# GateShell vs 8Terminal

The clearest difference is update cadence: 8Terminal at every 2 days against GateShell's every 5 weeks. On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. GateShell sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $0.99 per month and 8Terminal sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for GateShell against 5.0 for 8Terminal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 1 and 1 respectively.

GateShell ships an update every 5 weeks, 8Terminal every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | GateShell | 8Terminal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gateshell-ssh-client-and-sftp/id6785287621/reviews) | [5.0 (1 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8terminal-ssh-client/id6802427379/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1 | 1 |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks | **Every 2 days** |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 52 MB | 59 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [HEFTY INNOVATIONS](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785287623) | [Milos Vesic](https://appshunter.io/developer/6802427831) |

## What reviewers say

### GateShell

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gateshell-ssh-client-and-sftp/id6785287621)

This app provides a secure and private SSH, Mosh, and SFTP client that runs entirely on-device. It offers advanced terminal features, server management dashboards, and file editing capabilities, all without relying on external servers or tracking user data.

**Highlights:** Zero-backend SSH, Mosh, and SFTP client, On-device credential management, Native Mosh with persistent sessions, Server management dashboards (Docker, DBs, etc.), SFTP file transfer with background retry, Built-in code editor with syntax highlighting, AI coding agent integration

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| GateShell Pro Monthly | $0.99 | per month |
| GateShell Pro Yearly | $9.99 | per year |


### 8Terminal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/8terminal-ssh-client/id6802427379)

This app provides a secure SSH workspace for managing multiple terminal sessions and hosts across Apple devices. It offers SFTP file transfers, an encrypted local vault for credentials, and optional AI assistance for command preparation. Security is a core focus, with explicit user approval required for commands and host key changes.

**Highlights:** Manage multiple SSH sessions, SFTP file transfers, Encrypted local host vault, Cross-device vault sync (Pro), Live Activities for mobile sessions, AI-assisted command preparation

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 8Terminal Pro Lifetime | $5.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is GateShell free?

GateShell is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is 8Terminal free?

8Terminal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, GateShell or 8Terminal?

GateShell and 8Terminal are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 1 and 1 ratings respectively.

### Do GateShell or 8Terminal have ads?

Neither GateShell nor 8Terminal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, GateShell or 8Terminal?

GateShell ships an update every 5 weeks, and 8Terminal every 2 days. Most recently, GateShell was updated on October 25, 2026 and 8Terminal on October 15, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*