Mobile SSH options
Mobile SSH vs Termux vs Termius
Mobile SSH joins SSH, SFTP, VNC and multiplexer managers for Android and iOS, with built-in VPN clients and security-key login for Android. Termux na Linux environment for Android, while Termius na SSH client for different platforms with productivity features wey use account.
| Need | Mobile SSH | Termux | Termius |
|---|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | SSH, SFTP, VNC, jump hosts and multiplexer managers for both platforms; Android still get VPN clients and FIDO2 security keys. | Android terminal emulator and Linux environment wit APT packages. | Modern SSH client for Android, iOS, desktop and web-oriented team workflow. |
| Setup style | Save server and credentials, choose jump hosts if you need dem, then connect with server identity checks before login. | Install packages like OpenSSH, set up shell tools, work from Linux-like command line. | Create or sync host, key, snippet and vault through Termius app/account model. |
| Mobile terminal control | Extra keys, grid sessions, fullscreen panes, pinch zoom, copy/share, mouse support and external keyboards. You fit turn iOS Dictation & suggestions off for direct terminal input. | Powerful terminal environment; behavior depend on di tool and config wey you install. | Mobile keyboard add-on, gesture, tab, autocomplete, snippet and polished terminal UX. |
| File transfer | Dual-pane SFTP, folder history wey knows tmux, remote file sharing and incoming shared files for both platforms; iOS fit remember external Files folder. | Use command-line tool like scp, sftp, rsync, or installed file utility. | Built-in SFTP and host/key management. |
| Multi-session work | Up to eight SSH session same time for grid. | Use multiplexer like tmux inside Termux or remote shell. | Tab and split-view workflow, depending on platform and plan. |
| Data model | Profiles, credentials, host trust and settings stay for device; you fit export portable inventory/settings backups. Android backups include VPN profiles too; SSH trust stays for each device. | Linux-like file system and package inside di Termux app environment. | Encrypted vault for host, key, snippet, forwarding rule, known hosts and team sharing. |
| Best fit | You want simple app for Android or iOS to connect server, transfer file and keep session alive. | You want full command-line environment for Android, and you comfortable to install and config package. | You want cross-device sync, polished productivity, vault and collaboration. |
Feature by feature
| Need | Mobile SSH | Termux | Termius |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection | |||
| E dey run on Android and iOS | ✓ | Android just | ✓ |
| Saved server profile | ✓ | via ssh config | ✓ |
| Search saved servers | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Server folders / groups | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Search-first Add Session picker | Android | ✗ | ✗ |
| Plenty address per server (LAN/VPN roaming) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Reusable credential record | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Home screen dey list wetin you fit resume | ✓ | ✗ | partial |
| Offline tmux session list (no need connection) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Server name wey dey show instead of address | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Login log | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Teleport proxy transport (experimental) | Android | ✗ | ✗ |
| IPv6 host and forward destination | ✓ | ✓ | partial |
| Terminal | |||
| SSH terminal | ✓ | via OpenSSH | ✓ |
| xterm-256color emulation | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scrollback wey you fit set (1k–50k lines) | ✓ | you fit configure am | partial |
| Search inside terminal (scrollback) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Extra key row (ESC/TAB/CTRL/…) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Pinch-to-zoom text sizing | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Double-tap pane to fullscreen | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| URL wey fit tap for terminal output | ✓ | partial | ✓ |
| Text selection: copy / share / select all | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Hardware / Bluetooth keyboard support | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Shell integration (OSC 133) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Inline images (Kitty graphics) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Mosaic glyphs wey di app dey draw (chafa, ANSI art) | ✓ | e depend on font | ✗ |
| Tap dey act like click for mouse-mode TUI | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| Nerd Font / powerline glyph rendering | ✓ | you fit configure am | partial |
| Sessions | |||
| Plenty SSH session same time | up to 8 | up to 8 | ✓ |
| Grid pane layout | ✓ | via tmux | tabs |
| tmux-friendly scroll | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ |
| tmux reattach hint on reconnect | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Agent alerts (Claude Code / Codex) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ongoing notification wit session list | Android | partial | ✗ |
| Foreground service & wake lock | Android | ✓ | partial |
| Auto-reconnect wit backoff | ✓ | via autossh | ✓ |
| Eternal Terminal (sessions wey no dey die) | ✓ | via CLI | ✗ |
| Auto-install etserver over SSH | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| tmux session manager | ✓ | via CLI | ✗ |
| herdr and Zellij session manager | ✓ | via CLI | ✗ |
| One-tap reply to agent wey block | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Files | |||
| Built-in SFTP file transfer UI | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Dual-pane local + remote browser | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Upload / download queue | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Remote rename / delete / create | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Remote file permissions view | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Sort by name or date per host | ✓ | ✗ | partial |
| Tunnels | |||
| Local port forwarding | ✓ | via CLI | ✓ |
| Saved tunnels wit server profile | ✓ | via ssh config | ✓ |
| Runtime add / remove tunnels | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Keys | |||
| Password login | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Private key login | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Key generation on device | ✓ | via ssh-keygen | ✓ |
| Share / save generated public key | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Backup | |||
| Export / import server backup | ✓ | via termux-backup | Pro cloud vault |
| Encrypted local backup file | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| No account needed | ✓ | ✓ | partial |
| Privacy & cost | |||
| No Pro paywall | ✓ | ✓ | partial |
| No ads | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Analytics opt-out | ✓ | no analytics | ✗ |
| Local-only data (no cloud sync) | ✓ | ✓ | partial |
| Secure screen (block screen capture) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Plugins | |||
| Plugin support | ✓ | via packages | ✗ |
| Plugin catalog wey dey install on demand | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
Mobile SSH vs AI coding-agent app dem
One kind app dey grow fast now wey dem build just to drive coding agent — Claude Code, Codex, and dem friend — from your phone. Some na third-party SSH or relay app (Onepilot, Happy, Omnara, Moshi, Orca, T3 Code, Paseo); OpenAI and Anthropic don begin ship am natively too, wit Codex inside di ChatGPT app and Claude Code inside di Claude app, di two of dem dey run for di vendor own cloud. Mobile SSH dey overlap wit all of dem — you fit run dem agent over SSH and get alert wen dem need you — but e dey approach di work from di oda side: e be general, direct SSH client first, and agent companion second.
