Shell M4
m4-16-256
$21.8/ day
$108.9 / month
For short builds, release checks, and single-task development environments. First, verify that dependency installation, signing, and artifact retrieval all work.
- Chip
- M4
- Unified memory
- 16GB
- Storage
- 256GB
Cloud Macs for developers
Open a shell.
Open a shell.
Your cloud Mac is ready.
Dedicated physical Apple Silicon Macs, not VMs. 5 locations. From $21.8/day.
What are you running on your Mac today?
Choose a Mac, location, and billing period before confirming your order. The workflow below is illustrative—not a live instance or a performance guarantee.
armshell@sg-node
~ $ ssh dev@sg-node.armshell.com
dev@sg-node ~ % sw_vers
ProductName: macOS
ProductVersion: 15.5
BuildVersion: 24F74
dev@sg-node ~ % sysctl -n machdep.cpu.brand_string hw.memsize
Apple M4
17179869184
dev@sg-node ~ % pwd
/Users/dev
dev@sg-node ~/App % xcode-select -p
/Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
dev@sg-node ~/App % xcodebuild -scheme App -configuration Release -destination 'generic/platform=iOS' build
Resolve Package Graph
CompileSwiftSources normal arm64
Ld build/Release-iphoneos/App.app/App
CodeSign build/Release-iphoneos/App.app
** BUILD SUCCEEDED **
dev@sg-node ~/App % ls build/Release-iphoneos
App.app
dev@sg-node ~/App % bundle exec fastlane gym --scheme App
$ xcodebuild -showBuildSettings -scheme App
▸ Compiling AppDelegate.swift
▸ Linking App
** ARCHIVE SUCCEEDED **
Successfully stored the archive.
Successfully exported and signed the ipa file:
/Users/dev/App/build/App.ipa
fastlane finished successfully
dev@sg-node ~/App % ls build/*.ipa
dev@sg-node ~ % brew install gitlab-runner
Installing gitlab-runner
dev@sg-node ~ % gitlab-runner register
Runtime platform arch=arm64 os=darwin
Enter the executor: shell
Runner registered successfully.
dev@sg-node ~ % brew services start gitlab-runner
Successfully started gitlab-runner
dev@sg-node ~ % gitlab-runner verify
Verifying runner... is valid
~ $ ssh -N -L 5901:localhost:5900 dev@sg-node.armshell.com
Open the desktop connection in another local terminal:
~ $ open vnc://localhost:5901
Enable screen sharing on the node first, then connect through the SSH tunnel.
dev@sg-node ~ % sudo lsof -iTCP:5900 -sTCP:LISTEN
COMMAND PID USER TYPE NAME
screensharingd 402 root IPv4 TCP *:rfb (LISTEN)
Do not expose the desktop port directly to the public internet.
Use the desktop to inspect the UI; batch tasks can still run from the command line.
dev@sg-node ~ % python3 -m venv .venv
dev@sg-node ~ % source .venv/bin/activate
(.venv) % pip install -U mlx
Successfully installed mlx
(.venv) % python -c "import mlx.core as mx; print(mx.default_device()); print(mx.arange(4))"
Device(gpu, 0)
array([0, 1, 2, 3], dtype=int32)
Check the environment first, then budget memory for model weights and context.
Throughput depends on the model, quantization, input length, and concurrency.
Session detailsExample
SessionSSH accessXcode buildfastlane buildCI runnerVNC desktopMLX inference
LocationSingapore · SG
MacShell M4
SpecsM4 · 16GB · 256GB
BillingDaily · $21.8
ProvisionedDay 1, 09:02
ExpiresDay 2, 09:02
AvailabilityAvailable
Example billing period24h
38% usedAbout 15 hours left
The dashboard provides the latest availability, provisioning, and expiry details.
Physical Macs, not VMs
A whole Mac, just for you. No neighbors. No slices.
Each order gives you a dedicated physical Apple Silicon Mac. Connect over SSH to use the macOS command line, or open the graphical desktop. CPU, GPU, and unified memory are not shared with other tenants, so you don't have to compete for resources on a shared instance.
CPU, GPU, and unified memory are yours
Schedule your workloads across the full machine. Builds, simulators, and inference tasks can still compete for local resources, so check peak memory use for a single task before increasing runner concurrency. Dedicated doesn't mean unlimited parallelism.
Manage Xcode versions per project
Install Xcode versions compatible with the current macOS release. Keep multiple versions side by side and switch between them with
xcode-selectorDEVELOPER_DIR. Check your project's SDK dependencies before moving your pipeline to avoid disrupting a release branch.Signing and Metal run on the Mac
Use certificates, provisioning profiles, and project settings you’re authorized to use to create an archive. Unified memory and Metal support graphics and inference workloads. Code signing doesn't mean an external test device is connected; contact support through a ticket to confirm device-connection requirements.
