Tether vs ShortShot
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Tether
Seamlessly integrate your mobile device with your Linux desktop. Share clipboards, transfer files, and discover your desktop locally over Wi-Fi. All communication is secured with end-to-end encryption, with no cloud servers or accounts needed.
- Shared Clipboard Sync
- Bi-directional File Transfers
- Local Network Discovery
- End-to-End Encryption
- No Cloud Services Required
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Tether is an app designed for Linux users running custom desktop environments (Wayland). It provides essential ecosystem integration between your mobile device and your workstation, operating entirely over your local Wi-Fi. There are no cloud servers, third-party services, or accounts required. All data is routed strictly on your local network and secured with end-to-end mTLS encryption. Features: • Shared Clipboard: Sync clipboard text bi-directionally between your iPhone and your Linux machine. • File Transfers: Send documents, photos, and archives directly to your desktop, or receive files from it. • Local Discovery: Uses mDNS/Bonjour to automatically find your desktop - no static IP configuration needed. • Encrypted Connections: Device pairing and all network traffic are secured via mutual TLS certificates. Note: Tether is the iOS client app. To use it, simply run the free, open-source Tether desktop application (available as a CLI or GTK app) on your Linux machine. Visit the project's repository to download it and get started.
ShortShot
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ShortShot is built for photos that are useful right now and meaningless later. Instead of filling your photo library with one-off pictures of locker numbers, parking locations, hotel room doors, or temporary notes, ShortShot keeps those photos separate and easy to reach. Open the app, take the picture, and it stays available exactly for as long as you need it. When you come back soon after, or return to the same place, ShortShot can immediately surface the most relevant active photo again so it is ready when you need it. When you are done, delete it with one tap. If you prefer, ShortShot can also remove expired reminder photos automatically.
Screenshots
Verdict
Tether and ShortShot are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Tether ships an update weekly, ShortShot every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 14, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Tether | ShortShot |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (1 ratings) — better | — |
| Number of ratings | 1 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Weekly | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, Apple Watch — better |
| Requires iOS | 26.1 | 26.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Zack Bartel | Jens Krueger |
In-app purchases
Tether
No in-app purchases
ShortShot
No in-app purchases







