Comparison

Pi SSH vs PiParent

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

Head to head
About

Pi SSH

Control your Raspberry Pi remotely with an interactive SSH terminal, file manager, and system monitoring tools. Manage Docker, systemd, and GPIO pins directly from your iPhone or iPad over your local network.

Highlights
  • Interactive SSH terminal
  • SFTP file manager
  • Live system monitoring
  • Docker and systemd control
  • GPIO pinout grid
  • Network tools
  • Command snippets and macros
Features
Read full description

Pi SSH is the Raspberry Pi control app with a real interactive SSH terminal — plus SFTP files, live monitoring, GPIO, Docker, and systemd. Connect over direct LAN SSH (no cloud relay) from iPhone or iPad. SSH TERMINAL (NEW IN 2.0) Open a full VT100/xterm SSH terminal to your Raspberry Pi or Linux box. Colors, interactive tools (htop, nano, vim), password or Ed25519 keys, optional jump/bastion host, on-screen shortcuts (Tab, Ctrl+C, arrows), and reconnect when the shell ends. The terminal uses its own session so live metrics keep updating. CONNECT WITH CONFIDENCE Clearer connection help when SSH fails, plus Scan network from the error screen. Bonjour discovery and Wi‑Fi subnet scanning find Pis on your local network. SFTP FILE MANAGER Browse folders, upload and download files, edit text configs, rename, copy, move, and delete — plus upload from the iOS share sheet. DOCKER & SYSTEMD Start, stop, and restart containers and services. View Docker and journal logs with live follow. GPIO CONTROL 40-pin pinout grid with per-pin input/output, PWM, custom labels, and bus-pin safety prompts. SYSTEM MONITORING CPU, memory, temperature, disk, and network — with charts and history. Home Screen widgets show the latest metrics after you capture them in the app. SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION Docker containers & images • systemd units • apt upgradable packages • journal/syslog viewer • edit boot or SSH config files. NETWORK TOOLS Local-network SSH discovery (Bonjour + subnet scan), Wake-on-LAN, TCP port checks, plus ping/traceroute run on the Pi. SNIPPETS & MACROS Save commands and run them with one tap; chain steps into macros. PRIVACY-FIRST Secrets stay in Keychain. Works over LAN/VPN — your credentials never pass through our servers. Supports Raspberry Pi OS and other Debian/Ubuntu-style Linux installs.

About

PiParent

Manage your Pi-hole server for enhanced network oversight and parental controls. Organize devices into family groups, schedule internet access, and block specific content categories. Offers advanced features and insights with an optional premium upgrade.

Highlights
  • Network oversight
  • Parental controls
  • Family group organization
  • Scheduled internet access
  • Content category blocking
  • Pi-hole admin tools
  • Family insights
Features
Read full description

PiParent gives you ultimate network oversight and effortless parental controls without compromising your family data. Built exclusively to orchestrate your Pi-hole server, PiParent turns raw network rules into seamless, schedule-driven family oversight directly from your iPhone. Take control of screen time, shut down adult content, and reclaim peace of mind-all while remaining 100 percent invisible to third-party analytics and advertisers. ZERO DATA, MAXIMUM PRIVACY Unlike standard parental control apps that track every app open, route your traffic through their servers, and build profiles on your kids, PiParent operates with a strict Zero-Data architecture. NO Servers: The app talks directly to your local Pi-hole. NO Accounts: All preferences stay secure on your phone. NO Analytics: We never track what you tap, see, or view. SECURE STORAGE: Credentials live safely in iOS Keychain. SMART FAMILY GROUPS Stop managing raw IP addresses. Instantly organize your network devices into simple family profiles. Tap Assign to link dynamic clients to specific children, gaming systems, or workspaces. EFFORTLESS SCHEDULES AND BEDTIMES Define healthy digital boundaries that enforce themselves. Set Bedtime windows for any group, and PiParent will automatically lock down internet access at night, re-enabling it only when the sun comes up. Reclaim nightly routines effortlessly. CONTENT CATEGORY BLOCKING Switch off the noisy web. PiParent allows you to activate targeted blocking for specific content profiles with one tap: Social Media and Doomscrolling Streaming Video Services Video Gaming Portals Explicit and Adult Content Gambling and Tracking PIPARENT PLUS (Premium Upgrade) Take command of advanced administration and real-time oversight. Try it free for 7 days! INSTANT DOWNTIME Hit the master override button. One tap instantly severs internet access to any group until you manually turn it back on. Perfect for dinner time, study sessions, or family nights. FAMILY INSIGHTS Discover exactly how your network is behaving. Unlock visual breakdowns of query trends and get a real-time leaderboard of the Top Allowed Domains used by devices in each family group. REWARD TIME Grant bonus screen time without wrecking your permanent schedule. Grant 15, 30, or 60 minutes of unrestricted access that automatically sunsets itself when the timer hits zero. PI-HOLE ADMIN TOOLS Update your Pi-hole Gravity blocklists, flush temporary logs, or restart your DNS resolver remotely directly from the dashboard. Requirements: An active Pi-hole instance running on your local network. Note: PiParent is a remote management dashboard utility that interacts with a user's self-hosted Pi-hole server via API calls over the local network. The app does not implement VPN technologies, does not route user traffic, and does not collect or share any user data. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Pi SSH4 screens
PiParent4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Pi SSH at none against PiParent's 3. Pi SSH also leads on update cadence (every 3 days vs every 9 days) and ratings volume (11 vs 2). PiParent's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). On price, rating, ads and device support 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. PiParent sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Pi SSH asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for Pi SSH against 5.0 for PiParent. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pi SSH has 11 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Pi SSH ships an update every 3 days, PiParent every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 28, 2026 and October 7, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Pi SSH versus PiParent: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPi SSHPiParent
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (11 ratings)5.0 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings11 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 3 days — betterEvery 9 days
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS17.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size21 MB41 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPankaj GaikarAnkur Gupta

Customer experience

Pi SSH

All ratings5 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

PiParent

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Pi SSH

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

PiParent

Subscriptions2
  • PiParent+ Monthly$1.991 Month
  • PiParent+ Yearly$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • PiParent+ Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is Pi SSH free?
Pi SSH is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is PiParent free?
PiParent is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Pi SSH or PiParent?
Pi SSH and PiParent are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 11 and 2 ratings respectively.
Do Pi SSH or PiParent have ads?
Neither Pi SSH nor PiParent shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Pi SSH or PiParent?
Pi SSH ships an update every 3 days, and PiParent every 9 days. Most recently, Pi SSH was updated on October 28, 2026 and PiParent on October 7, 2026.

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