Comparison

Shelly vs Docker Server Admin

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

Head to head
About

Shelly

A powerful and user-friendly SSH client for mobile devices. It offers robust terminal emulation, gesture controls, and customizable keyboard shortcuts for efficient remote server management. Supports key-based authentication and iCloud sync.

Highlights
  • Hardware accelerated text rendering
  • Robust terminal emulation
  • Gesture control for navigation
  • Customizable keyboard toolbar
  • Key file authentication
  • iCloud sync support
  • Terminal color themes
Features
Read full description

SSH client designed for usability and performance. RELIABLE AND FAST • Hardware accelerated text rendering. • Robust terminal emulation based on the PuTTY engine. • Works great with programs such as 'screen' and 'irssi'. CONTROL WITH GESTURES • Default gestures optimized for irssi. Just swipe to switch channels or to scroll up and down. • Fully customizable. Any keypress or action can be attached to any gesture. EASY CONNECTING • Save user credentials and configure a remote command such as ‘screen -rd’ to connect with one tap. • 3D touch support. Connect directly from the iOS home screen. CUSTOMIZABLE KEYBOARD • Easily bind custom actions to buttons on the keyboard toolbar. • Works with custom iOS keyboards such as SwiftKey. OPEN LINKS AND SELECT TEXT • Familiar iOS text selection experience. Long-press on text to show the selection controls. • Copy and paste text. • Select a URL to easily open it in the web browser. OTHER FEATURES • iCloud sync support. • Terminal color themes. Choose your favorite from the several themes included or make your own. • Key file authentication support. Import an existing private key, or create a new key and export the public key. • Host key verification and management. • Agent forwarding (OpenSSH servers only). • Keep connections alive while the app is in the background. • Connection history with optional realtime location data. • Plenty of other configuration options. Please note that some features require a paid upgrade. You can try all features for free for a limited time.

About

Docker Server Admin

Manage Docker containers, images, and Linux hosts remotely via SSH. Monitor system performance with detailed stats and control your environment with an integrated terminal and SFTP file explorer.

Highlights
  • Docker container monitoring & management
  • Linux host performance dashboard
  • Real-time CPU, memory, disk, and network stats
  • Integrated SSH terminal with jump host support
  • SFTP file explorer for remote file management
  • Docker image management
Features
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Docker Server Admin – Comprehensive Docker and Linux Host Management. Monitoring and management of Docker containers, images, and Linux hosts through a secure SSH connection. Docker Container Stats. Gain valuable insights into your Docker containers with detailed statistics: * CPU Usage: Visualize real-time CPU data with comprehensive charts. * Memory Usage: Track memory consumption with intuitive graphical representations. * Disk I/O: Monitor disk read/write operations through detailed charts. * Network I/O: Analyze network traffic with line charts showing data transfer rates. Linux Host Stats Dashboard. Keep your Linux hosts in check with a robust stats dashboard: * Load Averages: View load averages over 1 minute, 5 minutes, and 15 minutes. * CPU Load: Access charts displaying overall and per-core CPU load. * Memory, Swap & Disk Usage: Monitor memory, swap, and disk utilization in real-time. * Disk I/O: Get insights into disk transactions per second and read/write rates. * Network I/O: Track transmission (TX) and reception (RX) rates for comprehensive network monitoring. Docker Container Management. Easily manage your Docker containers with a user-friendly interface: * Container Overview: View a list of containers with names, IDs, statuses, and port mappings. * Container Control: Start, stop, restart, or remove containers as needed. * Inspect & Logs: Inspect container details and access logs for troubleshooting. Docker Image Management. Manage your Docker images with powerful tools: * Image Overview: Access a list of images, including names, IDs, and versions. * Image Control: Run containers from images, inspect image details, pull new images, or delete unwanted ones. SSH Terminal: The built-in SSH client offers full access to your host system's command line, empowering you to perform administrative tasks remotely: * Jump Host & Proxy Support: Connect securely via SSH jump hosts or SOCKS5 proxies, enabling you to manage servers in layered network environments. * Interactive Terminal: Experience a fully interactive terminal that supports real-time command execution, run complex scripts and commands with ease. * Command Management: Benefit from features such as command snippets, making it easy to reuse previous commands. * Copy and Paste Functionality: Quickly copy and paste text between your device and the terminal, simplifying the workflow when working with scripts or configuration files. * Startup & Batch Snippets: Automate your routine tasks with predefined startup snippets or execute batch commands across multiple sessions, saving time and increasing productivity. * Session Persistence: Keep your sessions active for long-running tasks, allowing you to disconnect and reconnect without losing your place. SFTP Explorer: Efficiently manage files on your server: * File & Directory Management: Upload, download, edit, move, rename, and delete files easily. * Streamlined Workflow: Perform operations on files and folders effortlessly, ensuring efficient handling of file transfers or system updates. * User-Friendly Navigation: Browse directories smoothly while managing file permissions directly from the app. The app is a docker third-party client, the app is not affiliated with Docker Corporation. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of use: https://septudio.com/terms-of-use Privacy policy: https://septudio.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

