Comparison

Hop vs SessionBell

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

Head to head
About

Hop

Features
Read full description

Hop is a fast, beautiful SSH client for iPadOS and iOS, built for developers and sysadmins. Connect to any server with a password or SSH key and work in a native terminal that feels just like your usual console. Highlights β€’ SSH with password or key auth (Ed25519 and RSA, OpenSSH and PKCS#1) β€’ Reusable identities: save a user + credential and reuse it across servers β€’ Organize servers into collapsible groups β€’ Multiple simultaneous sessions with live status indicators β€’ Fast terminal with full hardware & Magic Keyboard support β€’ On-screen control keys (esc, tab, Ctrl, arrows) and text zoom β€’ Terminal-native dark design with monospaced type β€’ Credentials secured in the device Keychain β€’ Available in English and Spanish Your servers, in your pocket.

About

SessionBell

Features
Read full description

Leave your computer freely. Your local AI coding agents (Claude Code, Codex and more) now run for long stretches, needing only the occasional approval or nudge. SessionBell puts that on your iPhone β€” so you can step away and still stay in control: β€’ Rings only when it should β€” a task is waiting for input, has finished, or is asking to run a command. Delivered straight to your Lock Screen. Idle detection stays quiet while you're at your desk. β€’ Every machine, one panel β€” a live Lock Screen view of all your Macs and Windows PCs: waiting / running / done, ticking in real time, no unlock. β€’ Approve with one tap β€” allow or deny a command right on the Lock Screen card. No need to walk back to your computer. β€’ Steer and see the terminal β€” send the next instruction to a session, watch real terminal output, even start a new session remotely. β€’ Usage at a glance β€” this week's limits and premium-model usage, official numbers. Works with a free desktop companion for Mac and Windows β€” one command to pair after install. SessionBell is MIT-licensed open source, fully auditable and self-hostable β€” your data can flow through your own server only. Privacy by design: only project names, machine names, and status summaries are sent, never your source files. No ads, no tracking. GitHub: github.com/westie-ai/session-bell

Screenshots

Hop4 screens
SessionBell4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: SessionBell at none against Hop's 1. SessionBell also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 6 weeks) and iOS requirement (17.2 vs 26.0). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS

CostPrice Β· In-app purchases Β· Ads Β· Monetization

Both are free to download. Hop sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. SessionBell asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Hop ships an update every 6 weeks, SessionBell every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 19, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences Β· 3 level
Hop versus SessionBell: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHopSessionBell
PriceFreeFree
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksEvery 2 days β€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo β€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS26.017.2 β€” better
Further details β€” not scored
Size15 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperJUAN DE DIOS FRAUSTO RAMIREZ袊 ε­™

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Hop

One-time1
  • Hop Pro$2.99
None

SessionBell

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Hop free?
Hop is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is SessionBell free?
SessionBell is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do Hop or SessionBell have ads?
Neither Hop nor SessionBell shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Hop or SessionBell?
Hop ships an update every 6 weeks, and SessionBell every 2 days. Most recently, Hop was updated on October 19, 2026 and SessionBell on October 10, 2026.

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