Comparison

Kex vs YoloShell

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — 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 — 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 café. Monitor your AI coding agent from the couch. With Kex, your entire server infrastructure fits in your pocket. WHO IS KEX FOR? · DevOps engineers who need to respond to incidents anytime, anywhere · Developers running AI coding agents like Claude Code, Codex, or Aider on remote servers · System administrators managing fleets of Linux servers · Cloud engineers working with AWS, GCP, DigitalOcean, Hetzner, and more · Homelab enthusiasts monitoring Raspberry Pi clusters and self-hosted services · Students learning Linux and server administration · 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — 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 — but don't want to carry a laptop everywhere. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

YoloShell

Features
Read full description

Keep your servers and coding agents close. YoloShell brings SSH, Mosh, tmux, VNC remote desktop and Herdr sessions to iPhone and iPad. HERDR WORKSPACES & CODING AGENTS • Switch workspaces, tabs, panes and agents from one compact panel. • Create workspaces and panes, and start supported coding agents such as Claude Code or Codex in an existing shell pane. • Follow agent status and continue the work in its terminal. • Observe in read-only mode or take control when needed. Requires SSH access to a remote machine running Herdr. Agents run on that machine and must be installed there. TERMINAL THAT SURVIVES ROAMING • SSH, Mosh and tmux in one polished mobile client • Mosh roaming keeps your session alive across Wi-Fi, 5G and tunnel switches • tmux integration with control mode (-CC) for a native tab / pane UI • Full xterm-256color, true color and Unicode FULL VNC REMOTE DESKTOP • VNC into your Mac, Linux box or any server — pixel-perfect • Touch gestures plus a full hardware-style key bar • Built in and free — no extra app needed MULTI-TAB ON iPad • Run many hosts side by side with multi-tab terminals • Live tab titles synced from OSC sequences • Made for the big screen and external keyboards PROFILES & SSH KEYS • Organize every host as a one-tap profile • Generate or import SSH keys, stored in the iOS Keychain • Per-profile Mosh, tmux and on-open scripts CUSTOM TERMINAL THEMES • Palette, font and cursor styling • A curated set of themes for long sessions YOLOSHELL PRO • Multi-tab terminals on iPad • Unlimited profiles & SSH keys (free includes a generous starter set) • tmux control mode (-CC) • Custom terminal themes • Priority support • 7-day free trial on the yearly plan PRIVATE BY DESIGN • All connection config and SSH keys stay on device • No telemetry of shell content, no logging of host names • No account required Subscription auto-renews until canceled. Manage or cancel anytime in Settings → Apple ID → Subscriptions. Privacy Policy: https://agentsmesh.app/products/yoloshell/privacy End User License Agreement (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Kex4 screens
YoloShell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: YoloShell at none against Kex's shown. Kex's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On price, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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. Kex sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days and YoloShell sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Kex ships an update every 2 days, YoloShell fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 6 level
Kex versus YoloShell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKexYoloShell
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB53 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAli Mert TUFEKCISignalRender Technology Co., Ltd

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Kex

Subscriptions3
  • Weekly Plan$4.997 Days
  • Monthly Plan$9.991 Month
  • Yearly Plan$29.991 Year
2 purchases

YoloShell

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$14.991 Year

Questions

Is Kex free?
Kex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is YoloShell free?
YoloShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Kex or YoloShell have ads?
Kex shows ads; YoloShell does not.
Which is updated more often, Kex or YoloShell?
Kex ships an update every 2 days, and YoloShell fortnightly. Most recently, Kex was updated on October 17, 2026 and YoloShell on October 31, 2026.

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