Shelly4 screens
Docker Server Admin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Docker Server Admin at 4.7 against Shelly's 4.4. Docker Server Admin also leads on chart position (#178 vs unranked). Shelly's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 64%) and iOS requirement (13.0 vs 15.1). On price, ratings volume, update cadence and ads 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. Shelly sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Docker Server Admin sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $29.99 per year. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Docker Server Admin holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 273 and 144 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 76% of Shelly's written reviews are positive against 64% of Docker Server Admin's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 7 level
Shelly versus Docker Server Admin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterShellyDocker Server Admin
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.4 (273 ratings)4.7 (144 ratings) — better
Positive reviews76.3% of reviews — better63.6% of reviews
Number of ratings273 — better144
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree with in-app purchases
Best chart rank—#178 — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size11 MB24 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTouch Foo婉媚 邵

Customer experience

Shelly

All ratings273 ratings
Positive83.5%
Neutral4.4%
Negative12.1%
Written reviews354 reviews
Positive76.3%
Neutral8.8%
Negative15.0%

Docker Server Admin

All ratings144 ratings
Positive92.4%
Neutral2.8%
Negative4.9%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral15.2%
Negative21.2%

User reviews

Shelly

From 273 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 🚀 Lightweight and fast
  • 👍 Customizable keyboard and gestures
  • 🔒 Supports SSH key authentication
  • 💡 Useful shortcuts and toolbar
  • 👍 Reliable background connections

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Occasional connection drops when switching apps
  • 🐛 Toolbar issues with hardware keyboard
  • 🐛 Garbled display with some terminal programs
  • 🐛 Lack of support for newer SSH key formats
  • 🐛 Inconsistent behavior with password managers

Docker Server Admin

From 144 App Store ratings

What we love

  • 👍 Great Docker app
  • 👍 UI is easy to use
  • 👍 App does what it needs to do
  • 👍 Perfect demonstration
  • 👍 Love the UI

Room to improve

  • 🐛 Support is non-existent
  • 🐛 Charges without subscription
  • 🐛 Not very fluid, feels clunky
  • 🐛 Expensive
  • 🐛 Slow and unresponsive

Bugs and requests

Shelly

Reported bugs

4 issues
  • Saved profiles get overwritten unexpectedly
  • Toolbar persists even with auto-hide enabled
  • Cursor movement issues with hardware keyboard
  • Inability to copy/paste with Magic Keyboard

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for port forwarding
  • Implement Mosh protocol support
  • Allow customization of default font
  • Provide option for multiple app instances
  • Add ability to remap hardware keyboard keys

Docker Server Admin

Reported bugs

9 issues
  • Card charged without open subscription
  • Support requests unanswered
  • Loading bar is annoying
  • CPU values don't change
  • Blue 'Add' button covers bottom menu
Show 4 more
  • Credential invalid errors
  • App crashes on startup
  • Incorrect memory usage reported
  • Cannot connect to Ubuntu servers

Requested features

2 requests
  • Network visualization
  • List of bash commands

In-app purchases

1 purchases

Shelly

One-time1
  • Upgrade To Pro$3.99
2 purchases

Docker Server Admin

Subscriptions1
  • Docker Pro7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Docker Pro$59.99

Questions

Is Shelly free?
Shelly is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Docker Server Admin free?
Docker Server Admin is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Shelly or Docker Server Admin?
Docker Server Admin is rated higher. Shelly averages 4.4 out of 5 from 273 ratings, while Docker Server Admin averages 4.7 from 144 ratings.
Do Shelly or Docker Server Admin have ads?
Neither Shelly nor Docker Server Admin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Shelly or Docker Server Admin?
Shelly ships an update every 2 months, and Docker Server Admin every 2 months. Most recently, Shelly was updated on October 13, 2026 and Docker Server Admin on October 11, 2026.

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