Termius vs SSH Tunnel
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Termius
This app provides a modern SSH client and terminal for seamless remote access across devices. It offers a desktop-grade terminal experience with advanced features like multi-tab support, custom themes, and saved commands. Securely manage connections and credentials with cloud sync and hardware key authentication.
- SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Port Forwarding, SFTP support
- Virtual keyboard with special keys
- Multi-tab interface and split-view
- Cloud vault for encrypted credentials
- Customizable themes and fonts
- Saved commands and shell scripts
- Hardware FIDO2 key authentication
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Termius is a modern SSH client designed for productivity and collaboration. Connect with one tap from desktop and mobile. No re-entering IP addresses, ports, and passwords. With a free Termius Starter plan, you can: · Connect from your mobile and desktop devices with SSH, SFTP, Mosh, Telnet, Port Forwarding, Serial and through Proxy and jump servers. · Get a desktop-grade terminal experience with a virtual keyboard covering all the special keys required, or connect your Bluetooth keyboard. · Use gestures or shake the device while in the terminal to emulate stroking of Tab, arrows, PgUp/Down, Home, and End, etc. · Work in several sessions simultaneously with a multi-tab interface and split-view support. · Customize your terminal themes and fonts for each connection. · Set custom environment variables. · Save your frequently used commands and shell scripts to execute them with one tap. · Execute your saved commands on multiple sessions or servers at once, or instantly get them autocompleted in the terminal. · Get smart autocomplete for commands, paths, and history, and turn plain-language descriptions into shell commands with AI. · Quickly access the global history of your terminal commands. · Authenticate using hardware FIDO2 keys. · Generate SSH keys in the Secure Enclave, confirm each connection with Face ID or Touch ID, and protect your account with two-factor authentication. · Ad-free. With the Termius Pro plan, you can also: · Access your connection settings and credentials from any device at any time with an encrypted cloud vault. · Sync your data across all your desktop and mobile devices. · Bookmark session logs with notes to your vault. · Integrate with AWS, DigitalOcean, and Azure. Termius reinvents the command-line experience. We strive to make remote access for admins and engineers more productive and enjoyable. Please review our privacy policy https://termius.com/privacy_policy.html and terms of use https://termius.com/terms_of_use.html
SSH Tunnel
Securely manage SSH tunnels and port forwarding on your mobile device. Configure local SOCKS5 proxies and private tunnels to your own server, with support for various authentication methods and advanced traffic redirection rules.
- Local Port Forwarding
- Dynamic Port Forwarding (SOCKS5 proxy)
- Password, Private Key, 2FA authentication
- Multiple SSH Key support
- Connection Export & Import
- Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) file support
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SSH Tunnel is the easiest way to tunnel your traffic through your own SSH server on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Version 3.0 is a complete native rewrite with a new VPN engine: route ALL device traffic through your server, keep it running in the background, and reconnect automatically. The old foreground-only limitation is gone. TWO ENGINES - VPN engine: system-wide tunnel built on Apple's Network Extension. Works in the background, survives restarts, and restores itself after reboots and network changes (On Demand). - Proxy engine: a local SOCKS5 proxy with a PAC file for browsers, third-party apps, or sharing the tunnel with other devices on your Wi-Fi. Run several tunnels at once. FEATURES - Dynamic port forwarding (SOCKS5 proxy), like "ssh -D" - Local port forwarding, like "ssh -L 80:intra.example.com:80 gw.example.com" - Password, private key, and keyboard-interactive (2FA/OTP) authentication - Keys: ed25519, ECDSA, RSA (rsa-sha2), OpenSSH and PuTTY .ppk formats, import from file - Modern ciphers and OpenSSH 8.8+ compatibility - Host key fingerprint verification - In-app browser that uses the tunnel (iOS) - Proxy Auto-Configuration (PAC) URL with custom PAC rules - Live transfer statistics and connection logs - Connection export & import - Passcode & Face ID protection - Idle disconnect timer - Native menu bar app on macOS, included with your purchase - Dark mode. No ads, no subscriptions, no accounts. YOUR SERVER, YOUR DATA SSH Tunnel connects only to a server YOU provide. There are no accounts and no servers we operate: your traffic flows directly between your device and your own SSH server. We never see, collect, or sell any of it. You need your own SSH server to use this application. Support: support@ssh-tunnel-ios.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Termius at Free against SSH Tunnel's $9.99. Termius also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.0) and review sentiment (81% vs 46%). SSH Tunnel's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Termius is free to download; SSH Tunnel costs $9.99 up front. Termius sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $15.00 per month. SSH Tunnel asks for nothing beyond the download.
