electerm

electerm combines terminal work, remote access and graphical file management in a free, MIT-licensed application. It is best suited to people who need several connection protocols across desktop and mobile devices. Its breadth is appealing, but the browser edition’s credential handling makes it a poor choice for anyone unwilling to route sensitive connections through the service.

Overview

SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC and SPICE support gives electerm a wider remit than a shell-only client. The integrated SFTP manager can open remote files for editing, and session management uses workspaces. This combination can keep remote administration and file tasks together; people who only need straightforward file transfers may prefer a more focused client.

The project is open source under the MIT License. Bookmarks, themes and quick commands can sync through GitHub or Gitee secret gists, WebDAV, a custom server or electerm cloud. That choice of destinations is useful for users with an existing sync setup, but the data-handling implications depend on the destination they select.

For more tools in this category, see SSH Clients.

Key features

• Multiple session types: Support for SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC and SPICE lets users handle shell, file-transfer and remote-desktop connections in one application.
• SSH connection options: Public-key and password authentication are joined by proxy support, SSH tunneling, agent forwarding, port forwarding, X11 forwarding and connection hopping. These options suit more involved access arrangements, though they add little for someone who only needs a basic connection.
• Graphical SFTP and editing: The file manager provides a visual way to work with remote files, including opening a file for editing by double-clicking it.
• AI assistant: The assistant supports OpenAI Chat Completions, OpenAI Responses and Anthropic Messages formats for generating commands and scripts, creating bookmarks and explaining material. Its usefulness depends on whether users want these tasks in a client and which supported service they configure.
• Synchronization: Bookmarks, themes and quick commands can sync through several backends, including a custom server. Users can choose a destination rather than being limited to one sync route.

Pricing

Free — free. The free plan includes the MIT-licensed terminal and file manager, along with SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC and SPICE support. There is no paid tier to weigh against the core offering in the plan. It is a strong fit for individuals who want the supported protocols without a subscription; no seat or quota cap is stated.

Platforms

Desktop builds support Windows 7+, macOS 10.15+ and Linux, including x64, ARM64, ARMv7, LoongArch64, RISC-V and ppc64le variants. Android, iOS and HarmonyOS versions extend access to mobile devices. The online version runs in desktop and mobile browsers without installation and supports SSH, SFTP, RDP, VNC, SPICE, Telnet and FTP, but it lacks local terminal, serial and web page features.

The browser edition carries a material security trade-off: it stores connection credentials on the server and proxies SSH connections through that server, and the site provides no security guarantees. Readers handling sensitive credentials should consider that carefully before using it. Official Debian/APT and RPM/YUM repositories are GPG-signed, which is relevant to users installing through those package channels.

The website collects IP address, browser and operating-system details, visited pages, referring addresses and device identifiers through cookies and similar technologies.

Who it's for

electerm makes sense for users who want terminal access, file management and several remote protocols in one open-source client, especially where desktop and mobile availability matters. Its authentication and forwarding options also suit users with more elaborate SSH connection needs. It is less compelling for someone seeking only a Windows file-transfer utility, or for anyone who cannot accept the browser service’s credential and proxy arrangement.

Pros and cons

• Pro — broad protocol coverage: SSH, file-transfer, serial and remote-desktop sessions can be handled in one application.
• Pro — open-source and free: The MIT License and free plan make the core client accessible without a subscription.
• Pro — flexible sync and SSH options: Multiple synchronization destinations and forwarding features accommodate varied workflows.
• Con — browser security caveat: Credentials are stored on the server and SSH is proxied through it, with no security guarantees from the site.
• Con — browser feature gaps: The online version omits local terminal, serial and web page features, so it is not a full substitute for desktop builds.

Alternatives

• WinSCP is a free, open-source Windows file-transfer client. Choose it instead if Windows file transfers are the main need and its SFTP, FTP, FTPS, SCP, WebDAV and S3 protocol set is sufficient.
• Termius has a free Starter plan with a local vault, SSH and SFTP, AI-powered autocomplete and port forwarding, alongside a Pro plan at $10 a month (billed when paid annually). Choose it if that stated Starter feature set or its freemium model better fits your needs.
• Royal TS offers a free Lite plan capped at 10 connections, 10 credentials and one document, plus a Single User License at €49, paid once. Choose it if those connection and document limits or its one-time license suit your use.
• XPipe is a freemium option whose application core is available under Apache License 2.0, while some paid features are not open source. Choose it if that open-core model is preferable.
• SecurSSH has a free plan for one user, up to 30 hosts and three groups, plus a Pro plan at €9 a month billed monthly. Choose it if those stated host and group limits fit your needs.
• Tabby is a free FOSS terminal emulator for Linux, macOS and Windows. Choose it if a terminal-emulator alternative on those desktop platforms is what you need.
• WindTerm is free for commercial and non-commercial use without limitations, with source code that is partially open. Choose it if those terms suit your priorities.
• Ásbrú Connection Manager is a free, open-source connection manager under GNU General Public License version 3. Choose it if that license and its Linux or Windows availability fit your requirements.

Verdict

Choose electerm if you want a free, MIT-licensed client that brings varied remote protocols, an SFTP file manager and synchronization options together across desktop and mobile. Its main advantage is that breadth without a subscription; its main reason to look elsewhere is the browser edition’s server-stored credentials and proxied SSH connections, or if you need a narrower tool focused on file transfer.