Comparison

PocketSpec vs Pier Shell

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

Head to head
About

PocketSpec

Features
Read full description

PocketSpec is a read-only viewer for comfortably reading the Markdown specifications inside your GitHub repositories, right on your iPhone and iPad. Check the design docs and specs stored in your project's docs/ folder anytime, anywhere. It isn't tied to a single repository — register multiple projects as a "spec bookshelf" and switch between them to read. ■ Key features • GitHub integration (read-only) Sign in with GitHub and securely fetch only the contents of the repository, branch, and documentation folder you specify. It never edits or commits files. • Clean Markdown rendering Supports headings, lists, code blocks, tables, images, and links. Optimized so even long specifications are comfortable to read. • Mermaid diagram rendering Renders Mermaid code such as flowcharts and sequence diagrams as real diagrams. Tap to zoom to full screen. • Manage multiple projects Set a repository, branch, and display folder per project. The last opened project and document are restored on launch. • Offline support Once fetched, content is cached on device, so you can read your most recently synced specs even with no connection. • Secure by design Limits the visible content to the folder you specify; it never reads source code or configuration files. Access tokens are stored only in the device Keychain and are never sent to any external server. ■ Who it's for • Engineers who want to quickly check their project's specs on the move or before a meeting • Anyone who wants to read documentation from multiple development repositories in one place • Anyone who wants to safely view private-repository design docs from their iPhone ■ Before you start Using this app requires a GitHub account and read access to the target repositories. To read private repositories, install the dedicated GitHub App on the target repository (the only permission required is Contents: read-only).

About

Pier Shell

Features
Read full description

No separate account required Pier works with your existing iCloud account to keep supported data synchronized across your Apple devices. There’s no Pier registration, username, or password to manage. Pier is a native SSH and SFTP client built for developers who want a simple, fast way to access their servers from iPhone and Mac. Add your hosts once and keep them synced privately through iCloud. Connect to production, staging, personal servers, Raspberry Pis, and more without rebuilding your setup on every device. Pier is designed to feel at home on Apple platforms, with a clean native interface, fast terminal performance, and secure key handling.

Screenshots

PocketSpec4 screens
Pier Shell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is iOS requirement: PocketSpec at 17.0 against Pier Shell's 26.5. 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.

Scorecard1 real difference · 5 level
PocketSpec versus Pier Shell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterPocketSpecPier Shell
PriceFreeFree
Update frequency—Every 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, Mac — better
Requires iOS17.0 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size7 MB13 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperShun KiyouraMuhamad Nur Asyraaf

In-app purchases

None

PocketSpec

No in-app purchases

None

Pier Shell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is PocketSpec free?
PocketSpec is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Pier Shell free?
Pier Shell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do PocketSpec or Pier Shell have ads?
Neither PocketSpec nor Pier Shell shows ads.

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