# Tessera - SSH Terminal — mosh & tmux integration

> Keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal for iOS with session syncing. (iPhone/iPad app by Bambouville Inc..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tessera-ssh-terminal/id6779869388 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Bambouville Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/6779869390)
- Category: Productivity, Developer Tools
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 2 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 26 MB
- Languages: American English, French (France), German (Germany), Japanese, Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish, Chinese (Traditional, Taiwan)
- Released: 2026-07-12
- Data updated: 2026-09-04
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tessera-ssh-terminal/id6779869388/reviews.md

## What is Tessera?

Tessera is a fast, keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal for iPhone and iPad. It connects directly to servers you own or control — no middleman, no account, no tracking.

  MOVE BETWEEN YOUR DEVICES
  • Hand off a live session: start on iPad, pick it up on iPhone, then double-tap to take back control. The session keeps running either way.
  • Your focused session appears in the App Switcher and Dock on your other devices.
  • Nearby Setup copies your hosts, keys, and preferences to a new device directly over the local network — you choose exactly what to copy, both devices confirm a matching code, and each grant needs Face ID.
  • Or don't sync at all: choose whether sessions follow you or stay on each device.

  STAY CONNECTED
  • First-class tmux integration: auto-attach on connect, so a dropped connection never loses your work.
  • Native tmux windows as tabs, with real panes.
  • Mosh keeps your session alive across Wi-Fi ↔ cellular roaming and sleep/wake — pick up exactly where you left off.
  • Session restore brings your saved hosts and layout back after relaunch.

  BUILT FOR TOUCH AND KEYBOARD
  • First-class hardware-keyboard support: shortcuts, a key legend (⌘ hold), and careful handling of modifier keys for real terminal work.
  • A configurable swipe pad puts arrows, Esc, Ctrl and your own macros in the thumb zone.
  • Mouse and trackpad support, including scrolling that works.
  • Find-in-terminal, themes, and adjustable fonts and appearance.
  • Optional on-device dictation straight into the terminal.

  FILES, PORTS, AND JUMP HOSTS
  • A remote file panel that tracks your shell's current directory, over SSH and mosh alike — with native iOS sharing to move files and images in and out.
  • Local port forwarding with a live tunnels overview.
  • Jump hosts for servers you can only reach through a bastion.

  PRIVATE BY DEFAULT
  • Tessera has no servers, no analytics, and collects no data. Connections go directly from your iOS devices to your machines.

  SECURITY YOU EXPECT
  • Keys are generated and stored in the iOS Keychain; Secure Enclave–backed keys never leave your device and can require Face ID to use.
  • Host-key verification with a persistent known-hosts store.
  • App lock with Face ID / passcode on launch, background return, and idle timeout.

  OPEN SOURCE
  • Tessera is free software (GPL-3.0). The full source code is available at github.com/bambouville/tessera.

  Tessera requires servers you provide — it is a client, not a hosting service. Mosh and tmux features require mosh/tmux installed on the server.

## Key features

- Keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal
- Seamless session handoff between devices
- First-class tmux integration with auto-attach
- Mosh for persistent connections across network changes
- Hardware keyboard support with shortcuts and key legend
- Configurable swipe pad for quick access
- Remote file panel with native iOS sharing

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Unlimited Saved Hosts | $9.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (2 of 2)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tessera-ssh-terminal/id6779869388/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Great tmux terminal especially if you use hardware keyboard

*2026-08-14*

tmux window and pane support is great, iterm2 like keyboard shortcut experience, remote file management is very nice too

### 5/5 — Great tmux & mosh support

*2026-08-13*

Seamless tmux sessions. Good for vibe coding on your phone or iPad while you are away from your host. Can pair with Tailscale.

## Frequently asked questions about Tessera

### What is Tessera?

Tessera is a fast, keyboard-first SSH, Mosh, and tmux terminal application for iPhone and iPad. It allows you to connect directly to your own servers without any intermediaries.

### Does Tessera have ads?

No, Tessera is ad-free. As an open-source application, it does not display advertisements, providing an uninterrupted user experience.

### How does session handoff work in Tessera?

You can start a live session on your iPad and seamlessly pick it up on your iPhone, or vice versa. Your focused session appears in the App Switcher and Dock on your other devices, ensuring continuity.

### What are the security features of Tessera?

Tessera prioritizes security with keys stored in the iOS Keychain, optional Secure Enclave usage, host-key verification, and app lock with Face ID or passcode.

### Can I use Tessera offline?

While Tessera requires an active connection to your servers for terminal functionality, features like Mosh can maintain your session across Wi-Fi and cellular roaming, and during device sleep/wake cycles.

### What is the update frequency for Tessera?

Tessera was last updated on August 19, 2026, indicating active development. The latest version is 3.5.

### Is Tessera available on Android?

Currently, Tessera is designed for iOS devices, specifically iPhone and iPad. There is no official Android version mentioned.

### What is the user sentiment for Tessera?

Tessera has received excellent user feedback, evidenced by its high rating of 5.0 stars from 2 ratings.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.6 — 2026-08-22

- Fix cursor out of screen when terminal resize is off for keyboard showing and collapsing
- Show progress now for large file upload, and upload can now be cancelled or backgrounded
- Performance enhancement for markdown scrolling

### 3.5 — 2026-08-19

Tessera now speaks your language — and keeps your sessions connected more reliably.

NEW

- 7 languages: English, French, German, Spanish, Japanese, Simplified Chinese, and Traditional Chinese.
- Custom shortcuts: Send text or key sequences from chords or accessory-bar buttons.
- Remappable iPad shortcuts and configurable chord styles.
- Full iPhone host editor: launch mode, jump hosts, tags, env vars, startup snippets, and more.
- Better Quick Look: switch between popup and full screen.

FIXED

- More reliable tmux and mosh reconnects.
- Stalled connections now show where they’re stuck and offer retry/edit options.
- iPhone accessory bar now tracks the keyboard smoothly.
- Find in Terminal stays visible with the keyboard open.

ALSO

- One-tap diagnostics sharing.
- Per-provider agent scroll lock.
- Cleaner terminal bar; `⌘R` still refreshes on iPad.

Tessera public docs: https://bambouville.com/docs/

### 3.3 — 2026-08-14

- Bug fixes
- Performance improvements
- UI for future works removed for consistency

### 3.0 — 2026-08-12

Tessera now runs on iPhone.
• Universal app — the full terminal on iPhone, with a compact layout and the accessory key bar above the keyboard.
• Handoff — the session you're in shows up on your other device; tap to carry on there. It hands over a pointer to the session, never your passwords or private keys.
• Nearby setup — send your hosts and trusted host keys to another device over the local network, verified by a six-digit code on both screens and approved with Face ID.
• Jump hosts — reach a private machine through a bastion, with its own credential and its own trusted host key at every hop.
• Keys — decide whether a Secure Enclave key asks for Face ID before each use.
• Files — Quick Look now renders Markdown.

### 2.0 — 2026-07-17

- Remote File Center: sharing file into and out of remote host, pasting path directly into active terminal, or select path as text on terminal view and right click for quick view!
- Agents Center: centralized view of your claude code or codex sessions across hosts, tmux windows and panes
- QoL improvements: natural editing, smooth scrolling, custom terminal background picture

## Related topics

[dotmux easy ssh with tmux](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/dotmux-easy-ssh-with-tmux) · [termix](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/termix)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-04.*