex on your iPhone and tap the connection link. 3. Open the provided link on the desktop where Codex is installed. 4. Follow the on-screen instructions, tap Connect, and you're up and running in under a minute. No complex configuration, no port forwarding, no VPN. The setup is designed to just work. Free to Try Start with free daily messages to experience the full workflow. When you're ready for unlimited access across all AI models, upgrade to a monthly or yearly plan. Customer Support For help, inquiries, or feedback, please reach out to support@luch.dev Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://experts-draw-9pm.craft.me/xGv1WeiMhVG1dH
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Shell Drop at 5.0 against Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT's 4.0. Shell Drop also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 5 weeks). Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT's advantage is chart position (#82 vs unranked). On price, review sentiment, ads 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
Both are free to download. Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Shell Drop asks for nothing beyond the download.
Shell Drop holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 3 and 1 respectively. Written reviews split almost evenly too, at 100% and 100% positive.
Shell Drop ships an update every 9 days, Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT every 5 weeks. Both last shipped on October 28, 2026.
| Parameter | Shell Drop | Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better | 4.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 3 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 5 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Freemium |
| Best chart rank | — | #82 — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 — better | 18.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 42 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Daniel Bilsborough | Uladzsislau Luchkouski |
Customer experience
Shell Drop
Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT
In-app purchases
Shell Drop
No in-app purchases
Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT
- Codex Premium Monthly$14.991 Month
- Codex Premium Yearly$149.991 Year
Questions
Is Shell Drop free?
Is Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT free?
Which has better reviews, Shell Drop or Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT?
Do Shell Drop or Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT have ads?
Which is updated more often, Shell Drop or Mobile IDE for Codex AI GPT?
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