Comparison

Terminalko vs Smile Code

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

Head to head
About

Terminalko

Connect to remote servers like VPS, Raspberry Pi, or Linux boxes directly from your iPhone or iPad. This app provides a real terminal experience with advanced features for managing connections and executing commands securely.

Highlights
  • Connect to VPS, Raspberry Pi, Linux
  • xterm-256color PTY with ANSI colors
  • Password or key authentication
  • Jump hosts support
  • Command snippets
  • Auto-reconnect for dropped sessions
  • Multiple parallel sessions
Features
Read full description

Terminalko is a fast, focused SSH terminal for iPhone and iPad. Connect to your VPS, Raspberry Pi or any Linux box, run a real shell, get work done without a laptop. Free to use, no account: add a server and you are at a prompt in a minute. [ A real terminal ] A true xterm-256color PTY with ANSI colors, scrollback and a keyboard aware layout. htop, vim and tmux behave exactly like they should. [ SSH, Mosh and Telnet ] SSH with password or key auth, jump hosts through a bastion in one hop. Mosh survives Wi-Fi to cellular switches, IP changes and long sleeps. Your prompt is still there hours later. Telnet for legacy gear: switches, routers, the odd BBS. [ Edit files over SFTP ] Open the config, fix the wrong line, save it back in place. Sizes, permissions and dates on every row. Upload, download, rename, delete, new folder. [ SSH keys, Secure Enclave included ] Generate an Ed25519 key on device and copy its authorized_keys line, ready to deploy. Paste an existing OpenSSH key. Or make one in the Secure Enclave, where the private half cannot leave the chip. A different key per server. Secrets live in the iOS Keychain. [ Dropped connections reconnect ] Connection Keeper retries a dropped session with a visible overlay and a cancel button. Lock the phone, tmux keeps working server side, the session re-attaches when you return. [ Themes and fonts ] Fifteen built in themes, plus an editor for your own: all 16 ANSI slots, text, background, cursor and selection, live preview. Twenty monospace faces bundled, nothing to download. [ Maximum Privacy and Security ] No tracking, no ads, no spying. Face ID, Touch ID, Optic ID or your passcode, with a grace period you choose, and masks it in the app switcher. No analytics, no ads, no accounts, no telemetry. The app talks to your servers and to nothing else. [ Want more? Unlock Terminalko Pro - one time purchase ] Most of Terminalko is free: every protocol, keys, jump hosts, themes, and the SFTP browser with full read access. Pro is a single payment (no subscription because we hate them). Pro adds the SFTP editor, the theme editor, the extra fonts and unlimited saved servers. [ Our mission ] Make the best terminal and SFTP app there is. Every version came from someone saying what was missing. If something is missing for you, say so. [ Requirements ] iOS or iPadOS 17 or later. Built for developers, sysadmins and homelab tinkerers. Check a server from the couch, SSH into a Pi from bed, restart a service from the train.

About

Smile Code

Features
Read full description

Your ideas keep coming, even when you no longer want to sit at your computer. ——·—————— An Agent is still working on a task. You have just thought of a change and want to tell it now. Several projects are running, and you keep searching for the right conversation. Smile Code is made for these moments. Connect to your own Mac. Check and reply on iPhone, or use the full workspace on iPad. Keep talking to Agents on your Mac, even when your mobile device is on another network. ——·—————— ▸ A design you will want to open every day Smile Code's developer is a designer first. A black background. The feel of aluminum. Like holding a familiar little device, rather than opening another chat window. Turn the wheel to browse conversations. Press to enter a task. Subtle sound and haptics respond to every step. Even checking progress and switching conversations can be fun. ▸ Say what comes to mind “Give this a little more space.” “Make the button bigger.” “Fix this issue first.” You do not have to type a long message on your phone. Speak your idea, turn it into text, review it, then send. A personal vocabulary and editable vocabulary packs help with technical terms that are hard to recognize. You can also download local speech models or configure your own AI text-polishing service to suit the way you work. Less typing when inspiration strikes. ▸ All connected conversations, together No need to remember which Agent has the task. Open Agents to see conversations from your connected tools in one place. Want to focus on one Agent? Apply a filter. Ready for another task? Turn the wheel, select it, and open it. You can switch to keypad controls, too. Let the tool fit your habits. ▸ Check your computer without going back to your desk Open the live Mac preview to see the screen. Use your phone for pointer and scrolling controls when needed. Check whether the interface looks right or see how a task is progressing. One less trip to your desk. One less interruption. ▸ Make room for ideas on iPad The same app now includes an iPad workspace. Control a paired Mac with a trackpad, shortcuts, and voice input. Arrange the app dock and keys to suit your workflow. ▸ A user first, a developer second That is the idea behind Smile Code. Its developer is also an avid Vibe Coding user. We know the urge to check on an Agent while it works. We know a change that takes one sentence to explain can be awkward to type. And we know a useful, thoughtfully designed tool makes you want to keep creating. That is why Smile Code pays attention to everyday use. From spacing on the screen to the feel of the wheel. From editing vocabulary to switching conversations. We hope you will think: “Yes. This is what I needed.” Let your Mac keep working. Pick up your iPhone or iPad and keep your next idea moving. Before you start: • Requires iOS 18 or later and an Apple silicon or Intel Mac running macOS 14 or later. • Install the Mac companion and keep the Mac awake, online, and running it. Remote chat requires version 1.1.0 or later on both devices. • Scan the Mac QR code for secure pairing. Remote chat uses an encrypted message relay; desktop previews remain on the same local network. • Remote chat has capacity and usage limits. Notifications may not arrive while the app is in the background or the phone is locked. • Install, sign in to, and authorize third-party Agents yourself. Features and fees depend on each service. • AI text polishing is off by default. When enabled, transcribed text and selected vocabulary are sent to the provider you configure.

Screenshots

Terminalko4 screens
Smile Code4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Terminalko at every 2 days against Smile Code's weekly. On price, ads, in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Terminalko ships an update every 2 days, Smile Code weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
Terminalko versus Smile Code: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTerminalkoSmile Code
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days — betterWeekly
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.0 — better18.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBEGRIP, s.r.o.建良 肖

In-app purchases

None

Terminalko

No in-app purchases

None

Smile Code

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Terminalko free?
Terminalko is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Smile Code free?
Smile Code is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Terminalko or Smile Code have ads?
Neither Terminalko nor Smile Code shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Terminalko or Smile Code?
Terminalko ships an update every 2 days, and Smile Code weekly. Most recently, Terminalko was updated on September 28, 2026 and Smile Code on October 11, 2026.

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