Alternative

MobaXterm for Mac: the best alternatives in 2026

TL;DR

There's no MobaXterm for Mac. Mobatek ships it for Windows only. You can run it under CrossOver or in a Windows VM, but on a Mac you'd usually replace it with two or three Mac apps.

For SSH with an SFTP browser beside it, use Electerm or Tabby (free). For the widest protocol list, use Royal TSX. Add XQuartz for X11 and Windows App for RDP.

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Is there a Mac version?

No. Mobatek calls MobaXterm an "Enhanced terminal for Windows" on its home page, and its download page offers only a Windows installer and a portable Windows build. The current release is v26.6, from October 25, 2026. The Home edition is free. Professional is $69 per user.

Mobatek does know Mac users run it anyway. Its changelog has Wine fixes "for Linux and Mac users" since v20.4 (2020), most recently in v26.2 (April 2026). Those are compatibility fixes, not a Mac version. Mobatek publishes no Mac system requirements and says nothing about Apple Silicon.

Running MobaXterm on a Mac

You have two ways to run the Windows app on a Mac. Mobatek supports neither officially, and each has catches.

  • Wine or CrossOver. These run Windows apps without Windows. CodeWeavers' compatibility listing reports MobaXterm running in CrossOver 26.0, with SSH and VNC working and RDP connections not working. On an Apple Silicon Mac, CrossOver runs the Windows code through Rosetta 2. Apple has said Rosetta 2 stays fully available through macOS 27, and that macOS 28 keeps only a subset aimed at older games (MacRumors, June 2025).
  • Parallels. You run a full Windows 11 for Arm in a virtual machine and install MobaXterm inside it. Microsoft lists Parallels Desktop as an authorized way to run Windows 11 on M-series Macs, and says x64 apps run under emulation there. You're now maintaining a second operating system to get one app.

If you only need a few of MobaXterm's features, native Mac apps are simpler. Here's what covers each one.

Each feature on a Mac

MobaXterm features and the Mac tools that cover them
MobaXterm featureOn a MacNotes
Tabbed SSH sessionsTerminal or iTerm2 with your ~/.ssh/config; Termius, Tabby, Electerm, Royal TSX, SecureCRTmacOS ships OpenSSH, so ssh, scp and sftp are already there.
SFTP browser beside the SSH sessionElecterm, Tabby, Termius, SecureCRTElecterm shows SSH and SFTP side by side in one tab. Tabby opens an SFTP panel when you click its button. Termius and SecureCRT open SFTP in a separate tab for the same host. Royal TSX's file transfer is a separate connection.
X11 serverXQuartz plus ssh -XGUI clients that forward X11 (Royal TSX, Tabby, SecureCRT, Electerm) still need XQuartz running as the display.
RDPWindows App (free, formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop); Royal TSX, ElectermSecureCRT's RDP is Windows only.
SerialRoyal TSX, Termius, Tabby, SecureCRT, Electerm, WindTermTermius made serial free in 10.1.0 (September 2026).
SSH tunnelsssh -L / -R / -D; Core Tunnel; Termius, Tabby, Electerm, WindTerm, Royal TSXCore Tunnel is a Mac app just for local, remote and dynamic forwards.
Same command on many serversiTerm2 Broadcast Input; Tabby, Termius and Electerm broadcast; SecureCRT Command window; Royal TSX Key Sequence TasksMobaXterm calls this multi-execution.

  • Tabbed SSH sessions

    On a Mac
    Terminal or iTerm2 with your ~/.ssh/config; Termius, Tabby, Electerm, Royal TSX, SecureCRT
    Notes
    macOS ships OpenSSH, so ssh, scp and sftp are already there.

  • SFTP browser beside the SSH session

    On a Mac
    Electerm, Tabby, Termius, SecureCRT
    Notes
    Electerm shows SSH and SFTP side by side in one tab. Tabby opens an SFTP panel when you click its button. Termius and SecureCRT open SFTP in a separate tab for the same host. Royal TSX's file transfer is a separate connection.

