SSH client for iOS

Serious SSH, on iPhone and iPad

Tempest for iOS is not a companion app — it's the full client. A real VT-compliant terminal, SFTP with an editor, jump-host chains, and Mosh for cellular, with your complete host list synced from desktop under zero-knowledge encryption. On an iPad with a keyboard, it's a workstation.

Free plan available. iPhone and iPad, from the App Store.

Tempest SSH client on an iPhone — synced server list with handoff sessions

Full terminal

tmux, vim, and htop render like they should

A VT-compliant emulator with proper key handling — arrows, Ctrl, Esc, Tab — via an on-screen modifier bar or a hardware keyboard.

Accurate rendering for TUI apps, including alternate screens and mouse reporting.
External keyboard support makes iPad a first-class SSH machine.
Split screens on iPad — terminal next to file manager. Split screens
Tempest on iPhone in landscape — remote session with the modifier-key toolbar (ctrl, alt, esc, tab, arrows)

Handoff for servers

Desktop session in your hand

Continuous sessions started on your Mac or PC show up on the iPhone, live. Check on the long migration from the sofa; hand it back at your desk.

Resume and hand back long-running sessions across devices.
Mosh keeps connections alive across Wi-Fi, LTE, and sleep. Mosh guide
Push notifications when a command completes or a monitor alerts. Push notifications
Resuming a desktop session on iOS with Tempest

Everything encrypted

Your keys never leave your control

Hosts, keys, and passwords sync between devices with zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption — Tempest's servers store ciphertext only.

Zero-knowledge E2EE sync with your Mac, PC, and Android devices. How E2EE works
SFTP, S3, WebDAV, and FTP file access from the same app. Cloud storage docs
AI assistant for on-the-go diagnosis — review every command before it runs. AI assistant docs

Frequently asked questions

Is there a free SSH client for iPhone in this?
Yes — Tempest's free plan works on iOS with SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, S3, and WebDAV. Pro unlocks unlimited synced devices, RDP, VNC, Kubernetes, and the AI agent.
Does it work well on iPad with a Magic Keyboard?
Yes — full hardware keyboard support with real modifier keys, plus split screens. Many users run iPad-only on-call rotations with it.
Can it keep a session alive when I switch apps?
Continuous sessions are built for iOS's background model: your session survives app switches and reconnects instantly, and Mosh handles network roaming.
How do my SSH keys get onto the iPhone?
Generate keys on-device or sync your existing ones from desktop — end-to-end encrypted either way. Hardware-key (FIDO2) auth is supported where servers allow it.
Where do I get it?
From the App Store via the iOS download page. Download for iOS

On-call without the laptop bag.