- “Best Open-Source SSH Session Managers for macOS (2025 Edition)” ✅ (Professional tone — perfect for technical readers)
- “Top 10 Free SSH Connection Managers for macOS and Cross-Platform Teams”
- “Manage Hundreds of SSH Connections Easily: Best Free Tools for macOS Users”
- “Tabby vs Termius vs Royal TSX: Which SSH Manager Is Best for Power Users in 2025?”
Blog: Best Open-Source SSH Session Managers for macOS (2025 Edition)
When you’re managing hundreds of servers, manually typing SSH commands or juggling terminal tabs is painful. A session manager gives you a clean interface to store, organize, and quickly connect to your remote servers — whether they’re Linux boxes, Docker hosts, or network appliances.
If you’re on macOS, here are the best free and open-source SSH session managers that scale beautifully — plus which tools support import/export, secure credential storage, and multi-device sync.
🔹 1. Tabby (Formerly Terminus)
License: MIT | Platform: macOS / Windows / Linux
Website: https://tabby.sh
Why it’s great:
Tabby is a polished, open-source terminal + SSH client that feels like a commercial product. It supports tabs, split panes, themes, and an intuitive connection manager.
It also allows you to import/export sessions easily in JSON format.
Key Highlights
- Save SSH, Telnet, Serial connections.
- JSON-based config → easily version-controlled.
- Plugins and themes ecosystem.
- Supports encrypted password/key storage locally.
- Optional sync via iCloud/Dropbox using config file sync.
Verdict:
✅ Best all-round free SSH manager for most macOS and Linux engineers.
Supports import/export via config files. Cloud sync possible via manual sync or git.
🔹 2. electerm
License: MIT | Platform: macOS / Windows / Linux
Website: https://github.com/electerm/electerm
Why it’s great:
electerm is a multi-protocol terminal client — supporting SSH, SFTP, FTP, and Serial. It offers a bookmark system and session folders, perfect for hundreds of servers.
Key Highlights
- GUI bookmark manager with folders/tags.
- Built-in SFTP browser.
- Syncs bookmarks and themes with cloud (via manual file sync).
- JSON import/export.
Verdict:
✅ Best multi-protocol open-source SSH manager.
Great for DevOps teams using SSH + SFTP in daily workflows.
Supports import/export (JSON) and manual sync.
🔹 3. Termius
License: Freemium | Platform: macOS / iOS / Windows / Linux
Website: https://termius.com
Why it’s great:
Although not fully open-source, Termius is one of the most user-friendly SSH managers. The free version covers all local use cases; the Pro plan unlocks secure cloud sync and end-to-end encrypted credential storage.
Key Highlights
- Clean UI, folders, tags, snippets.
- Sync via Termius Cloud Vault (AES-256 encrypted).
- Works across desktop and mobile (iPhone/iPad).
- Supports bulk import/export (CSV, JSON).
Verdict:
⭐ Best for cloud sync & secure credential storage.
If you need multi-device sync and encrypted cloud backup, Termius Pro is unmatched.
🔹 4. Royal TSX
License: Free up to 10 connections | Platform: macOS / Windows
Website: https://royalapps.com
Why it’s great:
Royal TSX is the macOS counterpart of the popular mRemoteNG. It supports SSH, RDP, VNC, and many other protocols. Ideal for network admins managing mixed infrastructure.
Key Highlights
- Imports mRemoteNG XML connections.
- Organizes sessions in folders and tabs.
- Supports credential reuse and shared vaults.
- Advanced features like credential inheritance.
Verdict:
⚠️ Best professional-grade multi-protocol tool, but free version limited to 10 connections.
🔹 5. iTerm2 + SSH Config
License: GPL | Platform: macOS
Website: https://iterm2.com
Why it’s great:
iTerm2 isn’t a session manager per se — but its Profiles + your ~/.ssh/config can scale infinitely. You can even automate session launch via AppleScript or shell aliases.
Key Highlights
- Open-source, fast, native macOS app.
- Profiles let you save host connections.
- Integrates with tmux for session persistence.
- Perfect for power users who love CLI.
