The best SSH clients for Android – including my two favorites

I recurrently want fast entry to one of many Linux machines on my native space community, however typically I haven’t got a laptop computer. If I’ve my Android phone helpful, I haven’t got to fret about grabbing my laptop or standing at my desk so I can run an SSH command.

Additionally: What is SSH and how do you use it? The secure shell basics you need to know

So, how do you join by way of SSH from an Android machine? Fortuitously, there are a number of apps within the Google Play Retailer that make this course of simple. 

Every app could be put in and used at no cost, so you may check each and resolve which you favor. Some apps have free and paid plans however all can be utilized at no cost (with fundamental options).

Let’s get to the shoppers.

1. JuiceSSH

JuiceSSH is likely one of the greatest SSH shoppers for Android. This free shopper gives simply the best options to make accessing distant machines a snap. Certainly one of my favourite options of JuiceSSH is the power to rapidly enlarge the font utilizing the Quantity Up key in your telephone. This trick is helpful as a result of the textual content could be small — and that is necessary for older eyes like mine. 

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JuiceSSH additionally options identification administration, automated script run on login, plugins, themes, exterior keyboard assist, SSH agent forwarding, and quick access to instructions like Ctrl, Alt, Esc, Tab, and extra. The Professional model of JuiceSSH provides snippets, Amazon EC2 entry, and a safety lock. The Professional model is a one-time price of $9.99 and the license is bought in-app. The out there plugins embody a efficiency monitor, OpenSSH Importer, Cluster Snippets, Tasker, and extra.

2. Termius

Termius is one in all my favourite desktop GUI SSH apps and in addition does an incredible job on Android. Terminus is one other SSH shopper with a free and paid app. Nevertheless, you continue to profit from cloud-based, encrypted storage of your connection configurations and settings in each variations. Termius features a connection supervisor, SSH Key Authentication, SFTP assist, and loads of built-in themes, teams, tags, and vaults. 

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The Professional version provides snippets, agent forwarding, host chaining, and proxy configurations. With Termius, you may zoom out and in (to extend/lower the font measurement) with the usual Android pinch gestures. You may additionally discover fast entry to Ctl, Escape, operate keys, and even a built-in AI to transform textual content to a command. 

3. Termux

Termux is extra of a terminal emulator than a fundamental SSH shopper, which suggests you are able to do extra. The truth is, Termux transforms your Android telephone or pill right into a Linux atmosphere that permits you to run many conventional Linux instructions, one in all which is SSH. Nevertheless, there is a catch. So as to add SSH performance, it’s important to set up it. To do that, set up Termux, open the app, after which run the command:

After putting in openssh, you may run an ordinary SSH command as you usually would. 

Additionally: How to make SSH even easier to use with config files

So far as SSH goes, Termux is pretty fundamental. There is no connection supervisor, plugins, or different helpful options. However having a reasonably simple Linux terminal for SSH connections is fairly candy. Termux is free to put in and use.

4. ConnectBot

ConnectBot is the one open-source app on the checklist, which makes it particular in my eyes. ConnectBot has a clear and easy-to-use interface, with simply sufficient options to make it value your time. You may discover shade classes, font measurement configuration, SSH key authentication, DEL key configuration, SSH auth agent assist, compression, persistent connections, shut on disconnect, and post-login automation.

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One good characteristic of ConnectBot is that it permits you to stay linked to a machine. So long as you are on the identical community, the connection works. You possibly can create a number of connections within the connection supervisor, hook up with all of them, and stay linked, so you may rapidly change between completely different machines. That characteristic alone makes ConnectBot a favourite. ConnectBot is free to put in and use.

Any one in all these SSH Android shoppers will serve you properly. My favourite is a toss-up between ConnectBot and JuiceSSH.