Alternative to Tabby
Termique vs Tabby:
which SSH client is right for you?
Tabby (renamed from Terminus in 2021) is a capable open-source terminal with SSH support, but it's Electron-based and plugin-heavy. Termique trades plugin flexibility for a cohesive, fast, native experience with built-in AI, cloud sync, and encrypted credential vaulting.
Competitor claims last reviewed July 26, 2026.
| Feature | Termique | Tabby |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| SSH host management | Included | Included |
| Encrypted credential storage | AES-GCM, E2EE | Plugin-dependent |
| Cloud sync | Included | Not available |
| Multi-tab SSH sessions | Included | Included |
| SFTP file transfer | Free, all plans | Included |
| AI terminal assistant | Free tier + Pro | Not available |
| SSH key manager | Included | Basic |
| Command audit logs | Pro | Not available |
| Runtime | Tauri (native) | Electron |
| Memory footprint | ~80 MB | ~400 MB+ |
| Price | Free + $5/mo Pro | Free, open source |
When Tabby is still the better choice
Tabby is fully open source, has a real plugin ecosystem, and speaks serial and Telnet alongside SSH. You can read every line of it, host your own config sync, and extend it yourself. If auditability and extensibility rank above a polished credential vault, that is a coherent choice and Termique cannot match it - Termique's client is not open source.
Key differences
Native vs Electron
Tabby is built on Electron, which means it ships a full Chromium browser just to render a terminal. Termique uses Tauri - a native Rust runtime. Cold start under 2 seconds, fraction of the memory.
Built-in AI vs no AI
Tabby has no AI assistant. Termique's AI is scoped to the active SSH session - it reads your terminal context and suggests commands. You review before anything runs.
Coherent product vs plugin ecosystem
Tabby's power comes from plugins, but that means setup, versioning conflicts, and inconsistent UX. Termique ships everything - credentials, cloud sync, AI, SFTP, audit logs - in one tested, coherent app.
Platform by platform
All three desktops
Both are cross-platform, so the difference is not availability. Tabby is Electron and bundles Chromium; Termique is Tauri on Rust and uses the OS webview.
Mobile
Tabby has no mobile client. Termique has iOS and Android companion apps that share the same encrypted host list.
Switching from Tabby
Open your Tabby config
Tabby keeps everything in a single YAML file - ~/.config/tabby/config.yaml on macOS and Linux, %APPDATA%\tabby\config.yaml on Windows. Your SSH profiles are listed in it in readable form.
Extract the SSH profiles
Copy the host, port and username of each profile. If you used the vault plugin, decrypt and note the credentials before you remove Tabby.
Add hosts in Termique
Recreate the hosts, or move them into ~/.ssh/config and let Termique import them. Credentials go in once, AES-GCM encrypted on-device.
Also compare
Other SSH tools frequently weighed by developers looking at Tabby.
Termique vs Electerm - On-Device Derived Encryption vs a Documented Encryption Weakness
Termique vs Warp - SSH-First Credential Manager vs AI-First Terminal
Termique vs WindTerm - Full Encrypted Sync vs Local-Only Open Source Terminal
Termique vs Termius: E2EE SSH manager at half the price
Frequently asked questions
Is Termique open source?+
No, the client is not. That is a real trade-off against Tabby and worth weighing if source availability matters to you.
Is Termique lighter than Tabby?+
It is built with Tauri on a Rust backend rather than Electron, so it uses the OS webview instead of bundling Chromium. That generally means a smaller install and lower idle memory, though the difference varies by machine.
Does Termique support plugins?+
No. Tabby's plugin system is its main advantage. Termique ships a fixed feature set - credential vault, SFTP, key manager, AI assistant, audit logs.
Does Termique support serial or Telnet?+
No, SSH and SFTP only.
How is credential storage different?+
In Tabby it depends on which vault plugin you use. In Termique it is not optional: AES-GCM with a key derived from your master password on-device, stored in the OS keychain.
Ready to try Termique?
Free to use across macOS, Windows, and Linux. No credit card required.