Bastillion vs Next Terminal
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted remote access & vpn options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Bastillion | Next Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 88 · Excellent | 90 · Excellent |
| Category | Remote Access & VPN | Remote Access & VPN |
| License | GPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | docker, binary | docker |
| GitHub stars | ★ 3,551 | ★ 5,646 |
| First released | 2013 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Teleport, Termius | Apache Guacamole, Teleport |
What are Bastillion and Next Terminal?
Bastillion
Bastillion is an open-source, web-based SSH console that centrally manages access to systems and distributes SSH keys. It is self-hosted to provide audited, browser-based administrative access to servers.
- Web SSH console
- SSH key distribution
- Session auditing
- Multi-user access control
Next Terminal
Next Terminal is a self-hosted bastion host offering browser-based RDP, SSH, VNC and Telnet access with session recording and access control. It runs in Docker as a small set of services.
- Browser RDP/SSH/VNC
- Session recording
- Access control
- Self-hostable bastion
Bastillion vs Next Terminal: key differences
Bastillion is written in Java, while Next Terminal is built with TypeScript. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Bastillion versus Apache-2.0 for Next Terminal. Bastillion is the more established project (first released 2013), while Next Terminal arrived in 2020.
Why pick each one
Choose Bastillion if…
- Released under the GPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3.6k GitHub stars)
- Written in Java
Choose Next Terminal if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 5.6k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is Bastillion or Next Terminal better?
Neither is universally better. Next Terminal has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Bastillion and Next Terminal free and open-source?
Yes. Bastillion is licensed under GPL-3.0 and Next Terminal under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Bastillion and Next Terminal with Docker?
Bastillion: yes. Next Terminal: yes.