Termius alternative
A Termius alternative that speaks more than SSH
Termius made cross-device SSH mainstream. Tempest takes the same idea further: RDP and VNC desktops, Kubernetes clusters, game-server RCON, serial consoles, and S3 buckets — all in one end-to-end encrypted app, with a pay-once lifetime option and a self-hosted edition for teams that can't ship credentials to someone else's cloud.
Free plan available. Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS & Web.
Tempest vs Termius
Both sync your SSH life across devices. Here's the short version of where the paths diverge.
| Tempest | Termius | |
|---|---|---|
| Protocols | SSH, Mosh, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, RDP, VNC, RCON, Serial, Kubernetes | SSH, Mosh, SFTP, Telnet |
| Remote desktops (RDP/VNC) | Built in, same grid as your terminals | Not supported |
| Self-hosted option | Docker & Kubernetes | Cloud only |
| Lifetime license | Yes — pay once | Subscription only |
| AI assistant | Built-in agent with multi-step fixes | AI autocomplete |
Termius comparisons based on publicly documented features of Termius plans as of mid-2026. Check their site for current details.
One app, whole stack
Stop switching apps at the protocol boundary
Real infrastructure isn't SSH-only. The box you manage has a Windows console, an IPMI serial port, a Kubernetes cluster next to it, and an S3 bucket of backups. Tempest keeps all of it in one grid.
Own your data
Self-host the whole sync server
Zero-knowledge encryption on our cloud, or the entire backend on your hardware — your call. Enterprises get SSO, audit logs, and a browser edition their team can use without installing anything.
AI that does, not just suggests
An agent in the terminal, not an autocomplete
Tempest's AI doesn't stop at suggesting a flag. It reads the failing output, proposes the fix, and — with your approval — runs the multi-step recovery, explaining as it goes.
Priced like a tool
Subscription optional
A permanent free plan, a Pro subscription when you want everything — or a lifetime license: pay once, keep it. No feature hostage-taking on the free tier's core SSH.
Frequently asked questions
- Does Tempest sync across devices like Termius?
- Yes — hosts, keys, and settings sync across Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS with zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption. The free plan syncs one device; Pro is unlimited.
- Does Tempest have SSH jump hosts and port forwarding like Termius?
- Yes — bastion chaining, local/remote/dynamic port forwarding, agent forwarding, connection multiplexing, and Mosh are all built in. Jump host guide
- Is there really a lifetime license?
- Yes. Tempest Pro is available as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase (AI usage is pay-as-you-go on lifetime). Teams and enterprises use per-seat billing.
- What about teams — vaults, recordings, SSO?
- Tempest Team adds shared encrypted vaults, member management, and session recordings; Enterprise adds SSO/SAML, self-hosting, audit logs, and the browser edition.