Turn your iPhone into a powerful command-line tool with the best 6 terminal shell apps for iOS in March 2025. Whether you’re a developer, sysadmin, or command-line enthusiast, these apps offer SSH access, local shell environments, and advanced terminal features to enhance your productivity on the go.
iSH Shell by Theodore Dubois
iSH Shell: Unleash the Linux Power Within Your iPhone!
Dreaming of a Linux terminal on your iPhone? iSH Shell makes it a reality! This awesome app brings a fully functional Linux-like shell environment right to your iOS device. Edit files on the go with familiar commands like sed and cat, navigate directories, and manage your projects with the flexibility you’d expect from a Linux system. It’s a surprisingly powerful tool for developers who need a command-line interface in their pocket.
With a solid 4.7-star rating based on user reviews, iSH Shell proves its value to the developer community. Recent updates focus on stability and fixing those pesky bugs, ensuring a smoother, more reliable experience.
Keep in mind that while iSH Shell is incredibly useful, it’s an emulation and may not offer the full performance of a native Linux environment. However, for quick edits, scripting, and command-line experimentation on the go, it’s a game-changer.
a-Shell by Nicolas Holzschuch
Unleash the power of a Unix terminal right on your iPhone with a-Shell, the ultimate mobile developer’s playground.
This app transforms your iOS device into a portable powerhouse, letting you run a vast array of Unix commands, from file manipulation with vim and sed to Git repository management with lg2. a-Shell goes beyond simple emulation, offering native Arm64 compilation for speed and seamless integration, plus a full suite of programming languages like Python, Lua, C, and C++, alongside TeX for advanced text processing. Even better, its Shortcuts integration lets you automate complex tasks and transfer files effortlessly between apps, while the multi-window support allows for true multitasking. Compile C/C++ to WebAssembly with the included WASI-libc and execute it directly.
With a solid 4.6-star rating, a-Shell continues to evolve, with recent updates adding features like enhanced file handling in iOS 18 and ffmpeg support for video subtitling. Note that a-Shell is the full version; if you need a smaller app, and you don’t need a C compiler, a TeX engine, or numpy and matplotlib, there is a-Shell mini. If you’re serious about mobile development, a-Shell is a must-have.
xTerminal – SSH Terminal Shell by 婉媚 邵
Need a pocket-sized powerhouse for server management? xTerminal brings a complete SSH client to your iPhone, letting you securely connect and command your servers from anywhere.
This isn’t just a basic terminal emulator; xTerminal boasts a reactive editor for on-the-go document tweaks (vi/vim included!), multi-session support for juggling multiple connections, and a nifty snippet feature for saving and running frequently used commands across multiple servers in one go. Plus, features like device discovery, port knocking, and biometric authentication (TouchID/FaceID) add extra layers of convenience and security, while iCloud sync keeps your settings consistent across all your iOS devices.
With a solid 4.7-star rating from over 1600 users and recent bug fixes, xTerminal is a dependable tool for developers and system administrators alike. Note that while the app offers a robust free experience, some advanced features require a Pro subscription.
a-Shell mini by Nicolas Holzschuch
Unleash the power of a Unix terminal right on your iPhone with a-Shell mini, the ultimate pocket-sized developer toolkit!
This app packs a punch, offering a complete local terminal emulator that lets you run most Unix commands directly on your iOS device. Imagine editing files with vim, processing them with grep, and even managing Git repositories, all from your phone. Plus, with built-in Python, Lua, JavaScript, and even native ffmpeg for media conversion, a-Shell mini transforms your iPhone into a mobile development powerhouse. It can also be controlled from Shortcuts, and uses iPadOS multiple windows ability.
With a solid 4.6-star rating and a recent update adding subtitle support to its ffmpeg capabilities, a-Shell mini is clearly a favorite among developers.
Keep in mind that a-Shell mini is designed as a minimalist terminal with a small footprint. If you find yourself needing more advanced features like a C/C++ compiler or TeX, the full version of a-Shell might be a better fit. But for on-the-go scripting and command-line utilities, a-Shell mini is a must-have.
C++ Shell – C++ code compiler by Phoenix Lab Technology Co., Ltd.
Unleash your inner coder on the go with C++ Shell, the mobile C++ compiler that puts a Linux environment in your pocket! This app isn’t just a compiler; it’s a mini-development powerhouse, letting you write and run C++ code directly on your iPhone. Plus, it boasts a built-in environment that integrates Python and Lua, giving you even more flexibility for your projects. You can even execute basic Linux commands right from the console!
C++ Shell stands out with its user-friendly features like code highlighting, split-screen support in landscape mode, and detailed console output with error stack info. Customize your coding experience with theme and font size settings, and enjoy precise cursor control for easy editing. The app also supports a wide array of Linux commands, from basic file management to networking tools like ping and telnet.
With a solid 4.4-star rating and recent updates that include user-requested bug fixes and support for the “bits/stdc++.h” header, C++ Shell is continuously improving. Note that some advanced features and unlimited use require a subscription, but the power to compile and run C++ code on your iPhone might just be worth it!
SSH Files – Secure ShellFish by Anders Borum
SSH Files – Secure ShellFish: Your Server, Your iPhone
Secure ShellFish isn’t just another SSH client; it’s like having your server’s file system seamlessly integrated into your iOS device. This app stands out by letting you drag and drop files directly between your server and other apps, and even access server files offline. Plus, its built-in tmux support and Handoff capabilities mean your terminal sessions are persistent and available across all your devices – a real game-changer for mobile development.
Imagine editing code on your server with iA Writer or Textastic, then uploading entire directories through the share sheet with a tap. Secure ShellFish also lets you connect to various servers, including Macs and Synology NAS devices, and even spin up new Digital Ocean droplets directly from the app. Custom keyboard gestures and a handy snippet bar make terminal work on the go surprisingly efficient.
With a solid 4.8-star rating, it’s clear users appreciate the seamless integration. The latest update squashes a share sheet upload bug, ensuring smooth file transfers.
While the app is free to use, removing ads, enabling Files app uploads, and adding unlimited servers requires a Pro subscription.