# PocketShell vs Shellby

PocketShell and Shellby 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.

Both are free to download. PocketShell sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per month and Shellby sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

PocketShell ships an update every 3 weeks, Shellby every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 1, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | PocketShell | Shellby |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | — | 100.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 11 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 88 MB | 15 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.4** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Yash Agarwal](https://appshunter.io/developer/1870810559) | [荟 马](https://appshunter.io/developer/1859998670) |

## What reviewers say

### PocketShell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pocketshell/id6764135099)

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| PocketShell Pro Monthly | $4.99 | per month |
| PocketShell Pro Yearly | $39.99 | per year |
| PocketShell Pro Lifetime | $99.99 | one-time |


### Shellby

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shellby-ssh-client-and-terminal/id6786177565)

A native SSH client for Apple devices that offers SFTP, tunnels, and server monitoring. It features an AI assistant to translate plain language tasks into commands and Mosh-compatible transport for resilient sessions.

**Highlights:** AI-powered command generation, Mosh-compatible sessions, SFTP file transfer, Port forwarding and tunnels, Server monitoring (CPU, memory), On-screen key bar

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro Monthly | $1.99 | per month |
| Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |
| Pro Lifetime | $29.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is PocketShell free?

PocketShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Shellby free?

Shellby is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do PocketShell or Shellby have ads?

Neither PocketShell nor Shellby shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, PocketShell or Shellby?

PocketShell ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shellby every 11 days. Most recently, PocketShell was updated on October 1, 2026 and Shellby on October 2, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*