Comparison

mssh vs PocketTerm SSH

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

Head to head
About

mssh

Features
Read full description

mSSH is a professional SSH and SFTP client for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Connect to your remote servers with password or key-based authentication (Ed25519, ECDSA, RSA). - Six terminal themes, saved command snippets, and cross-device iCloud sync - Everything you need to manage servers on the go. Cross-Device Sync — Your connections, SSH keys, snippets, and settings sync across all your devices via iCloud. Private SSH keys sync optionally through end-to-end encrypted iCloud Keychain. On Mac, your existing ~/.ssh folder is imported automatically. Terminal Themes & Fonts — Choose from six built-in themes: Default, Solarized Dark, Monokai, Nord, Dracula, and Tokyo Night. Pick your preferred font family and size (9–24pt), cursor style (block, bar, or underline), and blink behavior. Changes apply instantly. Snippets — Save commands you run often (deploy scripts, log tailing, service restarts) and send them to any active session with one tap. Access snippets from the terminal toolbar or the iOS keyboard accessory bar. Connection Organization — Star favorites to pin them at the top. Group connections by environment (Production, Staging, Personal). Add color tags for visual scanning. Search across all connections by name, host, username, or group. SSH Terminal — Full shell access with xterm-256color support. Manage multiple sessions with tabs. Split terminal view on iPad. Custom keyboard accessory bar with Esc, Tab, Ctrl, arrow keys, and quick-access snippets. format. Generate Ed25519 keys directly in the app. Import keys by pasting PEM text or from your Mac's ~/.ssh folder. All private keys stored in the Keychain with hardware encryption. SFTP File Browser — Browse remote filesystems, upload and download files, and manage directories with an intuitive touch interface. Security — Face ID and Touch ID for app-level protection. All credentials in the Keychain, hardware-encrypted. Host key verification via Trust On First Use (TOFU) with SHA-256 fingerprints. No accounts, no telemetry, no ads. Mac Support — Native macOS app with sidebar navigation. Import your ~/.ssh keys and config with one click. Sync connections from iPhone via iCloud. Open Source — mSSH is open source at github.com/nirasnet/mssh. Built with SwiftTerm and Citadel.

About

PocketTerm SSH

Features
Read full description

PocketTerm is a mobile SSH client for iPhone. Add a host, connect, type a command in the input box, and see remote output right away. An interactive PTY on the direct channel helps you run Agent CLIs and common terminal tools on your own servers. What you can do • Add servers with host, port, and username; sign in with password or OpenSSH private key • Line-oriented input: send a full command and watch results in the terminal view • Interactive PTY for remote Agent CLIs and common TUIs (depends on what you install on the host) • Per-server working directory and command history with up/down browse • Built-in quick commands plus a custom library • Detect remote tmux: switch, create, and delete sessions from the session bar (delete requires confirm) • 16 UI languages and a dark Pocket visual style Security • Passwords, private keys, and known hosts stay in on-device Keychain • Host-key TOFU: trust on first use; changed keys need your explicit clear before re-trust • We don’t run your servers or upload your credentials Notes • You need your own SSH-reachable Linux/Unix host and any Agent CLI you already use there • This is a mobile SSH client—it does not bundle third-party Agent products, and it is not a cloud IDE Built for developers and operators who need quick remote actions—and Agent sessions—on the go.

Screenshots

mssh4 screens
PocketTerm SSH4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: PocketTerm SSH at none against mssh's 3. On price, ads, 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. mssh sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. PocketTerm SSH asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
mssh versus PocketTerm SSH: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParametermsshPocketTerm SSH
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 9 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.017.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size10 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJadesada Ponyium雄 肖

In-app purchases

3 purchases

mssh

One-time3
  • Coffee Tip$0.99
  • Lunch Tip$4.99
  • Dinner Tip$9.99
None

PocketTerm SSH

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is mssh free?
mssh is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is PocketTerm SSH free?
PocketTerm SSH is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do mssh or PocketTerm SSH have ads?
Neither mssh nor PocketTerm SSH shows ads.

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