Verdict:
💡 Best lightweight setup for DevOps pros.
Infinite hosts, full control, zero cost — but manual organization.
🔹 6. SSHM
License: Open-source | Platform: macOS / Linux
Website: https://github.com/Gu1llaum-3/sshm
Why it’s great:
A minimal terminal-based SSH host manager. Lets you search, tag, and connect to any SSH host quickly — keyboard-first design for terminal enthusiasts.
Key Highlights
- CLI/TUI style host picker.
- Uses your existing SSH config.
- No limits on hosts.
Verdict:
🧠 Best minimalist tool for power users managing hundreds of SSH entries.
🔹 7. Remmina
License: GPL | Platform: Linux / macOS (via Homebrew)
Website: https://remmina.org
Why it’s great:
Remmina is a well-known open-source remote desktop/SSH client originally for Linux. It can be installed on macOS via Homebrew and supports SSH, RDP, VNC, and SFTP.
Key Highlights
- Full session management UI with folders.
- Plugins for multiple protocols.
- Import/export profiles easily.
Verdict:
💪 Best multi-protocol open-source tool (SSH + RDP + VNC) if you don’t mind GTK UI on macOS.
🔹 8. ZOC Terminal (Trial → Paid)
License: Free trial, proprietary | Platform: macOS / Windows
Website: https://www.emtec.com/zoc
(Included for completeness)
A polished terminal with connection manager — not open-source but widely used. Useful if you later want to upgrade to a commercial option.
🔹 9. MobaXterm (via Wine)
License: Free + paid Pro | Platform: Windows (works via Wine on macOS)
Website: https://mobaxterm.mobatek.net
Still a Windows app, but worth mentioning since it supports import/export, multi-session tabs, and secure credential vaults. Mac users can run it via Wine/Crossover.
🔹 10. Teleport by Gravitational
License: Apache 2.0 | Platform: macOS / Linux / Windows
Website: https://goteleport.com
Why it’s great:
Teleport is more than an SSH client — it’s a secure access gateway for large teams. You can audit sessions, enforce MFA, and manage credentials via a central cloud or self-hosted cluster.
Key Highlights
- SSO integration (Google, Okta, GitHub).
- Centralized credential management.
- Role-based access control.
- Works across all devices via web or CLI.
Verdict:
🔐 Best enterprise-grade open-source SSH management platform with cloud sync & team policies.
🧩 Quick Comparison Table
| Tool | Import/Export | Cloud Credential Storage | Multi-Device Sync | License | Ideal For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tabby | ✅ JSON | ⚙️ Manual via file sync | ⚙️ iCloud/Dropbox | MIT | Power users / devs |
| electerm | ✅ JSON | ⚙️ Manual sync | ⚙️ Manual | MIT | SSH + SFTP users |
| Termius | ✅ CSV/JSON | ✅ Encrypted Cloud Vault | ✅ Yes (Pro) | Freemium | Cross-device users |
| Royal TSX | ✅ XML | ⚠️ Local only | ⚠️ Manual | Proprietary (Free ≤10) | Network admins |
| iTerm2 | ⚙️ Manual | ⚠️ None | ⚙️ via iCloud prefs | GPL | Terminal pros |
| SSHM | ⚙️ CLI | ❌ None | ⚙️ Manual | Open-source | Power CLI users |
| Remmina | ✅ Configs | ⚠️ Local | ⚙️ Manual | GPL | Sysadmins |
| Teleport | ✅ | ✅ Central RBAC vault | ✅ Yes | Apache 2.0 | Enterprise teams |
🏁 Conclusion: Which One Is Best for You?
- 💻 For Open-Source Fans:
→ Tabby or electerm are clear winners — free, modern, and feature-complete. - 🔒 For Secure Cloud Credential Sync:
→ Termius Pro or Teleport provide encrypted cloud vaults with multi-device sync. - ⚙️ For CLI-Only Workflows:
→ iTerm2 + ~/.ssh/config or SSHM are unbeatable in simplicity and speed. - 🧑💼 For Enterprise Environments:
→ Teleport or Royal TSX integrate with SSO, policies, and compliance workflows.
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