Comparison

Conduit vs Saffron SSH

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

Head to head
About

Conduit

Connect to your servers, workstations, and development environments from your iPhone using SSH, Mosh, and SFTP. Offers local credential storage, hardware security key support, and tmux integration without requiring an account or subscription.

Highlights
  • SSH terminal sessions
  • Password, private key, and hardware security key authentication
  • SFTP file browsing and export
  • Saved machine profiles with tags
  • Local credential storage
  • Tabbed terminal workspace
Features
Read full description

Conduit is a local-first SSH, Mosh, and SFTP client for iPhone. It is built for people who need to reach real machines from a phone without creating an account, syncing credentials through a service, or paying a subscription just to open a shell. Use Conduit to connect to your own servers, workstations, homelab machines, VPS instances, and development environments from a mobile terminal. Features: • SSH terminal sessions • Password, private key, and hardware security key (FIDO2) authentication • Hardware security key auth over NFC, tested with YubiKey • SSH agent forwarding to reach further hosts from a machine you connect to • Per-host tmux integration with auto attach/create, start directories, prefix key selection, action shortcuts, and scrollback mode. • Experimental Mosh roaming for unreliable mobile networks • SFTP file browsing and export • Saved machine profiles with tags and search • Local credential and trusted host key storage • Trusted host key prompts and key management • Optional app lock with device authentication • Tabbed terminal workspace • Mobile-friendly modifier, navigation, and function keys • Fullscreen terminal mode • Built-in terminal themes With SSH agent forwarding, a host you connect to can use your key to authenticate onward to other machines, without copying private keys to the server. Forwarded hardware keys stay protected: every onward signature still requires your PIN and a physical tap. Conduit does not require a Conduit account and does not use a Conduit sync service. Saved connection profiles, credentials, and trusted host keys are stored on your device using platform secure storage. Conduit is free and open-source software licensed under the Apache License 2.0. Source code is available at github.com/gwitko/Conduit. Mosh requires mosh-server on the remote host and reachable UDP ports. Predictive echo is marked as experimental. You can support the project here: https://ko-fi.com/gwitko

About

Saffron SSH

A fast, native SSH client for iOS devices. It offers unlimited hosts, port forwarding, agent forwarding, and key management. Optional AI features and iCloud syncing for Pro users are available.

Highlights
  • Unlimited hosts and sessions
  • Port forwarding (local, remote, SOCKS5)
  • Agent forwarding
  • Ed25519 key generation and import
  • Snippets library and autocomplete
  • iCloud sync for Pro users
  • Mosh support for resilient sessions
Features
Read full description

Your servers, your keys, your phone. No account required — ever. Saffron SSH is a fast, native SSH client for iPhone and iPad. The features other apps hold back are simply here, free. WHAT'S FREE • Unlimited hosts and simultaneous sessions with tabs • Local, remote and dynamic (SOCKS5) port forwarding • Jump hosts / bastions • Agent forwarding — your phone is the agent, keys never leave the Keychain • Ed25519 key generation and key import, passphrase-protected keys included • Snippets library and history-based autocomplete • Per-host environment variables and startup commands • Hand-tuned themes, pinch-to-zoom, hardware keyboard shortcuts on iPad • Face ID app lock • Live Activities show session status on your Lock Screen, and sessions reconnect automatically when you return SAFFRON PRO Your hosts, keys and settings on every device, synced through your own iCloud — end-to-end encrypted by Apple. We run no servers for your data and never see it. That's why there is no account. Yearly, or pay once and own it forever. Plus Mosh: sessions that survive sleep, network changes and days away. Switch from Wi-Fi to cellular, lock your phone, come back tomorrow — your shell is exactly where you left it. Requires mosh-server on the host. SAFFRON AI — optional add-on Ask for the command you need in plain words, or have any command explained before you run it. Right in the terminal. PRIVACY, ACTUALLY No account. No telemetry. No analytics SDKs. Passwords and keys live in your device's Keychain and sync only through your own iCloud. Connections go straight from your device to your servers — no relay, no middle-man. Works with any OpenSSH-compatible server: Linux, BSD, macOS, routers, NAS boxes, Raspberry Pi, cloud VMs. Terms of Use: https://saffronsuite.com/terms Privacy Policy: https://saffronsuite.com/privacy

Screenshots

Conduit4 screens
Saffron SSH3 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Conduit at none against Saffron SSH's 5. Conduit also leads on iOS requirement (13.0 vs 17.0). On price, ads 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. Saffron SSH sells 5 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Conduit asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
Conduit versus Saffron SSH: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterConduitSaffron SSH
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews—0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 2 days—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPodiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13.0 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size26 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGrzegorz WitkowskiUpcastr Pty Ltd

Customer experience

Conduit

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Saffron SSH

Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

In-app purchases

None

Conduit

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Saffron SSH

Subscriptions4
  • Saffron AI (Monthly)7 Days trial$2.991 Month
  • Saffron Pro (Yearly)7 Days trial$9.491 Year
  • Saffron AI (Yearly)7 Days trial$24.991 Year
Show 1 more
  • Saffron Everything (Yearly)7 Days trial$29.991 Year
One-time1
  • Saffron Pro Lifetime$29.99

Questions

Is Conduit free?
Conduit is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Saffron SSH free?
Saffron SSH is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Conduit or Saffron SSH have ads?
Neither Conduit nor Saffron SSH shows ads.

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