A native macOS SSH client with SFTP and AI

Who is Noden for?

Noden is designed for developers, system administrators, hosting operators and anyone who regularly connects from a Mac to Linux or Unix servers. It is particularly useful when you want a visual connection manager and SFTP browser without giving up a full terminal.

SSH and terminal features

• Save server hostnames, ports, usernames and authentication settings.
• Use existing ed25519 and ECDSA keys from ~/.ssh.
• Import hosts from ~/.ssh/config.
• Open multiple sessions in tabs or a one-to-four-column grid.
• Search and reuse command history with autocomplete.
• Open a local macOS shell alongside remote SSH sessions.

Built-in SFTP file manager

Noden includes a dual-pane SFTP commander, showing your Mac and the remote server side by side. You can drag and drop files in either direction, open a remote file in your preferred editor and sync saved changes back to the server.

AI assistance with user approval

Describe a server task in plain English and Noden proposes the corresponding shell commands. Suggestions are displayed before execution and nothing runs until you approve it. Potentially dangerous operations are flagged. The assistant can use Noden's provider, OpenAI, Groq, OpenRouter or a local model.

Security and privacy

Passwords, key passphrases and private keys are stored in macOS Keychain and are not stored on Noden's servers. File contents are not collected. Connection backups can be protected with a password.

Noden at a glance

Platform	macOS 13 Ventura or later
SSH sessions	Saved connections, tabs and grid layouts
File transfer	Dual-pane SFTP commander
Authentication	Password, ed25519 and ECDSA keys
AI	Reviewed command suggestions; built-in or bring your own provider
Free plan	5 saved connections and 50 history entries
Pro plan	USD 5.99 first year, then USD 10.99/year; unlimited connections, full history and AI

When you do not need Noden

• The built-in ssh command already covers your work. For one or two hosts, Terminal plus ~/.ssh/config is hard to beat and costs nothing.
• You need SSH from a phone or a non-Mac machine. Noden runs only on macOS 13 Ventura or later.
• You want your host list in the cloud. There is no account and no sync — credentials stay in the Mac Keychain.

Troubleshooting

Connection refused, or the session just hangs

Check host and port first; Noden uses 22 unless you change it. If the host answers but rejects you, confirm the SSH daemon is running and that no firewall filters the port.

Your existing key is not offered

Noden reads ed25519 and ecdsa keys from ~/.ssh automatically. A passphrase-protected key is unlocked through the macOS Keychain.

macOS asks for keychain permission on first launch

That is the app reading its own stored secrets. Click Always Allow once and the prompt will not return for that installed copy.

Download Noden for Mac

You can start with the free version; no Pro purchase is required to use the SSH terminal or SFTP commander.

See also: Best SSH client for Mac · SSH, SFTP and RDP in one app · Mac SFTP client · AI SSH client · How to use SSH on a Mac · Serial console for Mac