  • X11 server

    On a Mac
    XQuartz plus ssh -X
    Notes
    GUI clients that forward X11 (Royal TSX, Tabby, SecureCRT, Electerm) still need XQuartz running as the display.

  • RDP

    On a Mac
    Windows App (free, formerly Microsoft Remote Desktop); Royal TSX, Electerm
    Notes
    SecureCRT's RDP is Windows only.

  • Serial

    On a Mac
    Royal TSX, Termius, Tabby, SecureCRT, Electerm, WindTerm
    Notes
    Termius made serial free in 10.1.0 (September 2026).

  • SSH tunnels

    On a Mac
    ssh -L / -R / -D; Core Tunnel; Termius, Tabby, Electerm, WindTerm, Royal TSX
    Notes
    Core Tunnel is a Mac app just for local, remote and dynamic forwards.

  • Same command on many servers

    On a Mac
    iTerm2 Broadcast Input; Tabby, Termius and Electerm broadcast; SecureCRT Command window; Royal TSX Key Sequence Tasks
    Notes
    MobaXterm calls this multi-execution.

The Mac apps compared

Prices and versions are from each app's own site, checked November 6, 2026.

Mac apps that replace parts of MobaXterm
AppCoversPriceLatestApple Silicon
Royal TSXSSH, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, file transfer, X11 forwarding, tunnelsLite free (10 connections); €49 one-time6.4.5 (Sep 26, 2026)Native
TermiusSSH, Mosh, Telnet, serial, SFTP, port forwarding, broadcastStarter free; Pro $10/mo, billed yearly10.4.0 (Nov 4, 2026)Native
TabbySSH, Telnet, serial, SFTP panel, X11 and port forwarding, broadcastFree, MIT1.0.238 (Oct 7, 2026)Native
ElectermSSH with SFTP side by side, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, tunnels, X11Free, MIT5.8.0 (Oct 30, 2026)Native
SecureCRTSSH, Telnet, serial, SFTP tab, X11 and port forwarding, scripting$119 (1 year of updates)9.7.4 (Nov 3, 2026)Native
WindTermSSH, Telnet, serial, SFTP, X11 and port forwardingFree2.7.0 (Mar 11, 2025), none sinceIntel only, runs under Rosetta 2
iTerm2Local terminal for macOS ssh, broadcast input, tmux integrationFree, GPL-2.03.7.7 (Nov 3, 2026)Native
XQuartzX11 serverFree, open source2.8.6 (Jul 14, 2026)Native
Windows AppRDPFree11.4.4 (Oct 14, 2026)Not stated
CyberduckSFTP, FTP, S3 and cloud storage, as a separate file browserFree (donation); $23.99 on the App Store9.6.0 (Nov 5, 2026)Native
Transmit 5SFTP, FTP, S3 and cloud storage, as a separate file browser$45 one-time5.11.7Not stated
PaneOne-click SSH hosts from ~/.ssh/config; a remote machine's files, terminals and coding agents; its ports at localhost. No SFTP, X11, RDP, VNC or serial.Free, AGPL-3.02.4.215 (Nov 6, 2026)Native, plus an Intel build

  • Royal TSX

    Covers
    SSH, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, file transfer, X11 forwarding, tunnels
    Price
    Lite free (10 connections); €49 one-time
    Latest
    6.4.5 (Sep 26, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • Termius

    Covers
    SSH, Mosh, Telnet, serial, SFTP, port forwarding, broadcast
    Price
    Starter free; Pro $10/mo, billed yearly
    Latest
    10.4.0 (Nov 4, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • Tabby

    Covers
    SSH, Telnet, serial, SFTP panel, X11 and port forwarding, broadcast
    Price
    Free, MIT
    Latest
    1.0.238 (Oct 7, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • Electerm

    Covers
    SSH with SFTP side by side, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, tunnels, X11
    Price
    Free, MIT
    Latest
    5.8.0 (Oct 30, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • SecureCRT

    Covers
    SSH, Telnet, serial, SFTP tab, X11 and port forwarding, scripting
    Price
    $119 (1 year of updates)
    Latest
    9.7.4 (Nov 3, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • WindTerm

