Bast
Bast is a command-line tool and terminal interface for organizing SSH hosts and connecting to servers.
What Bast is
Bast is a command-line tool and terminal interface for organizing SSH hosts and connecting to servers. It uses the system OpenSSH client and relies on the existing SSH configuration. Users can search, sort, group, tag, color, favorite, and hide hosts, connect over SSH, or use port forwarding. Its Files tab provides local and remote file browsing and transfers through OpenSSH SFTP. The key manager can generate, import, export, and install SSH keys. Bast documents host synchronization for GCP, AWS, Azure, box.ascii.dev, Upstash Box, Vercel Sandbox, and Hetzner Cloud. Its Vault encrypts managed hosts and keys on the client with a passphrase-derived key; the server stores ciphertext. Users can self-host the web app and store Vault data on their own infrastructure. Bast supports macOS, Linux, and Windows 11. Windows requires the OpenSSH Client commands ssh, ssh-keygen, and ssh-add on PATH. The free plan is listed as free.
Good
- Uses the existing system OpenSSH configuration.
- Organizes hosts with groups, tags, and favorites.
- Transfers files over OpenSSH SFTP.
- Can generate, import, export, and install keys.
- Vault data can be self-hosted.
Watch out
- Windows requires OpenSSH Client commands on PATH.
- Vercel Sandbox session timeouts are capped at five hours.
Who it suits
Bast suits people who manage SSH hosts and want host organization, file transfer, and key management in one interface. It is available on macOS, Linux, and Windows 11.
Verdict
Bast combines SSH host organization, connections, SFTP, and key management with a free plan. Windows users need OpenSSH Client commands on PATH, and Vercel Sandbox sessions have a five-hour cap.
Plans and prices
From Bast's own pricing page, checked 8 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | SSH host manager · Cloud host sync · SSH SFTP · SSH key manager · encrypted Vault sync |
The facts
Each one read from Bast's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Cloud integrations
- Bast documents host sync for GCP, AWS, Azure, box.ascii.dev, Upstash Box, Vercel Sandbox, and Hetzner Cloud.checked 8 Oct 2026
- File transfer
- Its dual-pane Files tab browses local and remote files and transfers them over OpenSSH SFTP.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Host management
- It can search, sort, organize, favorite, and hide SSH hosts, with groups, tags, and colors.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Key management
- Bast can generate, import, export, and install SSH keys.checked 8 Oct 2026
- OpenSSH
- Bast uses the system OpenSSH client and treats the existing SSH configuration as its source of truth.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Bast is a command-line tool and terminal interface for managing SSH hosts and connecting to servers.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Self-hosting
- Users can self-host the Bast web app and configure the client to store Vault data on their own infrastructure.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Supported operating systems
- Bast installs on macOS, Linux, and Windows 11.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Telemetry privacy
- The privacy policy says telemetry does not collect hostnames, keys, emails, project IDs, or SSH config contents.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Vault encryption
- Vault encrypts managed hosts and keys on the client using a passphrase-derived key and XChaCha20-Poly1305; the server stores ciphertext.checked 8 Oct 2026
- Vercel connection limit
- Bast caps Vercel Sandbox session timeouts at five hours, although Vercel Pro and Enterprise sandboxes can run up to 24 hours.checked 8 Oct 2026
The company
- Maker
- Bast.sh is a product and hosted service of ELLIPSE SOFTWARE GROUP LIMITED, trading as ellipse Software.checked 8 Oct 2026
Where it runs
- Windows requirement
- On Windows, Bast requires the OpenSSH Client commands ssh, ssh-keygen, and ssh-add on PATH.checked 8 Oct 2026
