Portside

The SSH client for people switching from the PC

If you work with Bitvise, PuTTY, WinSCP or FileZilla on Windows, Portside puts it all in one place: a profile describes a server with its login, tunnels and terminal settings. Double-click connects, the first terminal opens as a tab, the files next to it, the connection log below.

• Profiles with folders, search and import from ~/.ssh/config; jump host in one click
• Login with password, key file (OpenSSH, PEM), key management with your own keys in the Secure Enclave, and two-step login (one-time codes)
• Install your public key on the server with one button (like ssh-copy-id)
• Host keys and certificates with an understandable prompt, managed under “Known servers”
• Automatic reconnect after sleep or a Wi-Fi change, keep-alive against routers and firewalls
• Profiles and known servers on all your devices through your private iCloud space; passwords and keys through iCloud Keychain
• German and English, no account, no tracking, one purchase for Mac and iPad

Terminal

• Terminals as tabs in the main window; on the Mac, drag a tab out into its own window and back again
• Split view side by side or stacked (⌘D, ⇧⌘D), search in the history (⌘F), history up to 50,000 lines
• Eight colour schemes from Portside Dark to Solarized, Nord and Dracula; font size and Option-as-Meta per profile
• Right-click for copy and paste, a “Connection” menu that lists every shortcut

Files: SFTP, FTP and FTPS

• Two panes like FileZilla: your Mac on the left, the server on the right; drag in both directions, straight from and into the Finder
• Transfers with progress, resuming of interrupted transfers, a retry button, a queue with two parallel transfers
• Prompt for existing targets: replace, resume or skip
• Rename, delete, permissions as checkboxes, new folder, bookmarks for server folders, typeable path, back and forward
• Quick Look with the space bar, edit in the default app with automatic upload on save and conflict check on the server, folder sync
• Sortable columns, filter, hidden files, keyboard like on the PC: Enter opens, Delete asks first
• Classic FTP and FTPS (explicit and implicit) as their own connection type; directory listings from Unix, Windows/IIS, VMS, AS/400 and NetWare are understood; unencrypted FTP only after explicit confirmation

Tunnels

• Local forwarding (local port → target behind the server), server forwarding (port on the server → target at your end) and SOCKS/HTTP proxy, each explained in one sentence
• Live status with connections and data volume, warnings for ports below 1024 and open interfaces
• On the Mac: a menu bar icon to connect, disconnect and switch tunnels on and off without a window, connect at launch

On the iPad

• The same profiles as on the Mac; tabs in the title bar, server files full screen, upload and “Save to” through the Files app
• “Select” with multiple selection like in the Files app, hardware keyboard and trackpad fully supported, an on-screen key bar with Esc, Ctrl and arrows when there is no keyboard
• Transfers keep running as a background task when you switch apps
• Tunnels on the iPad run as long as Portside is visible (foreground, Split View or Stage Manager) – the app says so honestly

Requirements

• macOS 26 or iPadOS 26 or later; Apple silicon
• One purchase covers Mac and iPad (universal purchase)
• App Store only: no Kerberos, no third-party SSH agents (1Password, Secretive), no calls to /usr/bin/ssh – the built-in agent and Secure Enclave keys cover that
• Inside the sandbox, ports below 1024 can only be opened on all network interfaces; Portside then suggests a port from 1024 up

Support

Questions, feedback or a bug? Write to me at support@bumberger.at – ideally with the connection log (button “Copy log”); it contains no passwords. I usually reply within 1–2 working days.

My PuTTY keys (.ppk) are not read?

Portside reads keys in OpenSSH and PEM format. Load the key in PuTTYgen and save it via “Conversions → Export OpenSSH key”; then import that file in the profile under “Login” or in key management.

The password is rejected although it is correct?

Many servers ask for a one-time code after the password when two-step login is enabled; Portside asks for it in the same dialog. If the log says “Server offers: publickey”, the server does not allow passwords at all – a key helps then.

Why does the tunnel on the iPad stop when I leave the app?

iPadOS ends network connections of background apps after a short time. Tunnels therefore run only while Portside is visible, for example in Split View next to the browser. On the Mac they run permanently, even without an open window.

What happens to my data?

Portside connects only to the servers you enter. Profiles and known servers live on your device and in your private iCloud space, passwords and keys in the keychain. Details are in the privacy policy.

Portside is an independent project and is not affiliated with Bitvise Limited, PuTTY, WinSCP or FileZilla. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.