BranchShell Tabby alternative that is native, not Electron
Tabby is a free, open source terminal and SSH client built on Electron, with SFTP, quick commands and config sync left to plugins. BranchShell is written in Rust and drawn on the GPU, with the vault, SFTP, mosh, snippets and a SQL client built in.
No account. No card. No renewal. macOS, Windows and Linux.
Tabby costs nothing. BranchShell costs $20 once, and is not a subscription either.
You pay one time, for 2 computers, for a native client that does more. No plan, no renewal and no account.
$20 once for 2 computers, updates forever
Free, open source
BranchShell and Tabby compared
What each client is built with, what it costs and what it does in the app. Facts about the other client come from its own website and may change.
| Feature | BranchShell | Tabby |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Pay once: $20 for 2 computers, no renewal | Free, open source |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| Built with | Better: Rust, drawn on the GPU | Worse: Electron |
| Account to use it | None | None |
| Hosts, keys and passwords | Encrypted vault on your computer | Optional encrypted vault in the config file |
| Port forwarding | Local, remote and dynamic rules, one switch each | Per profile |
| SFTP | Better: Two panes, sudo paths, S3 and R2 buckets | Worse: Zmodem; SFTP through a plugin |
| Split terminals | Up to four panes per workspace | Nested split panes |
| Mosh | Better: Yes | Worse: No |
| Snippets | Better: Offered as you type, sorted by Laya | Worse: Quick commands through a plugin |
| Databases and SQL | Better: Fourteen engines through SSH, with a SQL client | Worse: No |
| Link to a Git client | Better: Hosts and forwards in the BranchBay tray | Worse: No |
The better side The worse side No colour: the same on both
Why developers pick BranchShell over Tabby
Native, not Electron
No bundled browser. BranchShell opens in a blink and its terminal is drawn on the GPU, so a flood of output never stutters.
Built in, not bolted on
Snippets with autocomplete, saved port forwards, SFTP with S3 and R2 and database connections ship in the app, with no plugins to keep in step.
Mosh for shaky links
Mosh hosts reconnect when you change networks or wake the laptop, in the same tabs as your SSH sessions.
Paid once, then yours
$20 once for 2 computers, with updates delivered inside the app and support by email.
What Tabby does that BranchShell does not
- A free, open source licence
- A plugin and theme ecosystem
- Telnet connections and Zmodem transfers
- A web app for SSH from the browser
If one of these is part of your day, keep Tabby. The rest of the time, BranchShell does the job from one vault, for one payment.
Is BranchShell open source like Tabby?
Does BranchShell have split panes like Tabby?
Can I try BranchShell before leaving Tabby?
What does BranchShell cost?
Try it next to Tabby.
Import your SSH config and connect to the hosts you already have. Nothing to sign up for, nothing to renew and nothing to uninstall until you are sure.