PocketShell vs BYOT Coding Agent
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
PocketShell
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Manage your servers and projects from your iPhone or iPad. No SSH keys to copy, no ports to forward, no VPN to configure. PocketShell replaces traditional SSH workflows with a secure, mobile-first workspace. Install the lightweight host agent, scan a QR code, and connect to your own machines through encrypted peer-to-peer connections whenever the network allows. Open real terminals, browse files, monitor system stats, transfer files, and now work inside ProjectSpace: a code editor-style mobile workspace for your projects. ProjectSpace brings files, terminal sessions, Git changes, agent chats, and local web previews together so you can inspect, fix, and ship from your phone. Built for developers, on-call engineers, homelab users, and self-hosters who need safe access to machines they own from anywhere. PROJECTSPACE - Browse project folders on your host - Open and edit code with syntax highlighting - Search files and project contents - View Git status and diffs - Stage changes, switch branches, and commit - Open terminals scoped to the project - Preview local dev servers in the built-in Dev Browser HOW IT WORKS 1. Install the PocketShell agent on your host with one command 2. Scan the QR code to pair your phone 3. Open terminals, files, projects, Git, stats, and web previews from your phone FREE FOR UP TO 2 HOSTS - Real terminal sessions with a mobile-friendly keyboard - ProjectSpace for mobile project workflows - Built-in Dev Browser for local web previews - Live monitoring: CPU, memory, disk, network, processes - Browse, preview, upload, and download files - Resume sessions across devices - Direct peer-to-peer connections when your network allows POCKETSHELL PRO - Up to 10 hosts - More ProjectSpace capacity - Direct host-to-host file transfers - Higher file transfer limits - 30 days of historical stats - Multi-device support - Priority alerts and notifications WHY NOT SSH? Traditional SSH apps require you to copy private keys to your phone, expose ports through your router, or set up VPNs to reach machines behind NAT. PocketShell uses encrypted peer-to-peer connections through a lightweight host agent. Pair once, access securely, and avoid key management on mobile. SECURITY PocketShell uses device-bound host pairing, trusted-device approval, biometric unlock, Ed25519 cryptography, and session auditing. Terminal contents are never stored on our servers. Terminal I/O, files, stats, and project data flow directly between your phone and your host whenever the network allows. PocketShell is for accessing machines you own or are authorized to operate. Privacy Policy: https://pocketshell.app/privacy Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
BYOT Coding Agent
Control a coding agent running on your computer directly from your mobile device. Browse projects, send prompts with files, and monitor assistant activity in real-time. Manage permission requests and review session details.
- Connect to OpenCode server
- Send prompts with photos/files
- Live stream assistant text and tool activity
- Inspect tool inputs, progress, and errors
- Answer permission requests
- Review session diffs
- Switch between saved servers
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BYOT is a native client for OpenCode, the open-source coding agent. Connect to the OpenCode server running on your own computer and drive coding sessions from your iPhone or iPad. Browse projects and sessions, send prompts with photos or files, and watch assistant text, reasoning, and tool activity stream live. Inspect tool inputs, progress, output, and errors. Answer permission requests and questions from your server, queue follow-up prompts, and choose models from your server's catalog. Review session diffs when your server supports them. Switch between saved servers, group sessions by project or browse them in one list, and find sessions by title, project, or path. Unsent text and attachments stay on this iPhone across session changes and app relaunches. Choose System, Light, or Dark appearance. With the optional BYOT companion running on your computer, get notifications for approvals, questions, completed turns, and errors. Enable the computer queue to keep accepted prompts running in order while BYOT is closed. Your computer must remain awake and the companion connected. Work that has not finished uploading needs BYOT to reconnect; uncertain delivery requires your review. BYOT supports OpenCode 1 and OpenCode 2 beta servers with automatic protocol detection. Available features depend on the server version; some OpenCode 2 beta servers do not expose per-session diffs. Your server does the work. BYOT renders its responses and sends your instructions over HTTPS. There is no BYOT account or sign-up, and no tracking. Anonymous usage data is off until you turn it on, and it never includes your prompts, code, server addresses, or project names. Server passwords are stored in the iOS Keychain. In direct mode, prompts and attachments go to your configured server and the model providers you enable there. Optional notifications and the computer queue use the BYOT relay for device registration, delivery, and encrypted queued content. See the privacy policy for storage and retention details. Requires an OpenCode server you operate, reachable over HTTPS, for example through Tailscale. Notifications and the computer queue also require the BYOT companion. BYOT is an independent client and is not affiliated with the OpenCode project.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: BYOT Coding Agent at 100% against PocketShell's 0%. BYOT Coding Agent also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 3) and update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). 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
Both are free to download. PocketShell sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month. BYOT Coding Agent asks for nothing beyond the download.
PocketShell ships an update every 3 weeks, BYOT Coding Agent weekly. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | PocketShell | BYOT Coding Agent |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 0.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | — | 2 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | Weekly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 88 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yash Agarwal | Bogeybot LLC |
Customer experience
PocketShell
BYOT Coding Agent
In-app purchases
PocketShell
- PocketShell Pro Monthly$4.991 Month
- PocketShell Pro Yearly$39.991 Year
- PocketShell Pro Lifetime$99.99
BYOT Coding Agent
No in-app purchases









