Free Unix and Linux Shell Servers

Last Updated: 2024-10-20

This is an updated list of free shell providers. None of these servers is mine and I'm only providing you with information regarding them. If you know of any, please email me and I'll add them.
DISCLAIMER: I'm not responsible for (1) anything you do with these servers or (2) if your code gets lost or (3) someone steals your code on these servers. Use them responsibly.

UPDATE: Added Blinkenshell to this list. They run Ubuntu instances with a lot of free and paid services. This page only lists the free services.

Blinkenshell

OS: Ubuntu

Website: https://blinkenshell.org/

Services: SSH and SFTP access, 100MB, 128MB RAM, IPv4 and IPv6 IRC with irssi/weechat, static HTTPS website, email account for free, many more for paid accounts

ssh command: ssh -p 2222 ssh.blinkenshell.org

Notes: signup: https://blinkenshell.org/wiki/Info/Login

Far Out Science (FOS) Public Unix Server

OS: Ubuntu

Website: https://fospublicnix.com

Services: gopher, webpage services, classic Unix commands and applications, modern Linux commands, text based interactive fiction (IF) game development and playing utilizing inform6 and punyinform, frotz interpreter

ssh command: ssh fospublicnix.com

Notes: Linode Ubuntu instance

Picrofo - CentOS

OS: CentOS 6.5

Website: http://picrofo.com

Services: RAM: 2 GB, Processor: Intel(R) Atom(TM) CPU C2750 @ 2.40GHz, Bandwidth: 1000 Mbps

ssh command: ssh c1.linuxshell.picrofo.com

Notes: web ssh: http://c1.linuxshell.picrofo.com (web shell; no SSH client required)

Picrofo - Ubuntu

OS: Ubuntu 14.04 LTS

Website: http://picrofo.com

Services: RAM: 2 GB, Processor: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU E5520 @ 2.27GHz, Bandiwdth: 1000 Mbps

ssh command: ssh u1.linuxshell.picrofo.com

Notes: web ssh: http://u1.linuxshell.picrofo.com (web shell; no SSH client required)

SDF Public Access UNIX System

OS: NetBSD

Website: http://freeshell.org

Services: ssh and telnet, DSl/PPP/dialup access, email, usenet, chat, webspace 80MB

ssh command: ssh freeshell.org

Notes:

Nyx

OS: Ubuntu

Website: https://www.nyx.net

Services: The oldest free public access ISP offers a text-based newsfeed, email, web access, lynx, webspace hosting 2MB

ssh command: telnet nyx.nyx.net

Notes:

aeshells

OS: Slackware

Website: http://www.aeshells.com

Services: ssh, email, webspace, irc, bitchx, eggdrop, mysql, webspace 200MB

ssh command: ssh aeshells.com

Notes:

free-shells.com.ar

OS: FreeBSD 6.3

Website: http://www.en.free-shells.com.ar

Services: ssh, telnet, ftp, lynx, web pages, php+mysql, webmail, compile and test your programs, webspace 60MB

ssh command: ssh everest.free-shells.com.ar -p 702

Notes:

free-shells.com.ar

OS: Debian Sarge

Website: http://debian.free-shells.com.ar

Services: ssh, telnet, ftp, lynx, web pages with ~/user, email accounts, webspace 10MB

ssh command: ssh debian.free-shells.com.ar -p 802

Notes:

nux.sk

OS: Debian GNU/Linux (3 GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 30 Mbit upload, 2 Mbit download)

Website: http://nux.sk

Services: gcc, vim, screen, irssi, mutt, pine, mc, make, g++, ruby, python, gzip, gdb, webpages with http://nux.sk/~user, email as user@nux.sk. /home directory has 1GB

ssh command: ~temporarily down~

Notes:

freessh.net

OS: Debian 5.0 Stable (Intel(R) Xeon(TM) CPU 2.40GHz, 512MB RAM)

Website: http://www.freessh.net

Services: irssi, gcc, g++, screen, cvs, torrent

ssh command: ssh srvgam01.freessh.net

Notes:

yunix.net

OS: CentOS [Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5200 @ 2.50GHz]

Website: http://yunix.net

Services: Irssi, screen, psybnc, figlet, local IRC and Mordor MUD, cc/g++ version 4.1.2, gdb 6.8-27, Python 2.4.3, Perl 5.8.8, Shells: sh, bash, zsh, tcsh, csh; each user gets 40MB RAM and 10 background processes, webspace 30MB

ssh command: ssh username@yunix.net -p 666

Notes:

mrejata.eu

OS: Slackware [One 663MHz Intel Pentium III Processor, 255M RAM, 1327.51 Bogomips Total]

Website: http://mrejata.eu

Services: full usenet access (read and post), console-based web browsing (lynx,links), IRC access to all networks, 2bg procesess, IRC - psybnc, eggdrop, full access to wide range of compilers, web pages with http://mrejata.org/~username, email account username@mrejata.eu

ssh command: ssh mrejata.org

Notes: