FAQ

Do I need an account to use SSH Ache?

No. The desktop app is local-first and fully usable with no account — hosts and secrets stay on your machine. An account is only needed for the optional Teams and personal cloud vault features.

Is it free?

The desktop app is free and open source. Teams has a Free plan (up to 5 connections per team) and paid plans for larger teams — see the pricing on the main site.

Is it really open source?

The source is available on GitHub. It's released under a source-available, noncommercial license: you can read, build, and use it, but commercial use requires written permission. See the LICENSE file in the repo for the exact terms.

Which platforms are supported?

macOS, Windows, and Linux. Get installers on the download page.

Can the SSH Ache servers see my passwords or keys?

No. Local-only connections never leave your machine. For Teams and the vault, everything is end-to-end encrypted before upload — the server stores ciphertext and can't decrypt it. See the security model.

Why do I log in through the browser instead of in the app?

So the desktop app never handles your email/password, and so linking uses a type-the-code confirmation that resists phishing. You sign in on the site, approve the device, and the app is linked.

A teammate joined but can't see the shared connections. Why?

They need the team key wrapped to their account. An existing member with access shares it (🔑 Share keys in the Teams tab). Until then they're a member but can't decrypt secrets — that's the zero-knowledge model working as intended.

How do I get more than 5 team connections?

Upgrade the team's plan from the web app. The 5-connection limit is per team on the Free plan.

Can I watch a teammate's live terminal?

Yes. On a shared connection open the "N online" list and hit View session to watch a teammate live — read-only, in its own tab. It works whether they're on the desktop app or the web terminal, on any plan. For a desktop session the app mirrors only on-screen output to the relay; the SSH connection and keystrokes stay local. See live view.

How do I leave or delete a team?

In the desktop Teams tab: Leave removes you from a team (any member); Delete team removes the whole team and its shared connections (owner only). The last owner of a team must transfer ownership or delete it rather than leave it ownerless. Your personal vault can't be left.

Can I delete my account?

Yes — Settings → Delete account in the web app. It permanently removes your account, your personal vault, and every team you solely own (with their connections). It asks for your password first and can't be undone.

I created a team but it shows the Free plan — why?

New teams inherit your current plan at creation. If you upgraded after creating a team, that team keeps the plan it started with — delete and recreate it, or upgrade it directly from the web app.

Where can I get help?

Open an issue on GitHub.