Comparison

TermiSSH vs Shellby

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

Head to head
About

TermiSSH

A professional SSH and SFTP client for managing remote servers securely. Offers full terminal capabilities, key authentication, port forwarding, and a file manager. Sync configurations across devices and protect connections with Face ID.

Highlights
  • Full SSH Terminal
  • SSH Key Authentication
  • SSH Port Forwarding
  • SFTP File Manager
  • iCloud Sync (Pro)
  • Face ID Lock
Features
Read full description

The mobile terminal you've been waiting for. TermiSSH combines a professional SSH terminal, server monitoring dashboard, and a full-featured SFTP file manager into one complete iPhone app. Debug a production issue, deploy code, or check server health from anywhere. Works with Synology, QNAP, and other NAS devices for remote SSH access and file management. Server Monitoring Real-time server metrics at a glance — CPU load, memory usage, disk space, and system uptime directly from your iPhone. • Live metrics — CPU load (1/5/15 min), memory usage, disk utilization, uptime • Auto-polling — refresh intervals (15s/30s/60s) • Concurrent checks — monitor multiple servers simultaneously with parallel SSH connections • Zero setup — reads metrics via standard Linux commands, no server-side software needed Cloud Monitoring with Push Alerts — 24/7 watch (Pro) Even with the app closed, TermiSSH cloud keeps checking your servers and pushes alerts when something goes wrong. • Around-the-clock checks — monitoring never stops, even when the app is backgrounded • Push alerts — instant notifications on server down or check failures; consecutive-failure detection prevents false alarms • Recovery alerts — automatic notification when your server is back online • Custom checks — monitor any command output or port reachability with threshold alerts and ready-made templates SSH Terminal Full keyboard, real terminal — a desktop-class SSH experience on iPhone. • Password and private key authentication — RSA 2048/4096, ECDSA P-256 • SSH key generation — generate key pairs directly in the app, no computer needed • True color terminal — SwiftTerm rendering engine with xterm-256color support • Custom keyboard toolbar — Esc, Tab, Ctrl+C/D/Z, PgUp/PgDn, Home/End • Pinch to zoom — adjust font size with a two-finger gesture • Quick commands and snippets — 60+ built-in commands plus your own custom library • Auto-reconnect — configurable keepalive and automatic reconnection SFTP File Manager Browse, upload, download, and preview remote files just like a local file manager. • Full file operations — upload, download, delete, rename (supports recursive operations) • Package download — zip entire directories into a single file • Recursive search — search through every file in a directory tree • Text preview — code, logs, configs, Markdown — 40+ formats • Share sheet integration — send files from other apps directly to your server SFTP is completely free in TermiSSH. No paywall, no limits. Security and Privacy • iOS Keychain storage — passwords and private keys stored in Secure Enclave • Host key verification — fingerprint validation against man-in-the-middle attacks • Face ID and Passcode lock — app locks when backgrounded, clears the terminal screen • End-to-end encryption — all traffic encrypted via libssh2 and mbedTLS • Zero analytics — no tracking SDKs, no crash reporters, no third-party services • No data collection — not even anonymous usage statistics Productivity • Saved servers — named profiles, icons, drag-and-drop groups • Group proxy — configure jump host / HTTP proxy for an entire server group at once • iCloud sync — keep your server list consistent across devices (Pro) • Import/export — share server configurations as JSON files • Quick commands — 60+ built-in snippets and unlimited custom commands Free Trial vs Pro 7-Day Free Trial (Full Access), then stay free forever: Free (forever): full SSH terminal, free unlimited SFTP file manager, up to 2 saved servers, 60+ built-in quick commands. Pro (¥68/year or ¥168 lifetime): unlimited servers, unlimited custom snippets, server monitoring with cloud push alerts, 20+ custom terminal themes, iCloud sync, priority support. No ads. No data mining. Core features stay free. TermiSSH — your server, in your pocket. Legal Terms of Use (EULA): https://moaliangliang.github.io/termissh-web/eula.html Privacy Policy: https://moaliangliang.github.io/termissh-web/privacy.html

