VPSManager by Virus

VPSManager: your VPS fleet, in one native Mac app

Server hardening, project sync, files, a terminal, a browser that runs on the VPS, PM2, Docker, systemd and Cloudflare Tunnels. One native app, built on the ssh and rsync already on your Mac.

<a href="https://github.com/virus-dev-official/vpsmanager/releases/latest/download/VPSManager.dmg">Download VPSManager for Mac</a> (macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon and Intel). Free and open source.

How it works

VPSManager shells out to the real ssh, rsync and ssh-keygen on your Mac, so it works with whatever you've already set up by hand. No custom protocol, no agent to install on the server.

  • Your SSH, as it is: Your keys work as they are, and the hosts in your ~/.ssh/config can be imported in one go.
  • No cloud, no accounts: Everything is stored on your Mac as JSON. Nothing is sent anywhere except SSH connections to servers you add.
  • Secrets in the Keychain: PM2 environment variables stay in the macOS Keychain and are never written to backups.
  • You see it first: Every push shows a dry-run diff of exactly what will change before anything does.

Features

  • Server setup wizard: Turns a fresh root and password VPS into a hardened box: a sudo user, your SSH key, root login and password auth turned off, then it checks passwordless login works.
  • Project sync: Link a local folder to a path on the server, see a dry-run diff, then push with rsync. Optional auto-sync on save.
  • Files: Browse, edit, upload and preview remote files, with syntax highlighting.
  • Terminal: A real embedded terminal for every server, built on SwiftTerm.
  • PM2: A dashboard, live logs, and a wizard that writes ecosystem.config.js for Node.js or Python apps and makes them survive reboots.
  • Docker, systemd and network: Containers, units, journal logs, listening ports, firewall status and port forwarding.
  • Cloudflare Tunnels: Route a port to a domain. The tunnel, the DNS record and config.yml are handled for you.
  • Move or reset a VPS: Wizards to migrate apps to a new server, or wipe one back to clean.
  • Backups: Settings mirrored to iCloud Drive or a git repo.
  • Fleet health: One status poll for every server, notifications when something goes down, a menu bar dropdown and a ⌘K quick switcher.

A browser that runs on your VPS

Click Launch Browser and a real headless Chromium starts on the VPS and streams into the app. You click, scroll and type into it as if it were local.

  • Every request leaves from the server's own IP, and http://localhost:<port> reaches services that only listen on the VPS.
  • Chromium's DevTools port stays on the server's 127.0.0.1, reached through its own ssh -L tunnel. Nothing is exposed to the internet.
  • Tabs, back and forward, zoom, copy and paste with your Mac's clipboard, native dropdowns, alerts and downloads.
  • Tabs and logins persist between sessions, unless you change that in Settings.

AI agents (MCP)

Turn on the MCP server in Settings, and Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor or any other MCP client can check status, read logs and files, and, only where you allow it, run commands or push projects. Every call is logged in the app.

  • Off: Agents can't see the server at all. Every server starts here.
  • Read-only: Status, logs, file reads and listings. Nothing that changes the server.
  • Full access: Also runs commands, writes files, and starts or stops services, containers and PM2 apps.
claude mcp add vps-manager --scope user -- "/Applications/VPSManager.app/Contents/MacOS/VPSManager" --mcp

Install

  1. Download

    Get VPSManager.dmg. It needs macOS 14 Sonoma or later, Apple silicon and Intel.

  2. Drag to Applications

    Open the disk image and drag VPSManager onto the Applications shortcut.

  3. Open it once

    The app isn't notarized yet, so the first time, right-click it and choose Open, or allow it in System Settings, Privacy & Security. After that it opens normally.

Or build it yourself: open VPSManager.xcodeproj in Xcode 15 or later and press Run. No Apple developer account needed.

git clone https://github.com/virus-dev-official/vpsmanager

FAQ

Is it free?

Yes. VPSManager is open source under the MIT license. The source and every release are on GitHub.

Does it need an account?

No. There's no cloud and no sign-up. Your servers and settings are JSON files on your Mac, and the only connections it makes are SSH to the servers you add.

Which servers does it work with?

Standard systemd-based Linux, with Ubuntu and Debian assumed. Install pm2 and cloudflared on a server if you want those panels.

Can I use servers I've already set up?

Yes. Choose "Already set up" and give it the host, a user with passwordless SSH, and the identity file. The setup wizard is only for fresh VPSes.

Does sync pull changes back from the server?

No, on purpose. Sync is push-only, from your Mac to the VPS, with a dry-run preview: edit locally, review, push.

Why does macOS warn me the first time?

The app isn't notarized yet. Right-click it and choose Open once, and it opens normally after that.