SSHive vs Termius: a one-time purchase against a subscription SSH client
Termius is a polished SSH client available on multiple platforms. SSHive offers a comparable experience on the Mac, with passwords protected by the macOS Keychain, a one-time price and AI integration.
By Lucas Russo, developer of SSHive · Updated
Termius is a polished, cross-platform SSH client known for its beautiful UI and sync capabilities. However, its free tier is limited, and the rest of its features come with a subscription. SSHive offers comparable features, SSH, SFTP, connection profiles and Keychain security, with a one-time $12.99 Pro upgrade for unlimited sessions, RDP, VNC, broadcast mode, and AI integration. For macOS users who want professional SSH tooling without recurring costs, SSHive is the clear choice.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Feature | SSHive | Termius |
|---|---|---|
| SSH Terminal | Yes | Yes |
| SFTP File Manager | Yes | Yes |
| RDP Client | Yes | No |
| VNC Client | Yes | No |
| SSH Tunnels | Yes | Yes |
| Broadcast Mode | Yes | No |
| MCP / AI Integration | Yes | No |
| macOS app | Yes | Yes |
| Keychain Integration | Yes | No |
| Mac App Store | Yes | Yes |
| Price | Free / Pro (one-time) | $10/month, billed annually |
Competitor prices checked on September 22, 2026.
The verdict
Termius is feature-rich, and its sync and team features come with a subscription. SSHive covers comparable ground on Mac, iPhone and iPad with a single $12.99 Pro purchase and nothing recurring.
Where Termius does better
Termius runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, so your hosts can follow you onto an Android phone or a Linux laptop; SSHive stops at Mac, iPhone and iPad. Its paid plans keep an encrypted cloud vault in sync between desktop and mobile, and the Team and Business plans add shared vaults and real-time collaboration, which SSHive does not offer. Even the free Starter plan includes SFTP, port forwarding and AI-powered autocomplete.
Who should keep Termius
Stay with Termius if you need clients on Android, Windows or Linux, or if your team shares hosts through its vaults. If you work alone on Apple devices, SSHive does the same daily job without a subscription and adds what Termius does not have: RDP and VNC sessions next to SSH.
What each costs over time
Termius Pro is listed at $10 a month, billed annually: $120 a year, or $360 over three years at the recorded price. SSHive Pro is $12.99, paid once, with updates included while the app is maintained, and the same purchase unlocks Pro on your Mac, iPhone and iPad. SSHive's free tier has limits of its own (2 SSH sessions at a time and 5 profiles), so compare with the plan you would really need; the pricing page lists both tiers.
Moving from Termius to SSHive
SSHive cannot import from Termius, so plan on recreating your hosts. Any that also live in ~/.ssh/config come in with one click from SSHive's sidebar (import guide). The free tier holds 5 profiles, enough to try SSHive on your main servers before deciding. If you would rather start with fresh credentials, SSHive's Mac app has a built-in SSH key generator.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account or a subscription to use SSHive?+
Can I move my Termius sessions to SSHive?+
~/.ssh/config come across in one click; the rest are entered once.