Which Termius alternative is right for you?
Termius is a capable client, and plenty of people stay with it. If you are looking around, it is usually for one of the reasons below. Find yours and jump to the client.
- Every protocol free, AI agents and sync when you want them: Wardterm.
- Everything on a server you host: Termix.
- Open source on the desktop: Electerm or Tabby.
- A fast desktop client with every SSH option: WindTerm.
- Containers and VMs next to your servers: XPipe.
- Remote desktop and SSH for an IT team: Royal TSX.
- An iPad with a keyboard: Blink Shell.
- One purchase for every Apple device: Prompt 3.
- Server files in the Files app and the Finder: Secure ShellFish.
What does Termius do well?
It is fair to start here, because the right alternative depends on what you would miss.
- Apps on five systems: macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, with one vault.
- A free Starter plan with a local vault, SSH, SFTP, port forwarding and AI autocomplete, usable at work.
- Company features: team vaults, live multiplayer sessions, SAML single sign-on and a SOC 2 Type II report on its larger plans.
- Hardware and biometric keys through SSH ID, FIDO2 keys included.
If Windows and Android in the same vault matter most, Termius already covers that. The clients below are for needs that point somewhere else.
The 10 Termius alternatives
1. Wardterm
Wardterm is a cross-platform SSH client with an end-to-end encrypted vault for servers, keys and passwords. It is built for people who keep long work running on servers, AI coding agents included.
What it does well
- A generous free plan. SSH, two-pane SFTP, Mosh with predictive echo, Telnet, serial consoles, tunnels, jump hosts, proxies and production warnings.
- Sessions that survive the network. Keep This Session moves a session into tmux on the server, so a dropped connection loses nothing. Free on every plan. Keep sessions alive.
- Every AI agent in one place. With Pro, the Agents tab follows Claude Code, Codex and Gemini CLI in your sessions: state, questions answered with a tap, a message when you need one. AI agents.
- A tap when something needs you. Session alerts in Pro notify you when a long command ends or an AI tool waits.
- Your servers, already there. Import from
~/.ssh/config, CSV or .reg files, or bring the machines of eight cloud providers as a group that stays up to date. - Containers and server stats beside the terminal: Docker and Podman over SSH, and CPU, memory and disks live.
- Good for
- Developers and sysadmins who want every protocol free, and sync, Agents and sharing when they need them.
- Cost
- Free plan. Pro is paid, with a 14-day free trial. Plans.
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone and iPad.
2. Termix
Termix is a free, open source (Apache-2.0) server manager you host yourself with Docker. Its own README calls it "a free, self-hosted Termius", and about 16,000 people have starred it on GitHub.
What it does well
- SSH with Auto mosh and Auto tmux, SFTP, tunnels with WireGuard gateways, Telnet, and RDP and VNC.
- Sharing with roles, single sign-on with OpenID Connect or LDAP, session sharing and recording.
- An AI assistant with your own provider, off until an admin turns it on.
- Good for
- Homelabs and small teams that want everything on their own server.
- Cost
- Free, open source.
- Platforms
- Any browser, plus apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.
3. Electerm
Electerm is a free, open source (MIT) client for terminals, files and remote desktops, with builds for an unusually wide range of systems.
What it does well
- SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC and Spice in one app.
- An AI assistant and an agent mode, for OpenAI or Anthropic style APIs.
- Sync through a GitHub or Gitee Gist, WebDAV, your own server or the electerm cloud.
- Good for
- One free app for SSH, files and remote desktop across many systems.
- Cost
- Free, open source.
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, HarmonyOS.
4. Tabby
Tabby is a free, open source (MIT) terminal with SSH, Telnet and serial clients built in.
What it does well
- A local terminal and a connection manager in one window.
- SSH with X11 and port forwarding, automatic jump hosts and agent forwarding, Pageant included.
- Serial with hex input and output, an encrypted container for secrets, and plugins from the settings.
- Good for
- A modern local terminal that also handles SSH and serial.
- Cost
- Free, open source.
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux, and a web app you can host.
5. WindTerm
WindTerm is an SSH, Telnet, tmux and serial client, free for commercial use. Part of its code is published under Apache-2.0.
What it does well
- A deep set of SSH options: ControlMaster, ProxyJump, agent forwarding, X11 and every kind of port forwarding.
- SFTP and SCP, tmux integration and input sent to several sessions.
- Low memory use, with benchmarks published by the maker.
- Good for
- Sysadmins who want a fast desktop client with every option.
- Cost
- Free.
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux.
6. XPipe
XPipe is a connection hub: SSH hosts, containers and hypervisors in one list, opened in the terminal you already use.
What it does well
- SSH with your config files, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, LXD and Proxmox.
- A file browser with sudo, and tunnels to remote services.
- A local encrypted vault, synced through your own git remote.
- Good for
- Homelabs and sysadmins with many VMs and containers.
- Cost
- Free Community plan for personal use, and paid plans.
- Platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux.