| Need | Mobile SSH | Onepilot | Happy | Omnara | Moshi | Orca | T3 Code | Paseo | ChatGPT | Claude |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E dey run coding agent from your phone | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| E dey work wit any coding agent (no be one vendor) | ✓ | ✓ | Claude Code | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Providers wey e support | Providers wey e support + ACP | Codex just | Claude Code just |
| E dey run for your own machine (no be vendor cloud) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | partial |
| Direct SSH — no cloud relay | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | Only for computer | Only for computer/CLI | ✗ | ✗ |
| General SSH terminal (run any command) | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | partial | ✓ | Terminal for computer wey you pair | Terminal for host wey you pair | Terminal through daemon | ✗ | ✗ |
| SFTP file transfer | ✓ | partial | ✗ | ✗ | Docs no agree | Only for computer | Docs no talk am | Docs no talk am | ✗ | ✗ |
| Local port forwarding | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | Dev previews (Pro) | Only for computer | Docs no talk am | Preview for HTTP services | ✗ | ✗ |
| tmux session manager | ✓ | partial | ✗ | ✗ | Pro | Docs no talk am | Docs no talk am | Docs no talk am | ✗ | ✗ |
| E dey work wit agent wey you install yourself | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| Agent alerts (when agent wey connect need your input) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | T3 Connect account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| One-tap approve/deny for agent prompt | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Pro after trial finish | Agents wey e supports | ✓ | Agents wey e support | ✓ | ✓ |
| No server or SSH setup at all | ✗ | ✗ | partial | partial | ✗ | Pair with computer | Server + pairing | Daemon + pairing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android and iOS | ✓ | iOS just | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| No need account | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | LAN/Tailscale; Relay need account | LAN/Tailscale; T3 Connect need account | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ |
| No Pro paywall (all feature free) | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | free level | ✗ |
| Open source | Apache 2.0 | ✗ | MIT | Apache | ✗ | MIT | MIT | Apache 2.0 | ✗ | ✗ |
We check am on 2026-09-19. Moshi direct SSH terminal dey separate from im optional backend for agent events and approvals. Im Android listing dey advertise SFTP, but im detailed docs describe SCP uploads and dev-server previews; we add di matching explanations for those cells. Orca mobile app dey pair with Orca for computer: LAN/Tailscale fit work without Orca account, but Relay need one. Di table mark features wey dey only for computer and features wey docs no explain. We check T3 Code and Paseo on 2026-10-05. Di two dey run agents and terminals through companion server; mobile connections fit use private network or dem relay services. SSH connections dey only for computer (Paseo get am for CLI too). T3 Code mobile push alerts need T3 Connect account; direct pairing no need am. Di two clients dey free; you still go pay any agent-provider charges.
Di native ChatGPT and Claude app dem na di smoothest way to run one vendor own agent witout any setup — no server, na just account — and dem dey add polished one-tap approve/deny screen. Di catch be say: dem dey run only dem own model for dem own cloud, witout general terminal, no SFTP or tunnel, and you no fit bring your own machine, and dem dey charge money or lock am for account. Onepilot, Happy, and Omnara dey keep di agent for hardware wey you control (Onepilot na direct SSH; Happy and Omnara na cloud relay, and Omnara need account). Mobile SSH dey connect straight to your own server witout account or vendor relay, e dey run any agent along wit full terminal, SFTP, and port forwarding, and every feature dey free. Now e dey answer agent prompt di same way dem dey do am — Agents list wey dey show every agent across every connection, wit button for each choice — di difference be say di agent dey run for your own machine and di reply dey travel over your own SSH connection. Di trade-off na di same one wey e always be: you go bring di server, and dem go install di agent hook on am once.