Termius holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Termius has 20K ratings behind it against 148, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Termius's written reviews are positive against 46% of SSH Tunnel's.
Termius ships an update fortnightly, SSH Tunnel every 6 weeks. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | Termius | SSH Tunnel |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (20K ratings) — better | 4.0 (148 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 81.0% of reviews — better | 46.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 20K — better | 148 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Every 6 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free — better |
| Best chart rank | #3 — better | #56 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 229 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Termius Corporation | Mobibean, LLC |
Customer experience
Termius
SSH Tunnel
User reviews
Termius
From 20K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🚀 Smooth and fast
- 👍 Intuitive and easy to use
- 🔒 Secure with SSH/SFTP support
- 💡 Useful features like port forwarding
- 👍 Customizable keyboard and themes
Room to improve
- 💰 Expensive subscription model
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🔋 Drains battery quickly
- 🤔 Aggressive upselling of premium features
SSH Tunnel
From 148 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- ✅ Works well for SSH tunneling when used as intended
- 🌐 Supports SOCKS5 dynamic forwarding
- 🔐 Supports multiple SSH key formats
- 📱 Useful built-in browser for tunnel access
- ⚙️ Proxy auto-configuration (PAC) support
Room to improve
- 🚫 Cannot maintain SSH tunnel in background (30-second limit)
- ⚠️ App disconnects when switched to other applications
- 💰 Expensive for limited functionality ($7.99-$10)
- 🔄 Lacks transparency about iOS limitations in description
- 🌐 In-app browser leaks user IP address
Bugs and requests
Termius
Reported bugs
3 issues- Syncing issues causing data loss
- Keyboard and cursor issues on iPad
- Freezing and unresponsiveness after background use
Requested features
4 requests- Add support for ProxyCommand
- Improve keyboard handling and arrow key functionality
- Implement iCloud sync instead of proprietary cloud
- Provide a one-time purchase option for individual users
SSH Tunnel
Reported bugs
12 issues- 2FA login not working despite being advertised
- In-app browser unable to access localhost or local IP addresses
- Private key parsing issues (requires proper line endings)
- Connection drops frequently (every 5 minutes in some cases)
- App crashes unexpectedly
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- Cannot edit or delete existing connections
- Tunnel connection drops when changing applications
- Port remains busy after tunnel termination
- Location services prompt appears every time app closes
- App not updated for iOS 16+ compatibility
- SOCKS5 functionality not working in some cases
- Incompatible with iOS 18
Requested features
12 requests- Background app refresh capability
- VPN interface implementation for system-wide traffic routing
- Multiple simultaneous tunnels
- Tabs in built-in browser
- Remote port forwarding support
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- 2FA/Two-factor authentication support
- Better documentation and setup guides
- Support for PuTTY key format
- Mouse click events in in-app browser
- Shortcuts app integration
- Compression option support
- Global proxy support for mobile networks
In-app purchases
Termius
- Termius Pro Monthly3 Days trial$15.001 Month
- Termius Pro Monthly$15.001 Month
- Termius Pro Annual14 Days trial$119.001 Year
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- Termius Pro Annual$119.001 Year
SSH Tunnel
No in-app purchases