3 Mac configurations. All yours.
Each physical Mac comes with the listed chip, unified memory, and storage. Choose memory based on your working set, then size storage for source code, caches, and build artifacts.
Shell M4ChipM4Unified memory16GBStorage256GB
Shell M4 PlusChipM4Unified memory24GBStorage512GB
Shell M4 ProChipM4 ProUnified memory64GBStorage2TB
Shell M4 is a good fit for short builds. Choose Shell M4 Plus for more cache and always-on tasks, or Shell M4 Pro for memory-heavy workloads. Need more space? Add a 1TB or 2TB SSD. Thunderbolt 5 daisy-chaining is a separate add-on. See the plans for details.
5 locations
Singapore, Tokyo, Seoul, Hong Kong, and the US East Coast. Choose based on your team's network routes, not just map distance.
3 Macs
From M4 / 16GB / 256GB to M4 Pro / 64GB / 2TB. All three configurations are dedicated physical Macs.
$21.8 from / day
Shell M4's daily rate, billed in USD. For ongoing use, compare the full weekly, monthly, and quarterly rates.
Locations and Macs reflect the current catalog. Check the dashboard for live availability; see the plans page for pricing.
~ $ ssh dev@armshell-hk
The authenticity of host 'armshell-hk' can't be established.
ED25519 key fingerprint is
SHA256:Xq3v9mK2pR7tN1wL5cY8bH4dF6gJ0sA2eU9iO3kZ7pM.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting
(yes/no/[fingerprint])? yes
Warning: Permanently added 'armshell-hk'
(ED25519) to the list of known hosts.
dev@armshell-hk ~/App % xcodebuild -scheme App \
-archivePath build/App.xcarchive archive
CompileSwiftSources normal arm64
CodeSign App.xcarchive/Products/Applications/App.app
** ARCHIVE SUCCEEDED **
dev@armshell-hk ~/App % bundle exec fastlane gym
+------+------------------+-------------+
| Step | Action | Time (in s) |
+------+------------------+-------------+
| 1 | default_platform | 0 |
| 2 | gym | 186 |
+------+------------------+-------------+
fastlane finished successfullyThe log is illustrative; 186 seconds is not a performance benchmark. Don't use the sample fingerprint to verify a real node.
From connection to build
From your first SSH connection to ARCHIVE SUCCEEDED.
Keep using your Windows or Linux workstation and run the macOS-only build on a node. Get one command working first, then hand that same command to CI instead of migrating your entire toolchain at once.
Verify the fingerprint on first connection
Get the connection details from the dashboard and verify the actual host fingerprint before accepting it. Then change the initial password and add your SSH public key. Never put credentials in a repository or public logs.
Pin your toolchain, then create an archive
Check the Xcode path, dependency lockfiles, and signing settings. Configure certificates and provisioning profiles on the node; your pipeline can read the build logs and exit code directly.
Retrieve artifacts and keep reproducible records
Use rsync to retrieve archives, installers, and dSYMs. Record the commit, Xcode version, and build parameters. For meaningful timing comparisons, use the same code, cache state, and concurrency settings.
Locations
Five locations, one familiar workflow
All three Mac configurations are available across all five locations. Select a location to configure your order—not to open a regional overview. Check the dashboard for live availability.
SG
Singapore
Southeast Asia
For teams working across Southeast Asia, check the network route from your team's location to this node.
AvailableSelect location JPTokyo, Japan
East Asia
If most of your team is in East Asia, compare the responsiveness of SSH and desktop access from here.
AvailableSelect location KRSeoul, South Korea
Northeast Asia
Compare access from Northeast Asia, and check the locations of your source repository and artifact storage.
AvailableSelect location HKHong Kong
South China and Southeast Asia
For teams working across South China and Southeast Asia, choose based on your actual carrier routes.
AvailableSelect location US-EUS East
Eastern North America and Western Europe
A candidate for transatlantic teams. Consider dependency download routes when planning builds.
AvailableSelect locationInteractive desktop use is more sensitive to latency; batch builds depend more on dependency downloads and artifact transfers. Nodes operate year-round, 365 days a year. Geographic distance alone doesn't tell you actual latency.
Pricing
3 Macs, from daily rates
The same rates apply at all five locations. Test your workload to confirm its resource needs before choosing a longer billing period. Rental time starts when your Mac is provisioned; check the exact start and end times in the dashboard.
Shell M4 Plus
m4-24-512
$39.6/ day
$198.1 / month
More room for persistent runners, dependency caches, and multiple tools. Increase concurrency gradually based on your project's peak memory use.
