Bastion SSH vs NexusSSH
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
Bastion SSH
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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 β not just the first one - Routes are named by where they go: "office-A β mac-mini". Past the first hop addresses stop being unique β a reverse tunnel puts every machine on its jump's localhost β 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 β "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 β 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 β your face, a fingerprint, or your passcode - One check covers a few minutes of use, then it locks itself again β 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 β 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.
NexusSSH
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NexusSSH is a secure SSH client and server monitor for iPhone and iPad. It helps you manage personal and professional servers with saved hosts, password and key-based SSH login, jump host chains, SFTP file browsing, and real-time system monitoring. Key features: β’ Secure SSH terminal access β’ Saved host profiles β’ Password and private key authentication β’ Multi-hop jump host support β’ SFTP file browser with upload and download progress β’ Server monitor dashboard for CPU, memory, disk, GPU, and system status β’ Last-known operating system display for offline hosts β’ Credentials stored locally using iOS secure storage NexusSSH is designed for developers, system administrators, homelab users, and technical users who need a clean mobile SSH and server monitoring workflow.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: NexusSSH at none against Bastion SSH's shown. Bastion SSH's advantage is update cadence (monthly vs every 2 months) and iOS requirement (15.0 vs 26.0). On price, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Bastion SSH ships an update monthly, NexusSSH every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Bastion SSH | NexusSSH |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Monthly β better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | Yes | No β better |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod β better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.0 β better | 26.0 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 42 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yuan-Yi Chang | δΊζ Ή εΌ |
In-app purchases
Bastion SSH
No in-app purchases
NexusSSH
No in-app purchases