About

Shellby

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
Read full description

Shellby is a modern, native SSH client for iPhone, iPad, and Mac — one app, one experience across all your Apple devices. It does more than connect: a built-in AI agent turns plain-language ops tasks into commands you approve one by one, Mosh-compatible transport keeps sessions alive across network changes, and on Mac your AI coding tools reach your servers read-only, fully audited. Built for developers, sysadmins, and anyone who manages remote servers. No account, no tracking. AI ASSISTANT & AGENT (BRING YOUR OWN KEY) • Describe an ops task in plain language — the agent plans and runs it step by step • Every command passes an approval gate; destructive ones need explicit confirmation — nothing runs behind your back • Customizable allow/deny lists; approve & allowlist in one tap • Standard chat-completion APIs, so you pick the service — DeepSeek, Kimi, GLM, Qwen, or a local Ollama model • Off by default; bring your own key and endpoint — no AI service is built in EXTERNAL AGENTS — MCP (macOS) • Let claude-code, codex, and other MCP clients use hosts you already configured — no passwords, keys, or jump-host setup handed over • Read-only: list hosts, run read-only commands, read files, fetch metrics; mutating commands are refused with a reason • Loopback only, token-checked per request, token in the Keychain, every call audited • Runs only while Shellby is open — no background daemon MOSH-COMPATIBLE CONNECTIONS • Switch Wi-Fi to cellular, roam, ride through a tunnel — the session survives and resumes instantly • Typing stays responsive even on slow, high-latency links • Connection test detects a missing mosh-server and gives install steps for your distro TERMINAL • Fast, standards-compliant terminal (xterm-256color) • Password and SSH key authentication (Ed25519 / RSA / OpenSSH) • On-screen key bar: Esc, Tab, Ctrl combos, arrows, symbols • Full hardware-keyboard mapping on iPad and Mac • Terminal themes and font size • Scrollback buffer up to 50,000 lines SNIPPETS & COMMAND TOOLBAR • Save commands you use daily; run, insert, or copy them from a toolbar above the terminal • Shell syntax highlighting and line numbers; review before running DESKTOP-CLASS ON MAC & iPAD • Three-column layout: hosts, sessions, and content each in place • Multiple windows and session tabs, with live terminal previews • Split view, and command broadcast — type once, send to many sessions • Native menu bar, shortcuts, and window toolbar on Mac FILES (SFTP) • Browse, upload, download, rename, move, delete, create folders • One transfer queue both ways — progress, resume, choice of destination • Drag & drop on Mac; notification when background transfers finish • Integrates with the Files app PORT FORWARDING & TUNNELS • Local (-L), remote (-R), and dynamic SOCKS5 (-D) forwarding • Jump hosts / ProxyJump (-J) with multi-hop chains • Standalone tunnels that stay up and auto-reconnect, with live bandwidth • For reaching services inside your own server network (databases, internal dashboards) — not for bypassing network restrictions SERVER MONITOR • Live CPU, memory, swap, disk, load, and top processes SYNC — YOUR DATA, YOUR STORAGE • Optional iCloud sync of hosts, groups, and rules (CloudKit); passwords and keys only via the end-to-end-encrypted iCloud Keychain • Or bring your own storage: hosts, keys, snippets, AI settings & chats via any WebDAV or S3-compatible service you control • Pair a new device by scanning a QR code SECURITY & PRIVACY • Credentials stored only in the device Keychain — never in plaintext • Host fingerprint verification (TOFU), with a strong warning if one ever changes • Face ID / Touch ID app lock • No account, no tracking, no data collection You bring your own SSH servers; Shellby connects only to machines you own or are authorized to access. Languages: English, 简体中文, 繁體中文. Privacy Policy: https://shellby.app.mahui.me/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

TermiSSH4 screens
Shellby4 screens

Verdict

The call

TermiSSH and Shellby are too close to call on the numbers: across 8 compared parameters — price, review sentiment, update cadence and ads among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.

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. TermiSSH sells 1 one-off in-app purchase 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.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

TermiSSH ships an update every 3 weeks, Shellby every 11 days. The most recent releases landed on October 18, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

ScorecardNo meaningful differences
TermiSSH versus Shellby: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterTermiSSHShellby
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 11 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFreemiumFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size5 MB15 MB
Age rating4+4+
Developer亮亮 毛荟 马

Customer experience

TermiSSH

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Shellby

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

1 purchases

TermiSSH

One-time1
  • TermiSSH Pro(买断)$24.99
3 purchases

Shellby

Subscriptions2
  • Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
  • Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • Pro Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is TermiSSH free?
TermiSSH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Shellby free?
Shellby is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do TermiSSH or Shellby have ads?
Neither TermiSSH nor Shellby shows ads.
Which is updated more often, TermiSSH or Shellby?
TermiSSH ships an update every 3 weeks, and Shellby every 11 days. Most recently, TermiSSH was updated on October 18, 2026 and Shellby on October 2, 2026.

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