Best Terminal Emulator Apps & Games

248+ iOS apps & games curated and reviewed

4.2 avg rating
19 free apps & games
Updated September 2026

Every iPhone needs a few good terminal emulator apps and games. We benchmark 248+ of them on App Store rating, freshness, and pricing, then surface the standouts so you don't have to scroll the App Store yourself.

Compare top Terminal Emulator Apps & Games (September 2026)

#AppPriceRatingAdsIn-App PurchasesUpdated
1iSH ShelliSH ShellFree4.7★ (1.2K)NoNoSep 2026
2Termius - Modern SSH ClientTermius - Modern SSH ClientFree4.7★ (19K)NoYesSep 2026
3a-Shella-ShellFree4.6★ (539)NoNoSep 2026
4Terminal Emulator appTerminal Emulator appFree1.0★ (3)NoNoJul 2026
5Terminal#Terminal#Free4.5★ (153)NoYesSep 2026
6a-Shell minia-Shell miniFree4.6★ (118)NoNoSep 2026
7Terminal Emulator PlusTerminal Emulator PlusFree1.0★ (1)YesNoMay 2026
8RetroArchRetroArchFree4.3★ (1.8K)NoNoSep 2026

Top Picks for Terminal Emulator

iSH Shell#1

iSH Shell by Theodore Dubois

Linux in your pocket
Editor's Choice
🛠️ Developer Tools
4.7😊(1.2K ratings)
Free
#17in Developer Tools
iSH Shell screenshot 1

Experience a Linux-like command-line environment directly on your iOS device. This application allows you to perform common Linux operations such as editing, moving, and manipulating files using familiar commands.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Excellent Linux environment
  • 👍 Great for SSH and network utilities
  • 💡 Allows running Linux apps on iOS
  • 🔒 Secure and sandboxed
  • 👍 Customizable and flexible

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Crashes and freezes
  • 🔋 Battery intensive
  • ⚠️ Limited functionality compared to full Linux
  • ⚠️ Outdated packages and dependencies
Termius - Modern SSH Client#2

Termius - Modern SSH Client by Termius Corporation

SFTP, Terminal, Telnet, PuTTY
Strong Contender
🛠️ Developer Tools
4.7😊(19K ratings)
FreeIn-App Purchases
#4in Developer Tools
Termius - Modern SSH Client screenshot 1
Termius - Modern SSH Client screenshot 2
Termius - Modern SSH Client screenshot 3
Termius - Modern SSH Client screenshot 4
Termius - Modern SSH Client screenshot 5
Termius - Modern SSH Client screenshot 6

This app provides a modern SSH client and terminal for seamless remote access across devices. It offers a desktop-grade terminal experience with advanced features like multi-tab support, custom themes, and saved commands. Securely manage connections and credentials with cloud sync and hardware key authentication.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Smooth and fast
  • 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
  • 🔒 Secure with SSH/SFTP support
  • 💡 Useful features like port forwarding
  • 👍 Customizable keyboard and themes
  • 🚀 Reliable and stable
  • 👍 Convenient for remote access

Room to Improve

  • 💰 Expensive subscription model
  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔋 Drains battery quickly
  • 🤔 Aggressive upselling of premium features
a-Shell#3

a-Shell by Nicolas Holzschuch

*Local* Unix terminal (& ssh)
Worth Considering
🛠️ Developer Tools
4.6😊(539 ratings)
Free
#18in Developer Tools
a-Shell screenshot 1
a-Shell screenshot 2
a-Shell screenshot 3
a-Shell screenshot 4
a-Shell screenshot 5

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

What We Love

  • 🚀 Powerful terminal with Linux commands
  • 👍 Useful for programming and development
  • 🔒 Secure and reliable
  • 💡 Impressive capabilities for an iOS app
  • 👍 Helpful documentation and developer support

Room to Improve

  • 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
  • 🔍 Limited customization options
  • 🔍 Missing some basic terminal features
  • 🔍 Compatibility issues with certain packages

More Terminal Emulator apps to explore

FAQ about Terminal Emulator

What are the best terminal emulator apps & games for iPhone?
iSH Shell tops our terminal emulator apps & games ranking as of September 2026, with a 4.7-star average from 1.2K App Store ratings, and it's free to download.
Yes — 19 of the top terminal emulator apps & games we rank are free to download, including iSH Shell and Termius - Modern SSH Client.
iSH Shell has no ads and has no in-app purchases, according to its App Store listing as of September 2026.
We track 248+ terminal emulator apps & games on the iOS App Store as of September 2026, ranked by rating, recency, and analysis of real user reviews.
iSH Shell provides a Linux-like command-line environment on your iOS device. It allows you to execute common Linux commands for tasks like editing files with tools such as sed and cat, moving files, and other file management operations.
Key features include a Linux-like shell, the ability to edit files using commands like sed and cat, and general file manipulation capabilities. It essentially brings a pocket Linux experience to your iPhone or iPad.

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