Comparison

AirShell vs ChibyooShell

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

Head to head
About

AirShell

Features
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AirShell is a mobile SSH terminal for developers who live in the command line. Connect to your Mac, Linux server, VPS or dev box from iPhone and keep working in the same CLI-first environment you already use on desktop. AirShell is designed for AI coding tools, tmux workflows, remote shells and repeatable terminal actions. Key features: - Live SSH terminal built for focused mobile work - Saved connection profiles with Keychain-backed secrets - OpenSSH ED25519 and RSA private key support - Trusted host-key verification on device - Press-and-hold speech input for terminal commands and prompts - Custom command shortcuts for deploys, logs, tests and tmux actions - Quick entries for Codex, Claude Code, Gemini CLI and CodeBuddy - CLI completion notifications when supported tools return to the shell prompt - tmux window and directory workflows for long-running sessions - iCloud sync for server profiles and custom commands AirShell does not replace your paid CLI tools. It extends them. Use the subscriptions, servers and command-line workflows you already have, even when you are away from the computer. Ideal for: - Checking long-running AI coding agents - Sending quick follow-up prompts by voice - Restarting services or tailing logs from anywhere - Keeping SSH and tmux workflows available from your pocket - Making desktop-grade CLI tools useful beyond the desk Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

About

ChibyooShell

Features
Read full description

Professional SSH client and server monitor. Terminal, SFTP, Docker management and real-time metrics โ€” all in one app. ChibyooShell โ€” powerful SSH client and server monitoring tool for iOS professionals. CHIBYOO PRO Unlock all features: โ€” Unlimited servers โ€” Full access to all features Available as monthly, yearly or lifetime subscription. TERMINAL & SSH โ€” Full SSH terminal with xterm-256color support โ€” Ed25519, RSA, ECDSA key authentication โ€” Password and key-based login โ€” SSH key generation and management โ€” Fira Code, Menlo, SF Mono font support SERVER MONITORING โ€” Real-time CPU, RAM, disk and network metrics โ€” Per-core CPU usage โ€” Network interface stats with TX/RX graphs โ€” Disk I/O monitoring โ€” Active process list โ€” Server uptime and load average SFTP FILE MANAGER โ€” Browse, upload and download files โ€” Create, rename, delete files and folders โ€” Built-in text editor โ€” File permissions (chmod) โ€” Quick Look preview DOCKER & PODMAN โ€” Container list with real-time metrics โ€” Start, stop, restart, remove containers โ€” Container log viewer โ€” Per-container CPU and memory usage SECURITY โ€” All credentials stored in iOS Keychain โ€” Face ID / Touch ID protection โ€” SSH host key verification (TOFU) โ€” Optional iCloud sync via CloudKit PORT FORWARDING โ€” Local port forwarding via SSH tunnel CONNECTIVITY โ€” Citadel (modern SSH) + LibSSH2 fallback โ€” Auto-reconnect โ€” Configurable connection timeout Terms of Use: https://chibyoo.com/terms-chibyooshell/ Privacy Policy: https://chibyoo.com/privacy-policy-chibyooshell/

Screenshots

AirShell4 screens
ChibyooShell4 screens

Verdict

The call

AirShell and ChibyooShell are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters โ€” price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them โ€” neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. AirShell sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month and ChibyooShell sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

AirShell ships an update every 6 weeks, ChibyooShell every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
AirShell versus ChibyooShell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterAirShellChibyooShell
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeks โ€” betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPad โ€” betteriPhone
Requires iOS17.0 โ€” better17.6
Further details โ€” not scored
Size5 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAny Learner LLCAleksandr Kolesnikov

In-app purchases

3 purchases

AirShell

Subscriptions2
  • AirShell Pro Monthly$6.991 Month
  • AirShell Pro Yearly$59.991 Year
One-time1
  • AirShell Pro Lifetime$99.99
5 purchases

ChibyooShell

Subscriptions3
  • ChibyooShell Pro โ€” Monthly$2.991 Month
  • ChibyooShell Plus โ€” Yearly$5.991 Year
  • ChibyooShell Pro โ€” Yearly7 Days trial$17.991 Year
One-time2
  • ChibyooShell Plus โ€” Lifetime$17.99
  • ChibyooShell Pro โ€” Lifetime$49.99

Questions

Is AirShell free?
AirShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is ChibyooShell free?
ChibyooShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do AirShell or ChibyooShell have ads?
Neither AirShell nor ChibyooShell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, AirShell or ChibyooShell?
AirShell ships an update every 6 weeks, and ChibyooShell every 2 months. Most recently, AirShell was updated on October 25, 2026 and ChibyooShell on October 28, 2026.

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