SSHive vs Tabby (formerly Terminus): which one for remote work from a Mac?
Tabby (formerly Terminus) is a free terminal for Windows, macOS and Linux, with its own SSH, Telnet and serial clients. SSHive is made for the Mac, iPhone and iPad, and puts RDP and VNC remote desktops in the same window as your SSH sessions.
By Lucas Russo, developer of SSHive · Updated
Tabby (formerly Terminus) is a modern, cross-platform terminal. It offers a polished UI, a plugin system and a built-in SSH client. SSHive adds a full dual-pane SFTP file manager, embedded RDP and VNC clients, and AI integration through its MCP server, features that Tabby either lacks entirely or only partially supports through plugins. For macOS users who want a complete remote management experience, SSHive offers significantly more out of the box.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | SSHive | Tabby (Terminus) |
|---|---|---|
| SSH Terminal | Yes | Yes |
| SFTP File Manager | Yes | Partial |
| RDP Client | Yes | No |
| VNC Client | Yes | No |
| Serial console (USB adapter) | Yes | Yes |
| Telnet client | Yes | Yes |
| SSH Tunnels | Yes | Yes |
| Broadcast Mode | Yes | No |
| MCP / AI Integration | Yes | No |
| macOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Keychain Integration | Yes | Yes |
| Mac App Store | Yes | No |
| Price | Free / Pro (one-time) | Free |
Competitor prices checked on September 22, 2026.
The verdict
Both are modern tools for remote work, and Tabby is free on three desktop systems. SSHive adds what Tabby leaves out: RDP and VNC, plus an MCP server for AI clients on the Mac. One $12.99 Pro purchase covers your Mac, iPhone and iPad.
Where Tabby (Terminus) does better
Tabby runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, so one tool follows you from machine to machine; SSHive's desktop app is Mac only. It is also a local terminal, which SSHive is not, with split panes and shell profiles that reach PowerShell and WSL on Windows. Its SSH client handles X11 forwarding, which SSHive lacks, along with agent forwarding and automatic jump host management. Community plugins and themes install from its settings, and a web version offers SSH, SFTP and Telnet from a browser. File transfer is where the table says Partial: on the desktop, SFTP is a panel that opens inside an SSH tab, for browsing, uploads, downloads and new folders, while SSHive also opens SFTP-only connections.
Who should keep Tabby (Terminus)
Stay with Tabby if you move between Windows, Linux and a Mac and want one tool everywhere, if a plugin has become part of your workflow, or if you need X11 forwarding. SSHive makes more sense once remote desktops matter as much as the shell: RDP and VNC sessions open next to your SSH tabs, and the same app exists for iPhone and iPad.
What each costs over time
Tabby costs nothing on any of its three systems. SSHive is free to download too and covers SSH, SFTP, serial and Telnet on the Mac, within limits of 2 SSH sessions at a time and 5 saved profiles. Pro costs $12.99 once: it lifts those limits, adds RDP, VNC, broadcast, remote tunnels and the MCP server, and unlocks Pro on iPhone and iPad without a second purchase.
Moving from Tabby (Terminus) to SSHive
SSHive has no Tabby importer. Hosts you keep in ~/.ssh/config come across in one click from SSHive's sidebar; the others are recreated as profiles, 5 at most on the free tier. Tabby's automatic jump hosts have an equivalent in the Jump Chain block of the target profile: up to 5 hops in order, each with its own authentication, as a Pro feature (jump host guide). Tabby can stay installed while you move your hosts across.
Frequently asked questions
Does SSHive run on Windows or Linux, like Tabby?+
Can I move my Tabby (Terminus) sessions to SSHive?+
~/.ssh/config import in one click, and the rest are recreated once.