Conduit vs Nexterm
Conduit
conduitdesktop.comNexterm
nexterm.devSide by side
| Figure | Conduit | Nexterm |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $10/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | — | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · Remote Connection Manager Software | 8.6 (#4) | 8.6 (#6) |
| Purpose | Conduit is a cross-platform remote connection manager that unifies SSH terminals, RDP desktops, VNC sessions, and web tools in one tabbed workspace. | Nexterm is open-source server management software for connecting to servers over SSH, VNC, and RDP. |
Plans
In their own words
Conduit
Conduit is a remote connection manager that brings SSH terminals, RDP desktops, VNC sessions, and web tools into a tabbed workspace. It includes a native MCP server with tools for terminal, RDP, VNC, web, credential, and vault operations. Conduit can launch Claude Code, Codex, Grok Build, Cursor Agent, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot, and OpenCode; other MCP-compatible clients can connect. AI inference is not paid for or proxied by Conduit, so an agent runs under the user's provider subscription.
Connection entries and credentials are stored in a local SQLite vault encrypted with AES-256. Encryption keys are derived locally from the master password and are not transmitted to Conduit servers, including for cloud backups. MCP calls use local sockets or named pipes, redact secrets, apply per-tool rate limits, log activity, and require one-off approval for credential reads. Free accounts and local-mode installs are capped at 50 MCP tool calls per day. The free plan includes unlimited connections; Pro is free for 30 days, then costs $10 a month. Desktop versions are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux, with iPhone and iPad companion apps.
Nexterm
Nexterm is free, open-source server management software for connecting to servers over SSH, VNC and RDP, with Telnet also listed among its supported protocols. It includes SFTP file management, real-time CPU, memory and process monitoring, and tools for deploying applications via Docker and managing Proxmox LXC and QEMU containers. Organizations can share server access with team members; command snippets and customizable scripts help manage and automate repetitive tasks. The project lists two-factor authentication and OIDC single sign-on, while its documentation also covers LDAP and Active Directory authentication. It documents server-side encryption for passwords and private keys and requires an encryption key for secure data storage. Deployment options include all-in-one, server-only and engine-only Docker images, with split server and engine deployments for distributed setups. Connector downloads are listed for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. Nexterm is distributed under the MIT License. Its installation documentation says it is still in beta and recommends regular backups and reporting issues on GitHub.