Comparison

Kex vs Goroterm

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

Head to head
About

Kex

This app provides a full xterm-256color terminal emulator for iOS, allowing users to connect to servers via SSH, Mosh, and Telnet. It includes SFTP file management, multiple session support, and a specialized keyboard for efficient remote server access and administration.

Highlights
  • Full xterm-256color terminal emulation
  • SSH, Mosh, and Telnet protocol support
  • Built-in SFTP file manager
  • Multiple simultaneous terminal sessions
  • Purpose-built terminal keyboard accessory
  • Extensive customization options (themes, fonts, cursor)
  • Hardware keyboard support with shortcuts
Features
Read full description

A desktop-grade SSH terminal emulator built for iOS. Kex is not a simplified command runner β€” it's a full xterm-256color terminal that runs vim, htop, nano, and everything you expect from a real terminal. Leave your laptop behind. Restart a crashed service from the beach. Check your CI pipeline at the airport. SSH into production from a cafΓ©. Monitor your AI coding agent from the couch. With Kex, your entire server infrastructure fits in your pocket. WHO IS KEX FOR? Β· DevOps engineers who need to respond to incidents anytime, anywhere Β· Developers running AI coding agents like Claude Code, Codex, or Aider on remote servers Β· System administrators managing fleets of Linux servers Β· Cloud engineers working with AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, and more Β· Homelab enthusiasts monitoring Raspberry Pi clusters and self-hosted services Β· Students learning Linux and server administration Β· Anyone who has ever thought "I wish I had a terminal right now" REAL TERMINAL EMULATION Full xterm-256color support with CSI, ESC, OSC, and SGR sequences. Alternate screen buffer for full-screen apps like vim, nano, top, and htop. 256-color and TrueColor rendering. SSH, MOSH & TELNET Connect to any server with SSH. Authenticate with password or SSH keys (Ed25519 and RSA). Mosh support keeps your session alive through Wi-Fi switches, cellular handoffs, and unstable hotel networks. Telnet for legacy systems and network equipment. All protocols, one app. BUILT-IN SFTP FILE MANAGER Browse, upload, download, and manage files on your remote servers. Create folders, rename, delete β€” all from an intuitive file browser. Pull a log file, push a config change, or grab a backup. No need for a separate SFTP app. MULTIPLE SESSIONS Run multiple terminal sessions simultaneously. Switch between them with a tap or with keyboard shortcuts. Each session maintains its own independent state β€” monitor production on one tab, debug staging on another. Manage all your servers from one place. TERMINAL KEYBOARD DONE RIGHT A purpose-built keyboard accessory bar with ESC, Ctrl, Alt, Tab, arrow keys, and F1–F12. Auto-repeat on directional keys. Modifier key toggles. Every key a terminal user needs β€” designed for real work, not bolted on as an afterthought. CUSTOMIZE EVERYTHING 10+ built-in terminal themes including Dracula, Nord, Solarized, Monokai, Gruvbox, Tokyo Night, One Dark, GitHub Dark, and more. Choose your monospace font and size. Pick your cursor style β€” block, underline, or beam with optional blink. Make it yours. iPAD POWER USER Full hardware keyboard support with Cmd+N, Cmd+W, Cmd+T, and Cmd+1–9 shortcuts. Switch sessions, open new connections, and navigate β€” all without touching the screen. Pair with a keyboard and your iPad becomes a proper workstation. SECURITY FIRST SSH keys and credentials stored in the iOS Keychain β€” encrypted on your device, never in the cloud. Ed25519 and RSA key support. Host key verification with SHA-256 fingerprints. Organize keys into groups, see which connections use each key. All connections encrypted end-to-end. STAY CONNECTED Configurable keep-alive to prevent session drops. Detailed connection logs for troubleshooting. Save and organize your servers into groups with one-tap access. Host key memory so you connect with confidence every time. Kex is built for people who take their work seriously β€” but don't want to carry a laptop everywhere. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

Goroterm

Features
Read full description

Goroterm is a modern SSH terminal client built for developers and operators who need quick, reliable access to remote servers from their iPhone or iPad. KEY FEATURES β€’ Multi-session tabs β€” connect to multiple servers or open several shells to the same host, switch between them instantly β€’ tmux integration β€” list, attach, create, rename, and kill tmux sessions directly from the UI; seamless reattach on reconnect β€’ SFTP file browser β€” browse remote directories, preview files, upload and download with background transfer β€’ Voice input β€” dictate commands with on-device speech recognition β€’ Clipboard image paste β€” drop images into terminal output on supported servers β€’ Quick action bar β€” Ctrl, Esc, Tab, arrow keys, PgUp/PgDn, and Ctrl+J always one tap away β€’ Server monitor β€” at-a-glance CPU, memory, and disk usage for the connected host β€’ Claude usage dashboard β€” track token usage if your server runs the Claude CLI β€’ Secure credential storage β€” passwords and private keys encrypted on-device; never synced β€’ Host key verification β€” full known_hosts workflow with change detection β€’ Automatic reconnect β€” survives network changes, background/foreground transitions, and temporary disconnects β€’ Dark theme by default, built to minimize eye strain during long sessions Goroterm is engineered to feel fast on mobile: no-jank scrolling, proper IME handling, and a quick action bar that keeps your thumbs on glass instead of hunting through sub-menus. Connections stay alive in the background so you can return to the same prompt you left. PRIVACY Your SSH credentials never leave your device. Goroterm does not collect analytics, tracking identifiers, or usage data. See the privacy policy for details. Requires an existing SSH server to connect to.

Screenshots

Kex4 screens
Goroterm4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Goroterm at none against Kex's 3. Goroterm also leads on ads (none vs shown) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Kex sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Goroterm asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kex ships an update every 2 days, Goroterm every 3 days. The most recent releases landed on August 19, 2026 and September 14, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 5 level
Kex versus Goroterm: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKexGoroterm
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviewsβ€”
Update frequencyEvery 2 days β€” betterEvery 3 days
AdsYesNo β€” better
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesβ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod β€” better
Requires iOS17.015.0 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size27 MB32 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAli Mert TUFEKCIζ ͺ式会瀾Corevice

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Kex

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Plan$4.997 Days
  • Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
None

Goroterm

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Kex free?
Kex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Goroterm free?
Goroterm is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Kex or Goroterm have ads?
Kex shows ads; Goroterm does not.
Which is updated more often, Kex or Goroterm?
Kex ships an update every 2 days, and Goroterm every 3 days. Most recently, Kex was updated on August 19, 2026 and Goroterm on September 14, 2026.

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