Comparison

ViSH vs yxcode

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

Head to head
About

ViSH

Features
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ViSH turns your iPad into a portable, local ARM64 Linux workspace. Run Alpine Linux or Ubuntu 24.04 in a touch-friendly terminal, use AI coding CLIs, manage project files, or connect to remote servers over SSH. Your local Linux environment runs without a remote server. AI coding wherever you are Install terminal tools such as Claude Code and Codex to explore code, write scripts, and refactor projects on iPad. Bring your own account or API key and configure your environment with guided setup. Use apk on Alpine Linux or apt on Ubuntu 24.04. Install Git, OpenSSH, Node.js, npm, pnpm, nano, ripgrep, tmux, and common build tools as needed. Manage files beside your terminal The session file browser lets you browse local Linux or SSH server directories, view file details, import files and folders, create directories, and delete multiple items. Insert selected file paths directly into the terminal to save typing. Keep multiple Linux filesystems, download supported systems or import your own archives, and switch which one boots. Each filesystem retains its login user, boot command, and setup state. Export tar.gz archives or browse all filesystems from a single ViSH location in the Files app. Flexible SSH connections and protected keys Save SSH servers with password or key authentication, jump hosts, port forwarding, keep-alive, and automatic tab reconnection. On supported devices, create Secure Enclave SSH keys whose private keys stay inside secure hardware. Optionally require Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode when using a key. You can also import existing keys. Secure Enclave keys remain on the device where they were created. Built for terminal work on iPad Use multiple terminal tabs and long-press + to choose a local or SSH tab. Side panels bring files, shortcut keys, appearance, voice input, and SSH tools beside your main terminal workspace. Make it your own with a phosphor-amber interface, 505 terminal themes with live previews, and coding fonts with glyph previews. Pinch to resize text, pin the shortcut bar, use sticky modifiers and command snippets, mirror the terminal in Picture in Picture, and open Linux links in Safari. Connect serial hardware Plug ESP32 boards with built-in USB, such as ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3, ESP32-C6 and ESP32-H2, straight into your iPad. They appear in Linux as /dev/ttyACM0–3 with standard USB serial behavior, so Linux serial tools can talk to them directly. USB serial requires an iPad with an M-series chip. Connect compatible Bluetooth serial adapters to Linux with modem controls and optional local RFC 2217 access. Settings includes device compatibility information and guidance for an ESP32 bridge to help you choose a connection method. Notes All app features require an active ViSH subscription after the 7-day free trial. Some Linux features are limited by the iOS sandbox. Third-party tools such as Claude Code and Codex require your own account or API key with those services and may require a separate paid plan purchased outside ViSH. ViSH requires an auto-renewing subscription (yearly or monthly) and offers a 7-day free trial. All features described above require an active subscription. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://vishapp.dev/privacy

About

yxcode

Features
Read full description

yxcode turns your iPad into a coding workspace. Edit local files for free, or connect to your Mac, Windows PC, or Linux server to work with the projects and tools you already use. LOCAL EDITING, FREE Browse, edit, and search local files without a subscription. Organize your work with an explorer, tabs, split editors, and project search. YOUR DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT, WHEREVER YOU ARE Review code, investigate a server issue, work on assignments, or run deployment scripts from your iPad. Connect over SSH and keep using the compilers, dependencies, shell settings, and build tools on your remote computer. REMOTE DEVELOPMENT FEATURES • Remote Projects Browse, edit, and search projects on compatible macOS, Windows, and Linux hosts. • Integrated Remote Terminal Build projects, run tests, install dependencies, inspect logs, and execute scripts using your familiar remote shell. • Git Workflows Inspect diffs, stage changes, create commits, review history, manage branches, and synchronize repositories. • X11 Applications Display compatible remote graphical applications on your iPad. Support depends on the host operating system, application, and X11 configuration. • Extensions Use compatible extensions for language tooling, themes, and development workflows. Completion, diagnostics, formatting, and navigation depend on the extension and installed tools. • AI Tools in Your Terminal Run compatible CLI-based AI coding assistants installed on your remote computer. Provider accounts, subscriptions, and usage charges are separate. CHOOSE YOUR REMOTE ACCESS PLAN Local editing is free. Unlock the included remote development features with one of three options: • yxcode Plus Monthly — an auto-renewable monthly subscription. • yxcode Plus Yearly — an auto-renewable yearly subscription. • yxcode Core Lifetime — a one-time purchase for permanent access to the included remote features. Eligible customers may receive an introductory free trial when offered. Trial duration and the subscription price after the trial are shown before purchase. A free trial converts to a paid subscription unless cancelled. Payment is charged to your Apple Account upon confirmation of purchase, except where a free trial applies. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the current period ends. Prices vary by region. Manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. View plans and restore eligible purchases from Help > Purchases & Subscriptions. ALREADY PURCHASED YXCODE? Eligible customers who purchased the paid version of yxcode 1.0 retain permanent access to the included remote development features without a subscription. If your purchase is not recognized, use Restore Purchases with the Apple Account used to buy the app before purchasing another plan. LANGUAGE SUPPORT The interface is available in English. Syntax highlighting supports JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, C, C++, C#, Swift, Rust, Go, Java, PHP, Ruby, HTML, CSS, JSON, YAML, Markdown, shell scripts, and more. Advanced language features depend on compatible extensions and installed tools. BEFORE YOU CONNECT Remote development requires a reachable computer with SSH enabled, appropriate permissions, and the necessary development tools. Some workflows also require SFTP or additional host configuration. Compilers, runtimes, and terminal commands execute on your remote computer. Free local editing does not include a local terminal. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://yxcode.net/privacy/

Screenshots

ViSH4 screens
yxcode3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: yxcode at 16.6 against ViSH's 18.2. On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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. ViSH sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $5.99 per month and yxcode sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

ViSH ships an update fortnightly, yxcode every 8 days. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference ¡ 5 level
ViSH versus yxcode: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterViSHyxcode
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyFortnightlyEvery 8 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS18.216.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size50 MB138 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer武汉小强科技有限责任公司理想 姜

In-app purchases

2 purchases

ViSH

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly7 Days trial$5.991 Month
  • Yearly7 Days trial$59.991 Year
3 purchases

yxcode

Subscriptions2
  • Plus Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
  • Plus Yearly14 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Core Lifetime$19.99

Questions

Is ViSH free?
ViSH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is yxcode free?
yxcode is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do ViSH or yxcode have ads?
Neither ViSH nor yxcode shows ads.
Which is updated more often, ViSH or yxcode?
ViSH ships an update fortnightly, and yxcode every 8 days. Most recently, ViSH was updated on October 29, 2026 and yxcode on October 26, 2026.

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