Comparison

Kex vs terminALL

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

terminALL

Features
Read full description

Your computers, in your pocket. terminALL connects your iPhone and iPad to your Linux, Windows and Mac machines: terminal, files, live desktop and remote control in one app. If you left something running when you walked out the door — a build, a backup, a long script or a coding agent — you can check on it and keep going from your phone. Your sessions live on the computer: close the app, lose the connection, the work keeps running and picks up exactly where you left it. TERMINAL • Persistent sessions: tmux on Linux and Mac, a persistent PowerShell on Windows • Switch, rename and open sessions on the computer with one tap • A key bar built for a terminal: Ctrl, Alt, arrows, Esc, Tab and keys you add • Snippets: type the commands you use often with one tap • Eight themes, adjustable font and size FILES • Browse, download, upload, rename and delete over SFTP • Preview photos, video, PDF and text • Adds itself to the iOS Files app as a location: your server shows up as a folder on your phone and opens from other apps too SCREEN AND CONTROL • Watch your computer's desktop live (hardware-encoded H.264/HEVC) • Your taps become the mouse; the keyboard is in the same app • Resolution, frame rate and bitrate are yours to set • Linux, Windows and Mac POWER • Sleep, restart, shut down, hibernate • Wake a powered-off computer over the network; if your phone is on another network, another computer that is awake relays the packet CONNECTION AND SECURITY • Generate, import and install SSH keys; lock them with Face ID or Touch ID • Port forwarding (ssh -L / ssh -R) and agent forwarding • A second address is found on its own for when you are away from home • Finds the computers on your local network PRIVACY No account, no sign-up, no servers of ours. The connection is between your device and your own computer; passwords and keys stay in your device's secure enclave. We collect no telemetry. If you want, your servers, keys and settings carry over to your other Apple devices through iCloud — still with no account and no extra cost. SUPPORTED SYSTEMS Linux, Windows 10/11 and macOS. The same app on iPhone and iPad, with sidebar navigation and a full-width terminal on the big screen. MEMBERSHIP Connecting requires a membership; the first 7 days are free. • Monthly — $2.99 • Yearly — $14.99 • Lifetime (one-time purchase) — $24.99 Subscriptions renew automatically at the same price unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the period ends. You are charged when the free trial ends. Cancel anytime in your App Store account settings. Your saved servers and keys are always yours: even without a membership you can view, edit and export them. Only connecting is locked. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://terminall.app/privacy

Screenshots

Kex4 screens
terminALL4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: terminALL at none against Kex's shown. terminALL also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 17.0). Kex's advantage is update cadence (every 2 days vs fortnightly). On price, in-app purchases 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

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 terminALL sells 3 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, terminALL fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 29, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 5 level
Kex versus terminALL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterKexterminALL
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterFortnightly
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchases—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size27 MB58 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAli Mert TUFEKCIBurak Bas

In-app purchases

3 purchases

Kex

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

terminALL

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly membership7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Yearly membership7 Days trial$14.991 Year
One-time1
  • Lifetime membership$24.99

Questions

Is Kex free?
Kex is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is terminALL free?
terminALL is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Kex or terminALL have ads?
Kex shows ads; terminALL does not.
Which is updated more often, Kex or terminALL?
Kex ships an update every 2 days, and terminALL fortnightly. Most recently, Kex was updated on October 17, 2026 and terminALL on October 29, 2026.

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