Comparison

Bastion SSH vs MagicSSH

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Bastion SSH

Connect to remote servers through multiple jump hosts with this SSH and SFTP client. It securely manages keys and passwords, offers multi-session terminals, and allows file browsing and transfers.

Highlights
  • Multi-hop SSH connections
  • Secure key and password management
  • SFTP file browsing and transfers
  • Multi-session terminal
  • Host key verification
  • Public key installation
Features
Read full description

Bastion SSH is an SSH and SFTP client built for the way real infrastructure is laid out: not one server you can dial directly, but a bastion, then a machine behind it, then the box you actually wanted. Chains, not just connections: - Reach a host through any number of jump hosts, the way `ssh -J` does - Every hop is a real SSH session, so every machine in the chain is authenticated and its host key checked — not just the first one - Routes are named by where they go: "office-A → mac-mini". Past the first hop addresses stop being unique — a reverse tunnel puts every machine on its jump's localhost — so the path is what tells two otherwise identical routes apart - Add a new jump host inline while you set one up, at any depth - When a chain fails it names the hop, the stage it got to, and the jump it came through, so you can tell a dead tunnel from a machine that is switched off Know what will happen before you connect: - Open a route and see it hop by hop, with what each step will use: a stored key, a stored password, or a prompt - It answers the question up front — "1 of 3 hops will ask for credentials" - Install a public key onto any hop from the same screen Keys that stay on the device: - Generate a key on your phone: the private half goes straight into the system key store and never exists as a file, and only the public key ever leaves - Import the key you already own: OpenSSH format (what ssh-keygen writes by default) or PEM, encrypted or not, with no conversion step - "This device" lists every key with its type, fingerprint, which hosts use it, and whether it was generated here or imported - Use one key across several hosts, and delete a key only after being told how many hosts depend on it Host keys you can verify: - Fingerprints are the OpenSSH SHA256 form, exactly what `ssh-keygen -lf` prints, so you can compare them with the server instead of taking them on trust - A changed host key asks you, every time - Records are kept per route, so two machines that both answer on their bastion's localhost are never confused Multi-session terminal: - Session tabs that live independently — switch, close or retry one without disturbing the rest - xterm-compatible terminal with selection, copy and paste, and resize - Quick keys for the commands and control sequences you keep reaching for - Per-host keep-alive, and reconnection that backs off instead of hammering the server Files: - Browse, download, upload, rename and delete over SFTP - Downloads keep running when you leave the screen, with progress and cancel - Save through the system file picker, or keep them in the app Credentials, on your terms: - A hop's password can be kept in the device key store, per host, and using it needs the device's own check — your face, a fingerprint, or your passcode - One check covers a few minutes of use, then it locks itself again — a found phone is not an open door - Each stored password says which protection it has - A stored password the server rejects is dropped and you are asked again, instead of failing the same way on every attempt - Review and revoke everything that is stored from one screen Yours, and only on your device: - Hosts, keys and known-host records stay on the device. No account, no sync, nothing to sign up for - Private keys live only in the system key store, never as plaintext files - Privacy policy and terms are available from within the app Great for: - Anyone whose servers sit behind a bastion or a reverse tunnel - Sysadmins and developers checking on machines away from a desk - Keeping several sessions open at once — logs in one tab, work in another - Setting up key authentication from a phone, without moving a private key around Open the route. See the hops. Connect.

About

MagicSSH

Features
Read full description

YOUR SERVERS. FULL CONTROL. ANYWHERE. MagicSSH is the professional SSH client for everyone who manages Linux servers — developers, sysadmins, self-hosters. Connect in seconds, see instantly what's going on, and fix things with a tap that would normally make you open your laptop. WHY MAGICSSH? Other SSH apps give you a terminal. MagicSSH gives you a complete server cockpit: live dashboard, Docker management, service control, log streaming, and a command library — all in a focused dark interface built for real admin work. LIVE DASHBOARD - CPU, RAM, and disk of every server at a glance - Operating system, uptime, and status in real time - Organize servers into groups (Work, Home, Clients …) FULL SSH TERMINAL - Real terminal with Esc, Tab, Ctrl, and arrow keys - Authenticate with password or SSH key (ed25519, RSA) - Multiple parallel sessions — connections stay alive DOCKER, HANDLED - Start, stop, and recreate containers - Stream live logs straight from the container - Manage images, volumes, and networks - Inspect Compose files, prune the system COMMAND LIBRARY - Built-in commands: updates, disk analysis, processes, open ports, and more - Create, categorize, and star your own commands - Results in milliseconds — no terminal session needed MULTI-COMMAND - Run one command across multiple servers at once - Per-server results with runtime and status - Perfect for updates, checks, and deployments across your whole fleet MONITORING & LOGS - Live graphs for CPU, RAM, swap, disk, network, and load - Historical data for trend analysis - Stream and filter system, auth, syslog, and kernel logs live SERVICE CONTROL - All systemd services at a glance — active, inactive, failed - Start, stop, and restart services - View service logs directly SECURITY - Credentials never leave your device - No cloud, no account, no tracking - Direct, encrypted SSH connection to your servers PAY ONCE, USE FOREVER MagicSSH Pro is a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring costs. Start free and take your time; Pro removes all limits: unlimited servers, parallel sessions, full Docker control, multi-command, and monitoring history. BUILT BY ADMINS, FOR ADMINS MagicSSH is actively developed. Feedback and requests: support@senova.app — personal reply, usually within 24 hours. Download MagicSSH and manage your servers the way it should feel in 2026.

Screenshots

Bastion SSH4 screens
MagicSSH4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Bastion SSH at none against MagicSSH's 1. Bastion SSH also leads on iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.5). MagicSSH's advantage is ads (none vs shown). On price and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MagicSSH sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Bastion SSH asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Bastion SSH versus MagicSSH: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBastion SSHMagicSSH
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (1 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews100.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings1 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 5 weeks—
AdsYesNo — better
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationAd-supported—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.0 — better26.5
Further details — not scored
Size41 MB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuan-Yi ChangFatih Yesilbas

In-app purchases

None

Bastion SSH

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

MagicSSH

One-time1
  • MagicSSH Pro Lifetime$3.99

Questions

Is Bastion SSH free?
Bastion SSH is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MagicSSH free?
MagicSSH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Bastion SSH or MagicSSH have ads?
Bastion SSH shows ads; MagicSSH does not.

Other comparisons