OpenSSH vs PuTTY

OpenSSH9.1Visit PPuTTY9.0Visit

Higher score OpenSSH #2 in SSH Clients 9.1/10 Open source ✓ 2 of 3 features Visit OpenSSH

vs

P PuTTY #3 in SSH Clients 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit PuTTY

• OpenSSH fits best

  Minimal, foundational SSH workflows

• PuTTY fits best

  Users wanting a proven free SSH client

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Side by side

Feature	OpenSSH 9.1/10 Visit ↗	PPuTTY 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	9.0
Ranking	#2 in SSH Clients	#3 in SSH Clients
Best for	Minimal, foundational SSH workflows	Users wanting a proven free SSH client
Pricing model	Free	Free
Starting price	Open source	Free plan
Free plan	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Free trial	—	—
Deployment	Self-hosted	Desktop
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows, Linux
Support	Docs	Email, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features OpenSSH 2/3 · PuTTY 2/3
SFTP support	✓	✓
Port forwarding	✓	✓
Team session sharing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported protocols	SSH 2, SFTP, SCP	SSH, Telnet, Rlogin, SUPDUP, raw, serial, SFTP, SCP
Supported platforms	Linux, macOS, Cygwin (Windows), and other Unix systems	Windows and Unix
Session management	Not checked yet	Basic
Our review
Pros	Covers SSH, SFTP, SCP, forwarding, and agent forwarding Includes public-key authentication and key-management utilities Runs across Linux, macOS, Cygwin, and other Unix systems	Free and open source with SSH, SFTP, SCP, and port forwarding Supports public-key authentication, Pageant, proxying, and X11 forwarding Includes saved sessions, PSFTP, PSCP, and the Plink command-line client
Cons	Command-line workflows may not suit users seeking a graphical SSH client Its Unix-oriented design may require platform-specific familiarity on Windows Open-source distribution does not provide conventional paid SaaS tiers	Session management is basic No release-quality Android, iOS, or macOS ports Unix support is provided as source code rather than Windows-style executables
Our verdict	OpenSSH is an open-source suite for encrypted remote login, secure file transfer, authentication, and tunneling. Developed by members of the OpenBSD Project, it serves administrators, developers, network operators, and organizations that… Read the review →	PuTTY is a free, open-source client for terminal access, file transfer, and SSH networking. It supports SSH, Telnet, Rlogin, SUPDUP, raw network connections, and serial sessions, making it suitable for users who work across different… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• OpenSSH — where it wins

  • Covers SSH, SFTP, SCP, forwarding, and agent forwarding
  • Includes public-key authentication and key-management utilities
  • Runs across Linux, macOS, Cygwin, and other Unix systems

  Where it doesn't

  • Command-line workflows may not suit users seeking a graphical SSH client
  • Its Unix-oriented design may require platform-specific familiarity on Windows
  • Open-source distribution does not provide conventional paid SaaS tiers

• PuTTY — where it wins

  • Free and open source with SSH, SFTP, SCP, and port forwarding
  • Supports public-key authentication, Pageant, proxying, and X11 forwarding
  • Includes saved sessions, PSFTP, PSCP, and the Plink command-line client

  Where it doesn't

  • Session management is basic
  • No release-quality Android, iOS, or macOS ports
  • Unix support is provided as source code rather than Windows-style executables

• OpenSSH9.1/10 · Open source

  A mature, foundational SSH suite for command-line remote access, transfer, and tunneling.

  Visit OpenSSHFull verdict →
• PPuTTY9.0/10 · Free plan

  A capable free SSH client with broad protocol support and basic session management.

  Visit PuTTYFull verdict →