Is Tempest free like MobaXterm Home Edition?

Tempest has a permanent free plan (SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, S3, WebDAV). Unlike MobaXterm Home, it's also licensed for professional use — the paid tiers add more protocols and sync, not permission to use it at work.

Does Tempest have RDP and VNC like MobaXterm?

Yes — RDP and VNC sessions open in the same grid as your terminals, on macOS and Linux as well as Windows. MobaXterm only offers them on Windows.

What about the X server and Unix tools MobaXterm bundles?

Tempest supports X11 forwarding over SSH but doesn't bundle a local X server or Cygwin toolbox. On Windows it integrates local shells including MSYS; for a full local Unix environment, WSL pairs naturally with it.

Can I move my MobaXterm sessions over?

Import your OpenSSH keys and recreate profiles once — after that they sync to every device you sign into, so the migration is a one-time cost.

Does Tempest do session recording or macros like MobaXterm Pro?

Team plans include session recordings, and snippets with scheduled runs cover the macro workflow.

MobaXterm alternative

MobaXterm's toolbox, without the Windows lock-in

MobaXterm packs an impressive kitchen sink — as long as you live on Windows. Tempest covers the sessions that matter (SSH, RDP, VNC, SFTP, Telnet, serial, Kubernetes) in a fast, modern UI that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and your phone, with your connections encrypted and synced everywhere.

Download Tempest See pricing

Free plan available. Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS & Web.

Tempest multi-session grid — a cross-platform MobaXterm alternative

Tempest vs MobaXterm

Feature-for-feature on the sessions you actually open, plus the platforms MobaXterm can't follow you to.

	Tempest	MobaXterm
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Web	Windows only
SSH / SFTP / Telnet / Serial	Yes	Yes
RDP & VNC	Yes, in the same grid	Yes
Kubernetes	Profiles, multi-cluster, pod shells	Not built in
Connection sync across devices	Zero-knowledge E2E encrypted	Portable ini file, manual
Mobile apps	Android & iOS with session handoff	None
AI assistance	Built-in agent	None
X11 server	X11 forwarding via SSH	Built-in X server

If a local Windows X server is your core need, MobaXterm remains strong there — Tempest forwards X11 over SSH but does not bundle an X server.

Same day-to-day, better everywhere

Multi-session tabs and split screens, minus the clutter

The reason people tolerate MobaXterm's UI is the multi-session workflow. Tempest keeps the workflow and modernizes everything around it.

Tabs, split screens, and a grid workspace mixing terminals, editors, file managers, RDP, and VNC. Split screens

SFTP file manager with built-in editor on every SSH session. SFTP docs

Serial-port terminals for network gear and embedded work. Serial guide

Local shells including MSYS on Windows.

Tempest on Windows — tabbed sessions, server list and remote file browser in one window

Not chained to one PC

Your sessions on macOS, Linux, and mobile too

Change laptops, switch OS, or answer a page from your phone — profiles are already there, end-to-end encrypted. No .ini file to carry on a USB stick.

Zero-knowledge encrypted sync of hosts, keys, and settings. How E2EE works

Continuous sessions you can resume from another device.

Push notifications when long jobs finish. Push notifications

Tempest synced across Windows, macOS, Linux, and mobile

Built for 2026 infrastructure

Kubernetes and zero-trust, first class

MobaXterm was designed for the datacenter of 2010. Tempest assumes your servers might be pods, and your network path might be Teleport or Tailscale.

Kubernetes profiles, pod shells, and multi-cluster switching. Kubernetes profiles

Teleport, Cloudflare Access, AWS SSM, GCP IAP, and Tailscale support. Zero-trust guide

YubiKey/FIDO2 and post-quantum SSH algorithms. YubiKey setup

k9s and live pod logs running in Tempest on Windows, with Claude Agent alongside

Frequently asked questions

Is Tempest free like MobaXterm Home Edition?: Tempest has a permanent free plan (SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, S3, WebDAV). Unlike MobaXterm Home, it's also licensed for professional use — the paid tiers add more protocols and sync, not permission to use it at work.
Does Tempest have RDP and VNC like MobaXterm?: Yes — RDP and VNC sessions open in the same grid as your terminals, on macOS and Linux as well as Windows. MobaXterm only offers them on Windows.
What about the X server and Unix tools MobaXterm bundles?: Tempest supports X11 forwarding over SSH but doesn't bundle a local X server or Cygwin toolbox. On Windows it integrates local shells including MSYS; for a full local Unix environment, WSL pairs naturally with it. Agent & X11 forwarding
Can I move my MobaXterm sessions over?: Import your OpenSSH keys and recreate profiles once — after that they sync to every device you sign into, so the migration is a one-time cost.
Does Tempest do session recording or macros like MobaXterm Pro?: Team plans include session recordings, and snippets with scheduled runs cover the macro workflow. Snippets & scheduled runs

Keep exploring

PuTTY alternative SSH client for Windows SSH client for Mac Serial terminal Kubernetes terminal Tempest vs PuTTY

The multi-session workflow, on every OS you own.

Download Tempest Read the docs