Shellby vs yxcode
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- AI-powered command generation
- Mosh-compatible sessions
- SFTP file transfer
- Port forwarding and tunnels
- Server monitoring (CPU, memory)
- On-screen key bar
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Shellby is a modern, native SSH client for iPhone, iPad, and Mac ā 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 ā the agent plans and runs it step by step ⢠Every command passes an approval gate; destructive ones need explicit confirmation ā nothing runs behind your back ⢠Customizable allow/deny lists; approve & allowlist in one tap ⢠Standard chat-completion APIs, so you pick the service ā DeepSeek, Kimi, GLM, Qwen, or a local Ollama model ⢠Off by default; bring your own key and endpoint ā no AI service is built in EXTERNAL AGENTS ā MCP (macOS) ⢠Let claude-code, codex, and other MCP clients use hosts you already configured ā 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 ā no background daemon MOSH-COMPATIBLE CONNECTIONS ⢠Switch Wi-Fi to cellular, roam, ride through a tunnel ā 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 ā 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 ā 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) ā not for bypassing network restrictions SERVER MONITOR ⢠Live CPU, memory, swap, disk, load, and top processes SYNC ā 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 ā 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, ē®ä½äøę, ē¹é«äøę. Privacy Policy: https://shellby.app.mahui.me/privacy/ Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
yxcode
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yxcode turns your iPad into a coding workspace. Edit local files for free, or connect to your Mac, Windows PC, or Linux server to work with the projects and tools you already use. LOCAL EDITING, FREE Browse, edit, and search local files without a subscription. Organize your work with an explorer, tabs, split editors, and project search. YOUR DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT, WHEREVER YOU ARE Review code, investigate a server issue, work on assignments, or run deployment scripts from your iPad. Connect over SSH and keep using the compilers, dependencies, shell settings, and build tools on your remote computer. REMOTE DEVELOPMENT FEATURES ⢠Remote Projects Browse, edit, and search projects on compatible macOS, Windows, and Linux hosts. ⢠Integrated Remote Terminal Build projects, run tests, install dependencies, inspect logs, and execute scripts using your familiar remote shell. ⢠Git Workflows Inspect diffs, stage changes, create commits, review history, manage branches, and synchronize repositories. ⢠X11 Applications Display compatible remote graphical applications on your iPad. Support depends on the host operating system, application, and X11 configuration. ⢠Extensions Use compatible extensions for language tooling, themes, and development workflows. Completion, diagnostics, formatting, and navigation depend on the extension and installed tools. ⢠AI Tools in Your Terminal Run compatible CLI-based AI coding assistants installed on your remote computer. Provider accounts, subscriptions, and usage charges are separate. CHOOSE YOUR REMOTE ACCESS PLAN Local editing is free. Unlock the included remote development features with one of three options: ⢠yxcode Plus Monthly ā an auto-renewable monthly subscription. ⢠yxcode Plus Yearly ā an auto-renewable yearly subscription. ⢠yxcode Core Lifetime ā a one-time purchase for permanent access to the included remote features. Eligible customers may receive an introductory free trial when offered. Trial duration and the subscription price after the trial are shown before purchase. A free trial converts to a paid subscription unless cancelled. Payment is charged to your Apple Account upon confirmation of purchase, except where a free trial applies. Subscriptions renew automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the current period ends. Your account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the current period ends. Prices vary by region. Manage or cancel subscriptions in your Apple Account settings. View plans and restore eligible purchases from Help > Purchases & Subscriptions. ALREADY PURCHASED YXCODE? Eligible customers who purchased the paid version of yxcode 1.0 retain permanent access to the included remote development features without a subscription. If your purchase is not recognized, use Restore Purchases with the Apple Account used to buy the app before purchasing another plan. LANGUAGE SUPPORT The interface is available in English. Syntax highlighting supports JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, C, C++, C#, Swift, Rust, Go, Java, PHP, Ruby, HTML, CSS, JSON, YAML, Markdown, shell scripts, and more. Advanced language features depend on compatible extensions and installed tools. BEFORE YOU CONNECT Remote development requires a reachable computer with SSH enabled, appropriate permissions, and the necessary development tools. Some workflows also require SFTP or additional host configuration. Compilers, runtimes, and terminal commands execute on your remote computer. Free local editing does not include a local terminal. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://yxcode.net/privacy/
Screenshots
Verdict
Shellby and yxcode are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters ā price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them ā neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Shellby sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and yxcode sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Shellby ships an update every 11 days, yxcode every 8 days. Both last shipped on October 26, 2026.
| Parameter | Shellby | yxcode |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | ā |
| Update frequency | Every 11 days | Every 8 days ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Freemium | ā |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac ā better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 16.6 ā better |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 15 MB | 138 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | č 马 | ēę³ å§ |
In-app purchases
Shellby
- Pro Monthly$1.991 Month
- Pro Yearly7 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Pro Lifetime$29.99
yxcode
- Plus Monthly7 Days trial$1.991 Month
- Plus Yearly14 Days trial$9.991 Year
- Core Lifetime$19.99