- Chip
- M4
- Unified memory
- 24GB
- Storage
- 512GB
Shell M4 Pro
m4pro-64-2tb
$61.6/ day
$308.1 / month
For memory-intensive builds and MLX experiments. To see whether a model will fit, account for its weights, context cache, and runtime overhead.
- Chip
- M4 Pro
- Unified memory
- 64GB
- Storage
- 2TB
Weekly, monthly, and quarterly billing can cost less. Shell M4's full-period rates are $58.8/week, $108.9/month, and $296.2/quarter. Add-ons are charged separately; check the configuration and total before confirming your order.
All billing periods and add-ons
Payments
Two payment methods. One currency.
All prices and invoices are in US dollars (USD). We support only the two payment methods below. Available payment gateways are confirmed by the backend.
Before paying, check your Mac, location, billing period, and add-ons. A submitted transfer isn't confirmation of receipt. Connection details are provided in the dashboard; never email card numbers or private keys to support.
USDT-TRC20
Follow the network, amount, and payment details shown at checkout. Confirm the network before sending funds. For billing questions, provide the transaction hash so we can locate the payment.
Visa / Mastercard / Amex
Your card details are processed during checkout; this site does not store your full card number. Follow any additional verification steps shown in the payment flow.
Prices in USD $
All four billing periods—daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly—and add-ons such as SSD storage and Thunderbolt 5 daisy-chaining are priced in USD. Check the full-period amount, not the displayed daily equivalent.
Check expiry and renewals in the dashboard
After provisioning, manage your instance, orders, and invoices in the dashboard. Check the updated price before renewing or changing your configuration. Back up your data before migrating workloads.
Open dashboard
FAQ
Five things to know before you start
Before renting, check resource ownership, provisioning, and how your data is handled. For more on choosing a Mac, billing, networking, and data, see the FAQ.
For help choosing a configuration, email support@armshell.com with your toolchain, build frequency, peak memory use, and expected rental period. If you already have an order, sign in to the dashboard and submit a ticket so we can identify your instance.
Is the whole Mac dedicated to me?
Yes. Each order gives you a dedicated physical Apple Silicon Mac. Its CPU, GPU, unified memory, and local storage are assigned to your environment—not shared with other tenants in a VM. Your own builds, desktop sessions, and inference tasks still share resources on that Mac, so manage concurrency and monitor memory pressure.
How long does provisioning take?
Once your payment is confirmed, your order enters the provisioning process. Check the dashboard for the latest status and connection details; we don't promise a fixed number of minutes here. USDT-TRC20 payments must be received and confirmed, while card payments require confirmation from the payment gateway. If you've paid but the order status hasn't updated, submit a ticket in the dashboard with your order number or transaction hash. Don't pay again.
Can I upgrade or add storage later?
Check the dashboard for Mac changes and add-ons such as 1TB or 2TB SSD storage and Thunderbolt 5 daisy-chaining. The quote and instructions shown before confirmation explain whether your current order can be changed, how any price difference is calculated, and whether migration is needed. Don't assume an upgrade will be uninterrupted. Retrieve important files and record your toolchain and signing setup before making changes.
What happens to my data when the rental expires?
Check the expiry time in the dashboard. Renew or export your data before then; don't use the node as your only backup. Access may end after expiry. The order details and dashboard notices explain applicable recovery conditions, retention arrangements, and the process for reclaiming and erasing the node. This page doesn't promise a fixed retention period or recovery after erasure. Use rsync to retrieve source code, archives, dSYMs, and any configuration you need in advance.
Which payment methods do you accept?
We accept USDT-TRC20 and Visa / Mastercard / Amex (processed by Stripe), all billed in US dollars (USD). The backend confirms which payment gateways are available. For payment or billing checks, provide your order number, payment status, and relevant transaction records. Never include a full card number, verification code, or other sensitive credentials in a support ticket.
From the blog
Workflows, explained
Notes on connecting, building, and working with a team. Get your own project running first, then turn the setup into repeatable steps.
AIDevelopment
Test iOS OperationQueue dependency failures and cancellation
Separate operation completion, business success and cancellation requests to prevent dependent tasks from running after a failed prerequisite.
AIDevelopmentTest iOS memory cache contracts on a cloud Mac
Verify key isolation and explicit clearing with executable Swift tests, without treating NSCache capacity hints as deterministic eviction rules.
DevOps & CI/CDTest iOS Floating-Point Boundaries on a Cloud Mac
Build a normalization contract with executable tests for NaN, infinity, overflow, negative zero, and deliberate tolerance choices.
New posts are in the works. In the meantime, browse the blog.
$ ssh dev@your-node
Need a Mac today? Get started today.
Shell M4 from $21.8/day. Choose a location and billing period, then move your next build to a dedicated physical Mac.