    Covers
    SSH, Telnet, serial, SFTP, X11 and port forwarding
    Price
    Free
    Latest
    2.7.0 (Mar 11, 2025), none since
    Apple Silicon
    Intel only, runs under Rosetta 2

  • iTerm2

    Covers
    Local terminal for macOS ssh, broadcast input, tmux integration
    Price
    Free, GPL-2.0
    Latest
    3.7.7 (Nov 3, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • XQuartz

    Covers
    X11 server
    Price
    Free, open source
    Latest
    2.8.6 (Jul 14, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • Windows App

    Covers
    RDP
    Price
    Free
    Latest
    11.4.4 (Oct 14, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Not stated

  • Cyberduck

    Covers
    SFTP, FTP, S3 and cloud storage, as a separate file browser
    Price
    Free (donation); $23.99 on the App Store
    Latest
    9.6.0 (Nov 5, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native

  • Transmit 5

    Covers
    SFTP, FTP, S3 and cloud storage, as a separate file browser
    Price
    $45 one-time
    Latest
    5.11.7
    Apple Silicon
    Not stated

  • Pane

    Covers
    One-click SSH hosts from ~/.ssh/config; a remote machine's files, terminals and coding agents; its ports at localhost. No SFTP, X11, RDP, VNC or serial.
    Price
    Free, AGPL-3.0
    Latest
    2.4.215 (Nov 6, 2026)
    Apple Silicon
    Native, plus an Intel build

X11 apps on a Mac

macOS stopped shipping an X server years ago. XQuartz is the replacement, and 2.8.6 fixed black windows on Apple Silicon.

  1. Install XQuartz.
  2. On the server, set X11Forwarding yes in sshd_config and install xauth. Forwarding is off by default.
  3. Connect with ssh -X host, then start the X11 app from that shell. XQuartz recommends -X over -Y because it's more restrictive.

If you see xauth key data not generated, macOS updates often overwrite the SSH settings XQuartz relies on. The XQuartz FAQ fix is to add this to ~/.ssh/config, then run chmod 600 ~/.ssh/config:

Host *
  XAuthLocation /opt/X11/bin/xauth

With -X, forwarding stops after 20 minutes by default. Add ForwardX11Timeout 0 under the same Host * to keep it open.

If you run coding agents or develop on a remote machine

If your MobaXterm habit was SSH into a dev box, edit files there and hit its dev server, Pane covers that on a Mac. It's free and open source, with native Apple Silicon and Intel builds.

  • Your SSH hosts, one click each. Pane lists every host in your ~/.ssh/config in the sidebar. Click one and it opens a terminal tab that runs ssh <host> with your own keys and ssh-agent. SSH hosts docs
  • The remote machine's files, terminals and agents. Run Pane, or its headless background service, on the remote machine, and drive it from your Mac over Tailscale or an SSH tunnel. You get its file browser and editor, its terminals, and the coding agents running there. How it works
  • Remote ports at localhost. Every port listening on the remote machine opens at localhost on your Mac, so its dev server loads in your browser, live reload included.

Pane has no SFTP browser, X11, RDP, VNC or serial. Keep one of the apps above for those.

Related

Sources

What we ran
  • → Mobatek's home, editions, features and download pages, and its full changelog, read on November 6, 2026
  • → Each Mac app's own site, release feed or App Store listing checked on November 6, 2026
  • → Pane checked against v2.4.215 source and docs
  • → No app was installed for this page. CodeWeavers blocked automated access, so its MobaXterm listing was read from a search result
Corrections
If anything here is wrong or out of date, tell us and we'll fix it and update the date at the top. Open an issue on GitHub
Sources

frequently asked questions

or
Download*
Windows SmartScreen warningDirect downloads can show a SmartScreen warning while Pane is unsigned. Pane is fully open source, so you can audit the code and build from source yourself.1. Click More info2. Click Run anyway3. Continue the installerThe PowerShell install downloads the official release directly and avoids most browser download friction.npm global install
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By Parsa Khazaeepoul, co-founder of Pane. .