Bast.sh/SecureCRT
Bast vs SecureCRT
SecureCRT is the long-running commercial SSH/Telnet client enterprises buy when they want support contracts and a polished GUI session manager. Bast is the open-source, terminal-native answer when OpenSSH config is already the company standard.
| Topic | Bast | SecureCRT |
|---|---|---|
| Model | Open-source terminal TUI + CLI | Commercial GUI client with paid licenses |
| SSH stack | System OpenSSH | SecureCRT's own session engine |
| Sessions | ~/.ssh/config and local Bast metadata | SecureCRT session hierarchy inside the app |
| Platforms | macOS and Linux terminals | Desktop apps across major platforms |
| Cloud VMs | Import via GCP, AWS, and Azure CLIs | Manual or scripted session maintenance |
| Automation | First-class --json CLI and agent skill | Scripting exists, but the product is GUI-first |
| Cost | Free (MIT) | Per-seat commercial licensing |
Enterprise GUI vs engineer terminal
SecureCRT earned its place in NOCs and regulated environments: stable GUI sessions, vendor support, and a feature set procurement already understands. If your org buys tools that way, SecureCRT is a coherent choice.
Bast is built for engineers who already standardize on OpenSSH. The product assumption is that terminals, editors, CI, and infrastructure tooling should all read the same host definitions.
Licensing that does not follow the laptop
SecureCRT is paid software. Seat counts, renewals, and version pinning become part of the operational cost, even when the underlying need is "browse hosts and SSH quickly."
Bast removes that layer. MIT licensing means every engineer can install the same host picker without a purchasing ticket for core connectivity workflow.
Sessions that outlive the client
SecureCRT sessions are excellent inside SecureCRT. They are less excellent as a shared source of truth for Ansible inventories, remote development, and shell aliases.
Bast treats ~/.ssh/config as authoritative. That keeps human TUI usage and machine automation on one inventory. Encrypted Vault sync can move Bast-managed state between machines without turning host maps into opaque vendor data.
Cloud inventory and agent-ready CLI
Bast imports cloud VMs through provider CLIs and exposes stable JSON for scripts and coding agents. That matters when SSH inventory is dynamic and partly owned by automation.
SecureCRT can be scripted, but the center of gravity remains a desktop session manager. Bast's center of gravity is the terminal and the OpenSSH files beside it.
When SecureCRT is still the better choice
Keep SecureCRT if:
- You need a vendor support contract tied to the SSH client itself.
- Procurement and training already standardize on SecureCRT across the org.
- Operators rely on SecureCRT's GUI session tree as the primary interface.
- You require platforms or protocols beyond Bast's current macOS/Linux OpenSSH focus.
Bast is the better SecureCRT alternative when the team already trusts OpenSSH and wants a free, terminal-native host layer instead of another licensed GUI client.
Switching from SecureCRT to Bast
- Export or recreate SecureCRT sessions as OpenSSH config entries in
~/.ssh/config. - Standardize on OpenSSH keys and agents so editors, CI, and Bast all share one identity story.
- Install Bast and confirm that labeled hosts connect through system
ssh. - Optional: enable Vault for encrypted sync and CLI JSON for automation.
Install Bast
One command. Then run bast and connect with the OpenSSH you already trust.
curl -fsSL https://bast.sh/install | shLatest release v0.7.1
Prefer the short version? See the Bast homepage or read the docs.