7. Royal TSX
Royal TSX (Royal TS on Windows) keeps RDP, VNC, SSH, web pages and file transfer in documents your team can share.
What it does well
- Remote desktop and SSH side by side, in documents that open on Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.
- Shared connection lists without sharing personal credentials, plus LastPass and KeePass integration.
- A license with no subscription, and a free Lite edition for up to 10 connections.
- Good for
- IT teams with mixed fleets who need more than SSH.
- Cost
- Free Lite edition, or a one-time purchase.
- Platforms
- Mac, Windows, iOS, Android.
8. Blink Shell
Blink Shell is an open source terminal for iPhone and iPad, made for people who work with a keyboard.
What it does well
- Mosh at the heart of the app, for connections that survive sleep and new networks.
- Passkeys and security keys such as YubiKey through WebAuthn.
- Blink Code, which opens VS Code for the web or your own code server.
- Good for
- Developers who work from an iPad with a keyboard.
- Cost
- Paid yearly plan, after a two-week free trial.
- Platforms
- iPhone and iPad.
9. Prompt 3
Prompt 3 is Panic's SSH client for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision.
What it does well
- SSH, Mosh and Eternal Terminal, with jump hosts.
- Panic Sync for servers, keys, passwords and Clips.
- Favorites protected by Face ID or Touch ID, and YubiKey support.
- Good for
- Apple users who want one polished app on every device.
- Cost
- Yearly plan or one-time purchase, after a 7-day free trial.
- Platforms
- Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision.
10. Secure ShellFish
Secure ShellFish brings your server folders into the Files app and the Finder, with a terminal beside them.
What it does well
- Server folders in Files and Finder, and file names in the output you can drag and share.
- tmux sessions with Handoff between devices, and Mosh as an experimental option.
- Suggest Command, which writes a command with Apple's Private Cloud Compute after reading the server's manual pages.
- Good for
- People who manage server files from Apple devices.
- Cost
- Free with ads, with monthly, yearly or lifetime Pro.
- Platforms
- iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Vision, Apple Watch.
How do you move your hosts from Termius to a new client?
The Termius docs describe importing from ~/.ssh, CSV, PuTTY, MobaXterm and SecureCRT. So the quickest way out is usually the way your hosts came in.
- Look for an existing
~/.ssh/config. Many people's hosts started there. Check what a host really resolves to before you import:grep -c '^Host ' ~/.ssh/config ssh -G web1 | grep -E '^(hostname|user|port|proxyjump|identityfile) ' - No config file? Write a short CSV once. One line per server is enough:
Label,Hostname/IP,Port,Username,Groups,Tags web1,10.0.0.11,22,deploy,Production,web db1,10.0.0.21,22,deploy,Production,db - Coming from PuTTY sessions on Windows? Export them to a .reg file:
reg export HKCU\Software\SimonTatham\PuTTY\Sessions putty-sessions.reg - Bring your known hosts with
~/.ssh/known_hosts, so trusted servers stay trusted. - Add your keys, then connect to two or three servers before you move the rest.
In Wardterm, all of this sits under Import next to New server. A Host entry keeps its key, its ProxyJump chain and its LocalForward tunnels, and a server already in your vault stays as it is. The steps are in Import hosts, and our guide to importing an SSH config covers the edge cases.
Is there a free Termius alternative?
Yes, several, and they are free in different ways.
- Free and open source: Termix, Electerm and Tabby.
- Free to use: WindTerm, the XPipe Community plan for personal use, and Royal TSX Lite for a handful of connections.
- A free plan of a full client: Wardterm Free has every protocol, unlimited servers, tunnels, the encrypted vault and Keep This Session. Secure ShellFish is free with ads.
Which Termius alternative for Mac and iOS?
On Apple devices the choice is wide. Wardterm has a native Mac app with split panes, two-pane SFTP and a local terminal, and an iPhone app with its own interface: a key bar you arrange, gestures and sessions on the Lock Screen. Prompt 3 covers Mac, iPhone, iPad and Vision with one subscription. Blink Shell is a favourite on iPad with a keyboard, and Secure ShellFish puts server files in the Finder.
For a closer look by device, read the best SSH clients for Mac and the best SSH apps for iPhone and iPad.
Which Termius alternative has cloud sync?
Most people want their servers on more than one device. Each client syncs its own way:
- Wardterm syncs an end-to-end encrypted vault with Pro. Offline changes wait and go out when the network is back. The encrypted vault.
- Termix keeps everything on the server you run.
- Electerm syncs through a Gist, WebDAV, your own server or its cloud.
- XPipe syncs through a git remote you choose.
- Royal TSX shares documents through a network share or cloud storage.
- Prompt 3 has Panic Sync, and Secure ShellFish uses iCloud Keychain.
If your team already shares a git repository or a file server, syncing there can feel natural. If you want it to work with no setup, a built-in service is simpler.
Is there an open source Termius alternative?
Yes. Termix (Apache-2.0) is the broadest: a self-hosted server with web, desktop and mobile apps. Electerm and Tabby (both MIT) are desktop clients with large communities. Blink Shell is open source on iPhone and iPad, and WindTerm and XPipe publish part or all of their core code.
