SSH client · Tabby Developers

Tabby

Free MIT-licensed terminal with an SSH and serial client for Windows, macOS and Linux.

81/100

#1 of 12 SSH clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

Tabby is free and open source under the MIT licence^1,2.
It runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and has a portable mode on Windows¹.
Its SSH client lists X11 and port forwarding, jump hosts and agent forwarding¹.
An encrypted container locks SSH secrets and configuration with a passphrase^1,3.
The latest release, v1.0.238, was published on 7 October 2026⁴.

Tabby suits people who want one free terminal for SSH, serial and local shells on any desktop system. It lists the main forwarding features and an encrypted vault^1,3. The catches: the project lists no security key or smart card login, and no key generator^1,4.

Best for: People who want a free, open-source terminal with SSH built in.

Where the points come from

Connections33 of 35

Keys and security12 of 25

Sessions and workflow18 of 18

Other systems4 of 8

Price14 of 14

Connections 33 of 35 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Built-in SFTP file transfer	YesRelease notes describe an SFTP tab, download menu and a fixed Windows SFTP flaw⁴.	7 / 7
SSH agent forwarding	YesREADME lists agent forwarding, including Pageant and the Windows OpenSSH agent¹.	6 / 6
X11 forwarding	YesREADME lists X11 and port forwarding¹.	5 / 5
Port forwarding	YesREADME lists X11 and port forwarding; it does not split local from remote¹.	4 / 4
Jump hosts	YesREADME lists automatic jump host management¹.	6 / 6
Serial port connections	YesREADME lists an integrated serial terminal¹.	4 / 4
Other protocols	TelnetREADME lists an integrated SSH and Telnet client; RDP and VNC are not listed¹.	1 / 3

Keys and security 12 of 25 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Key generator and key agent	Not publishedNot published on the README; it lists agent support but no key generator¹.	0 / 5
Security key or smart card login	Not publishedNot published on the README or the release notes read^1,4.	0 / 6
Saved logins locked by a master password	YesAn encrypted container for SSH secrets, unlocked by a passphrase, AES-256^1,3.	6 / 6
Open source	YesSource is on GitHub under the MIT licence².	6 / 6
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001	Not publishedNot published on the README¹.	0 / 2

Sessions and workflow 18 of 18 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Saved sessions in folders	YesRelease v1.0.235 added nested group folders and a profile tree view⁴.	4 / 4
Scripting or automation	YesREADME lists login scripts; counted as scripting for logins. No command-line client is documented¹.	5 / 5
Sync saved sessions between devices	YesTabby Web "provides the config sync service for the Tabby app"; the Vault can encrypt that config⁵.	4 / 4
Portable version	YesREADME says Tabby runs as a portable app on Windows; release v1.0.238 lists portable x64 and arm64 zips^1,4.	2 / 2
Updated in the last 12 months	YesRelease v1.0.238 was published on 7 October 2026⁴.	3 / 3

Other systems 4 of 8 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Other systems	macOS, LinuxREADME names Windows, macOS and Linux; v1.0.238 lists macOS .dmg and Linux packages. No iOS or Android app^1,4.	4 / 8

Price 14 of 14 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Free for work use	YesFree with no time limit under the MIT licence, which allows use at work².	6 / 6
Cheapest uncapped edition, per year	$0No paid edition; free under the MIT licence^1,2.	8 / 8

The rule behind each line: how we score SSH clients.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free1 person	Free^1,2	$0	MIT licence; no paid edition listed

Strengths

Free under the MIT licence, with the source on GitHub^1,2.
Lists X11 forwarding, port forwarding, jump hosts and agent forwarding, including Pageant and the Windows OpenSSH agent¹.
Saved profiles can be nested in folders, added in v1.0.235⁴.
Runs as a portable app on Windows¹.
Release v1.0.238 is dated 7 October 2026⁴.

Limits

The README lists no security key, smart card or PKCS#11 login¹.
No key generator is listed¹.
The vendor's own pages list no command-line client for automating logins, only login scripts¹.
Release v1.0.235 fixed a Windows SFTP path traversal flaw, where a malicious server could write files outside the download folder⁴.

Other SSH clients

2
TermiusPeople who connect from a PC and a phone and want saved hosts to sync
80/100
$0cheapest uncapped edition, per year
3
MobaXtermWindows admins who want SSH, SFTP, X11 and remote desktop in one window
76/100
$23/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year
4
SecureCRTAdmins who want a paid, scriptable client with a one-time licence
71/100
$39.67/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year
5
Royal TSAdmins who manage many servers over SSH, RDP and VNC from one document
69/100
$18.27/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year

Tabby vs Termius · Tabby vs MobaXterm · All 12 SSH clients

Sources

Eugeny/tabby README, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Tabby MIT licence, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Vault Encryption, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Tabby releases, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Eugeny/tabby-web README, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: tabby.sh · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Tabby Developers.