HostDock vs Tabby
Tabby (formerly Terminus) is a free, open-source (MIT) terminal and SSH client for Windows, macOS and Linux built on Electron. HostDock is a Mac app for Linux servers that combines SSH, SFTP, monitoring, Docker and an AI assistant with an MCP server. Here's how they differ, including where Tabby is the better choice.
Facts about Tabby checked on against the sources listed below.
Choose Tabby if…
You want a free, open-source, cross-platform terminal you can extend with plugins, and you’re happy to self-host sync.
Choose HostDock if…
You want monitoring, Docker, an AI assistant and an MCP server to work out of the box on your Mac, with sync that just works.
Side by side
| HostDock | Tabby | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS 12+ (Windows and Linux planned) | Windows, macOS, Linux, plus a web app |
| Price | Free download; sync has a free plan, paid plan planned | Free |
| Open source | No | Yes, MIT |
| SFTP | Yes, with transfer queue and in-place editing | Yes, SFTP panel in SSH tabs; Zmodem |
| Port forwarding | Local, remote, dynamic (SOCKS5 + HTTP) | Local, remote, dynamic |
| Jump hosts | Yes, up to 3 chained | Yes, plus ProxyCommand and SOCKS/HTTP proxies |
| ssh-agent / agent forwarding | Not yet | Yes, including Pageant and Windows OpenSSH agent |
| Server monitoring | Yes, agentless (Linux servers) | No |
| Docker management | Yes: list, start/stop/restart, logs, shell | Community plugin to open a shell in a container |
| AI assistant | Built in; HostDock-provided AI service or any OpenAI-compatible model; approval modes and command log | None built in |
| MCP server for AI tools | Built in, local, with per-tool tokens and approvals | Community plugin (tabby-mcp-server), not official |
| End-to-end encrypted sync | Yes for servers, credentials and forwarding rules (free); notes, scripts and files are not E2E | Config sync to a self-hosted Tabby Web; encrypted only if you enable vault encryption |
Where Tabby is stronger
- Free and open source under the MIT license, with a large plugin ecosystem.
- Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux, and also works as a local terminal, serial and Telnet client.
- ssh-agent support including Pageant, X11 forwarding and PuTTY keys.
Where HostDock is stronger
- Agentless server monitoring and real Docker management (start, stop, restart, logs, shell) built in.
- A built-in AI assistant with approval modes, secret redaction and a command log.
- An official, built-in MCP server with per-tool tokens, server scopes and approvals in the app.
- Hosted, end-to-end encrypted sync of servers and credentials, with no server for you to run.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tabby better than HostDock?
It depends on what you need. Tabby is free, open source and cross-platform, and is a great general-purpose terminal. HostDock is macOS-only today but adds server monitoring, Docker management, an AI assistant that can run commands with your approval, a built-in MCP server and hosted end-to-end encrypted sync.
Does Tabby have built-in AI?
No. As of October 2026 Tabby has no built-in AI features. A community plugin, tabby-mcp-server, lets external AI tools run commands in Tabby sessions.
Sources
Spotted something out of date? Email hello@hostdock.dev and we'll fix it.
Other comparisons: HostDock vs Termius · HostDock vs Royal TSX · All SSH clients for Mac
Bring your servers into one window
Free download for macOS 12 Monterey or later.