Which Termius alternative works with AI coding agents?
More and more terminal work is an agent such as Claude Code or Codex running on a server for half an hour. That changes what you want from a client: the session must survive the train, and you want to know when the agent asks something.
In Wardterm, Keep This Session keeps the agent running on the server through a dropped connection, free. With Pro, Agents lists every agent in your sessions with its state, and its real choices appear as buttons when it asks. Ask, on every plan, turns a request in plain words into checked commands for the server's system. How Ask and Agents work.
Elsewhere, Termius has AI autocomplete and an AI Agent in closed beta, Termix and Electerm take your own model key, and Secure ShellFish uses Apple's Private Cloud Compute.
How to test a Termius alternative in one afternoon
- Import, do not retype. Use your config file or the CSV above.
- Run your real day. A deploy, a log tail, a file upload, a tunnel to a database.
- Pull the network. Switch to your phone's hotspot mid-command and see what survives.
- Check the second device. Add a server on one and look for it on the other.
Keep Termius installed while you try. When the new client handles a normal week, you will know. For a wider look across systems, see the best Mosh clients.
Questions
What is the best Termius alternative?
It depends on what you need. Wardterm has SSH, SFTP, Mosh, Telnet, serial and tunnels in a free plan, with sync, Agents and session alerts in Pro. Termix suits people who host their own tools, Electerm and Tabby are open source, and Prompt 3 covers every Apple device.
Is there a free Termius alternative?
Yes. Wardterm Free costs nothing and includes SSH, SFTP, Mosh, Telnet, serial consoles, tunnels and Keep This Session. Termix, Electerm, Tabby and WindTerm are free too, and the first three are open source.
What is a good open source Termius alternative?
Termix (Apache-2.0) is a self-hosted server with web, desktop and mobile apps. Electerm and Tabby (both MIT) are open source desktop clients, and Blink Shell is open source on iPhone and iPad.
Is there a Termius alternative for Mac?
Yes. Wardterm is a native Mac app with two-pane SFTP, tunnels, jump hosts, serial consoles and a local terminal in the free plan. Prompt 3, Secure ShellFish and Royal TSX run on the Mac too. More in the best SSH clients for Mac.
Is there a Termius alternative for iOS?
Yes. Wardterm on iPhone has a key bar you arrange, Mosh, sessions on the Lock Screen and Face ID to unlock, free. Blink Shell, Prompt 3 and Secure ShellFish are other well known iPhone clients.
Which Termius alternative has cloud sync?
Wardterm Pro syncs an end-to-end encrypted vault. Prompt 3 has Panic Sync, Secure ShellFish and La Terminal use iCloud, Termix keeps everything on your own server, Electerm syncs through a Gist, WebDAV or its own cloud, and XPipe through your git repository.
Can I export my hosts from Termius?
The Termius docs describe importing from ~/.ssh, CSV, PuTTY, MobaXterm and SecureCRT. The easiest way out is usually the source your hosts came from, such as your ~/.ssh/config, or a short CSV file you write once.
How do I import my hosts into Wardterm?
Use Import next to New server. Wardterm reads ~/.ssh/config with its Include files, keys, jump hosts and tunnels, a CSV file with a Hostname/IP column, a .reg file of saved sessions, and fingerprints from known_hosts. See Import hosts.
Which Termius alternative is good for Claude Code and Codex?
Wardterm has Agents, part of Pro: every Claude Code, Codex or Gemini CLI session shows its state, and you answer its questions with a tap. Keep This Session, free, keeps the agent running on the server if the connection drops.
Which Termius alternatives run on Windows and Linux?
Termix, Electerm, Tabby, WindTerm and XPipe run on Windows, macOS and Linux, and Royal TS has a Windows version.
Does Wardterm have team features?
Yes. Team and Business add shared vaults, with fingerprints to compare and roles per person on Business. Team and Business can share a live session with up to 10 guests.
Do I need an account to try Wardterm?
Yes, a free account with your email. On the Free plan your vault stays on your device. Pro adds sync and can be tried free for 14 days, with no card.
Sources
Each page was read on the date shown. Prices and features change, so check the maker's page before you decide.
- Wardterm, pricing, read on
- Wardterm docs, import hosts, read on
- Wardterm docs, AI agents, read on
- Wardterm docs, keep sessions alive, read on
- Termius, pricing, read on
- Termius, home page, read on
- Termius docs, import existing hosts, read on
- Termix, source repository, read on
- Termix docs, SSH Terminal plugin, read on
- Electerm, source repository, read on
- Tabby, source repository, read on
- WindTerm, source repository, read on
- XPipe, home page, read on
- XPipe, pricing, read on
- Royal TS and TSX, overview, read on
- Blink Shell, home page, read on
- Blink Shell docs, WebAuthn, read on
- Prompt 3, product page, read on
- Prompt 3, purchase FAQ, read on
- Secure ShellFish, home page, read on
- Secure ShellFish on the App Store, read on