Is Tempest really free?

Yes. The free plan includes SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, S3, and WebDAV on all platforms with one synced device, and it never expires. Pro adds unlimited device sync, RDP, VNC, Kubernetes, Telnet, RCON, serial, and the AI agent.

Which platforms does the free SSH client run on?

Windows (x64 and ARM64), macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux (deb and AppImage, x64 and ARM64), Android, and iOS. A browser-based edition is available for self-hosted and Enterprise deployments.

Does the free plan sync my connections between devices?

The free plan keeps one device synced; Pro syncs unlimited devices. Either way, sync is zero-knowledge end-to-end encrypted — the server only ever sees ciphertext.

Can I import my existing SSH keys?

Yes — import existing private keys or generate new ones in the app, and use agent forwarding where you need it. Hardware keys (YubiKey/FIDO2) are supported too.

How is Tempest different from PuTTY or OpenSSH in a terminal?

You get the same SSH underneath, plus the things they do not do: a graphical SFTP file manager, a searchable host list, and mobile apps. The editor, jump-host chaining and tunnels are Pro; the terminal and the file browser are not.

Free SSH client

A free SSH client that works on every device

SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, S3, and WebDAV — free forever on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. One app for your terminal and your files, with zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption protecting every credential.

Download Tempest See pricing

Free forever on one synced device — no trial countdown, no credit card.

Tempest free SSH client running on desktop and mobile devices

Everything included

More than a bare terminal

The free plan is a complete SSH workflow, not a teaser. Connect, transfer files, and manage keys in one keyboard-driven window.

Full SSH terminal with a VT-compliant emulator, plus Mosh for flaky networks. Mosh guide

SFTP file manager with a built-in editor — browse, edit, and save remote files without leaving the app. SFTP docs

FTP, S3, and WebDAV storage browsing in the same window. Cloud storage docs

SSH key generation and import, and authentication through your system SSH agent. Agent & X11 forwarding

Tempest SSH terminal and SFTP file manager side by side

Free, and worth saying out loud

Hardware keys and post-quantum crypto, at no cost

The security side is not the upsell. Modern authentication is in the free plan, because a client that makes you pay to use a YubiKey is not a security product.

YubiKey and FIDO2 hardware-key SSH authentication. YubiKey setup

Post-quantum hybrid key exchange, negotiated by default against modern OpenSSH servers. Post-quantum algorithms

Generate or import keys, and authenticate through your own SSH agent.

Every credential encrypted on the device with a key the server never holds. Where credentials live

What Pro is for

The line, drawn plainly

Free is a complete single-device SSH workflow. Pro is what you buy when the workflow spans machines, or goes past SSH — and we would rather you knew that before installing than after.

Unlimited synced devices — the free plan keeps one in sync.

Jump-host chains and port forwarding, saved per host. Jump host guide

The SFTP editor and bookmarks, connection multiplexing, and agent or X11 forwarding. Port forwarding guide

The protocols past SSH: Telnet, serial, RCON, RDP, VNC and Kubernetes.

Private by design

Zero-knowledge sync you can verify

Your hosts, keys, and passwords are end-to-end encrypted before they leave the device. Tempest servers store ciphertext only — nobody but you can read your credentials, including us.

End-to-end encryption with keys derived on your device. How E2EE works

Transparent about what is stored and where. Where credentials live

Prefer full control? Self-host the sync server with Docker or Kubernetes. Self-hosting guide

Tempest desktop with the synced server list and a remote session

AI when you want it

An AI agent that fixes terminal errors

Upgrade to Pro and Tempest's built-in AI agent translates plain English into shell commands, diagnoses failed commands, and walks multi-step fixes with you — over SSH, Kubernetes, and more.

Ask in natural language, review the command before it runs. AI assistant docs

Let AI agents run multi-step server tasks under your supervision. AI agents guide

On the desktop app, run several agents in parallel — each can work across multiple servers at once.

Tempest desktop with parallel AI agents — Claude Agent and Codex connected, one working on a server

Frequently asked questions

Is Tempest really free?: Yes. The free plan includes SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, S3, and WebDAV on all platforms with one synced device, and it never expires. Pro adds unlimited device sync, RDP, VNC, Kubernetes, Telnet, RCON, serial, and the AI agent.
Which platforms does the free SSH client run on?: Windows (x64 and ARM64), macOS (Apple Silicon and Intel), Linux (deb and AppImage, x64 and ARM64), Android, and iOS. A browser-based edition is available for self-hosted and Enterprise deployments.
Does the free plan sync my connections between devices?: The free plan keeps one device synced; Pro syncs unlimited devices. Either way, sync is zero-knowledge end-to-end encrypted — the server only ever sees ciphertext.
Can I import my existing SSH keys?: Yes — import existing private keys or generate new ones in the app, and use agent forwarding where you need it. Hardware keys (YubiKey/FIDO2) are supported too.
How is Tempest different from PuTTY or OpenSSH in a terminal?: You get the same SSH underneath, plus the things they do not do: a graphical SFTP file manager, a searchable host list, and mobile apps. The editor, jump-host chaining and tunnels are Pro; the terminal and the file browser are not. Compare Tempest vs PuTTY

Keep exploring

SSH client for Windows SSH client for Mac SSH client for Android SSH client for iOS PuTTY alternative Termius alternative SFTP client SSH client for Linux SSH client for iPad SSH client for Chromebook SSH tunneling

Start free. Stay free. Upgrade only if you outgrow it.

Download Tempest Read the docs