A native SecureCRT alternative for Mac

What is SecureCRT?

SecureCRT is VanDyke Software's terminal emulator, a long-standing choice in network teams. It speaks SSH (SSH2 and SSH1), Telnet, Telnet/TLS and serial, with RDP on its Windows edition only. It is built for repetition: tab groups, saved workspaces, a button bar and Command Manager for repeated commands, and scripts in Python (also VBScript, JScript and PerlScript on Windows) with a script recorder. One license registers on Windows, macOS or Linux.

Noden comes at the same desk from the Mac side. It is a native SwiftUI app for SSH, SFTP, RDP and serial console, with a credential vault in the macOS Keychain. It does less terminal emulation and no scripting, but the things a switch-heavy day needs on a Mac live in one window.

SecureCRT and Noden at a glance

Compared	SecureCRT features · SecureCRT pricing · Noden pricing
Platforms	SecureCRT: Windows, macOS and Linux (an iOS app also exists); one license works on any of the three desktops. Noden: macOS 13 or later only, Apple Silicon and Intel.
Protocols	SecureCRT: SSH2, SSH1, Telnet, Telnet/TLS, serial; RDP on Windows only. Noden: SSH, SFTP, serial console and RDP on the Mac. No Telnet, no SSH1, no Mosh.
Older switches	Noden: offers legacy algorithms (dh-group14-sha1, ssh-rsa, aes-ctr) last, signs in with keyboard-interactive, and accepts devices that announce SSH-1.99.
Serial console	Both. Noden adds vendor baud presets: Cisco 9600, FortiGate 9600, Sophos 38400, MikroTik, Aruba CX and Ubiquiti 115200.
Many devices at once	SecureCRT: tab groups, button bar, Command Manager, scripts. Noden: tabs or a grid, broadcast input (⇧⌘B), snippets, ⌘P switcher. No scripting language.
File transfer	SecureCRT: SFTP, Xmodem, Ymodem, Zmodem, Kermit and a built-in TFTP server; the graphical client is SecureFX, sold separately or in a bundle. Noden: dual-pane SFTP browser with drag and drop and remote editing.
Credentials	Noden: vault in the macOS Keychain behind Touch ID, device-only, with TOTP codes and a Chrome/Firefox extension (Noden 2.0+).
Pricing	SecureCRT: $119 per license with one year of updates, $190 with three years (single-license prices). Noden: free for 5 saved connections; Pro is $5.99 your first year, then $10.99/year.

Checked on 6 October 2026.

When is Noden a good fit?

Noden fits when your workstation is a Mac and the job is interactive: log into a core switch over SSH, plug a USB-to-serial cable into a console port on the new firewall, copy a config backup off a Linux box, and open the Windows jump server that runs the vendor's management tool. In Noden those are four tabs in the same window, and the RDP session sits in the same grid as the terminals.

Old gear is the usual reason Mac users fall back to another tool. Noden keeps modern algorithms first and only offers dh-group14-sha1, ssh-rsa and aes-ctr when the device asks for nothing better, so you do not edit ~/.ssh/config per switch. Switches that prompt with keyboard-interactive and those that announce SSH-1.99 connect normally. The guide to SSH on old switches walks through the error messages, and the serial console guide covers adapters and baud rates.

For change windows, broadcast input (⇧⌘B) sends the same keystrokes to every open terminal, snippets hold the commands you type every week, and SSH tunnels with ProxyJump reach devices behind a bastion. Passwords and enable secrets stay in the Keychain vault and can be typed into a session without passing through the clipboard.

When is Noden not a replacement?

If your work runs on SecureCRT scripts — a Python script that logs into fifty switches and collects output, or a recorded login sequence — Noden has nothing equivalent; broadcast input and snippets are manual tools, not automation. Noden also has no Telnet, so devices that only speak Telnet still need another client. SecureCRT's emulation options, keyword highlighting depth and session-logging controls go further than Noden's xterm-compatible terminal.

Teams that switch between Windows, Linux and Mac machines benefit from SecureCRT's single license and identical session files on every desktop. Noden runs only on macOS and does not sync connections across devices.

Troubleshooting

A switch only accepts Telnet

Noden does not speak Telnet. Enable SSH on the device if you can, use the serial console port, or keep a Telnet client for that one box.

The SSH handshake fails on an old device

Noden reports the real cause rather than hanging. Most older switches connect through the legacy algorithm fallback; devices that only offer SSH1 (not SSH-1.99) cannot connect.

You rely on scripts for bulk changes

Keep SecureCRT or a Python tool for scripted runs. Noden's broadcast input suits interactive changes across a handful of sessions you are watching.

The console shows garbage characters

The baud rate is wrong. Pick the vendor preset (Cisco 9600, Sophos 38400, MikroTik 115200 and so on) or set the rate by hand.

Install Noden on macOS

Install the notarized app directly or with Homebrew. Apple Silicon and Intel, macOS 13 or later. The Mac App Store version is also available; the Noden Vault browser extension needs Noden 2.0 or later, which is on the direct download and Homebrew today, with the Mac App Store update on its way.

brew install --cask useroamteknoloji/tap/noden

Frequently asked questions

See also: SSH to old switches on Mac · Serial console for Mac · PuTTY for Mac · MobaXterm alternative for Mac · Royal TSX alternative for Mac