Conduit

Overview

Conduit brings SSH, RDP, VNC and web sessions into one tabbed workspace, with a companion app for iPhone and iPad. It is best suited to infrastructure teams and developers juggling several connection types, especially those who want AI agents to work with remote sessions. The main trade-offs are a 50-call daily MCP cap on the free tier and the need to supply your own AI subscription.

Key features

Combining terminal, remote desktop and web access can reduce the need to switch among separate connection tools. That breadth is useful for administrators managing mixed environments; someone who only needs one protocol may have little reason to choose a broader manager.

Conduit’s native MCP server exposes tools for terminal, RDP, VNC, web, credential and vault operations. It can launch Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, Cursor Agent, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode, while other MCP-compatible clients can connect. This is a substantial bridge between agents and remote work, but Conduit does not pay for or proxy AI inference: the agent uses the customer’s own provider subscription.

Connection records and credentials are kept in a local SQLite vault encrypted with AES-256. Keys are derived locally from the master password and are not transmitted to Conduit servers, including for cloud backups. MCP calls use local sockets or named pipes, redact secrets, apply per-tool rate limits and log activity; credential reads need one-off approval. These protections are relevant when exposing connection operations to agents, though they do not eliminate the need to manage access carefully.

The iPhone and iPad companion app can sync through Conduit Cloud Sync, iCloud Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox. Email support typically responds within 24 hours on business days; GitHub issues are triaged weekly.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and includes unlimited connections, the MCP server capped at 50 tool calls per day, use of the customer’s own agent subscription and one-day cloud backup. It is a reasonable way to manage connections and try agent workflows, but the call limit can constrain frequent use.

Pro costs $10 a month, billed Free for 30 days, then $10/mo. It retains unlimited connections and the customer’s own agent subscription, removes the MCP tool-call cap, adds cloud sync across devices and extends local backup retention to 14 days. It fits individual users whose agent activity exceeds the free allowance or who need cross-device sync.

Team costs $20 a month, billed Free for 30 days, then $20/mo. It includes everything in Pro, plus shared team vaults, six-month backup retention and beta features. Shared vaults make it the clearest fit for teams coordinating credentials; those working alone may not need the added collaboration and retention features.

Both paid plans include a 30-day free period before the stated monthly charge. All plans leave AI provider costs with the user.

Platforms

Desktop support covers macOS, Windows and Linux; Conduit also supports the web and offers iPhone and iPad companion apps. The breadth suits teams working across desktop systems and mobile devices, though the mobile app’s stated role is companion syncing rather than a replacement for the desktop connection workspace.

Who it's for

Conduit is aimed at DevOps and SREs, IT administrators and MSPs, and developers managing remote infrastructure. It is strongest for people who need multiple remote protocols and want agent access to connection tools. It is less suitable for users seeking bundled AI inference or for light MCP users who can stay within the free daily cap without needing paid sync or team features.

Pros and cons

• Pros: SSH, RDP, VNC and web sessions share one workspace, useful when work spans different remote environments.
• Pros: The local encrypted vault and approval requirement for credential reads add meaningful safeguards around agent operations.
• Pros: Unlimited connections are included even on Free, and Pro removes the daily MCP call cap.
• Cons: AI inference is not included, so agent use depends on a separate provider subscription.
• Cons: Free MCP use stops at 50 tool calls per day, which may be restrictive for regular agent workflows.
• Cons: Shared team vaults and six-month backup retention require the $20 a month Team plan.

Alternatives

Compare remote connection manager software if you want to weigh a broader set of options.

BURSU Connection Manager is worth considering if you want a free desktop app with optional cloud sync and team sharing. Nexterm is an alternative if an open-source MIT-licensed option is your priority. Devolutions Remote Desktop Manager offers a free edition for individual use, including commercial use, for users who do not need to share connections or credentials. electerm is a free, open-source client, with possible usage limits on its free AI service. MremoteGO is a free, MIT-licensed open-source option for Linux, macOS and Windows. Royal TS has a free Lite plan capped at 10 connections, 10 credentials and one document. uniTerm is a free Apache 2.0 option for Android, Linux, macOS and Windows. RustConn is a free GPL-3.0 desktop application for Linux, macOS and Windows.

Verdict

Choose Conduit if you manage varied remote systems and want MCP-connected agents to work with those sessions alongside a locally encrypted credential vault. Its free tier covers unlimited connections, but the daily call cap and separate AI subscription matter. Look elsewhere if you need bundled inference, or if your requirements are narrow enough that a simpler free client is a better fit.