OpenSSH vs Solar-PuTTY

OpenSSH9.1Visit SPSolar-PuTTY8.9Visit

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

vs

SP Solar-PuTTY #4 in SSH Clients 8.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Solar-PuTTY

• OpenSSH fits best

  Minimal, foundational SSH workflows

• Solar-PuTTY fits best

  Windows users wanting a simple portable client

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature	OpenSSH 9.1/10 Visit ↗	SPSolar-PuTTY 8.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.1	8.9
Ranking	#2 in SSH Clients	#4 in SSH Clients
Best for	Minimal, foundational SSH workflows	Windows users wanting a simple portable 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
Support	Docs	Docs, Community
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features OpenSSH 2/3 · Solar-PuTTY 1/3
SFTP support	✓	✓
Port forwarding	✓ (best)	Not checked yet
Team session sharing	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Supported protocols	SSH 2, SFTP, SCP	SSH, Telnet, SCP, SFTP
Supported platforms	Linux, macOS, Cygwin (Windows), and other Unix systems	Windows
Session management	Not checked yet	Tabs
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 portable operation without installation Tabbed SSH, Telnet, SCP, and SFTP sessions Graphical SFTP transfers with saved credentials and keys
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	Windows-only platform coverage Port forwarding is not included in the feature set No paid tiers or team-sharing features
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 →	Solar-PuTTY is a free Windows terminal emulator and network file-transfer client from SolarWinds. It is aimed at Windows administrators, systems administrators, configuration managers, and IT professionals managing remote servers and… 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

• Solar-PuTTY — where it wins

  • Free portable operation without installation
  • Tabbed SSH, Telnet, SCP, and SFTP sessions
  • Graphical SFTP transfers with saved credentials and keys

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only platform coverage
  • Port forwarding is not included in the feature set
  • No paid tiers or team-sharing features

• OpenSSH9.1/10 · Open source

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

  Visit OpenSSHFull verdict →
• SPSolar-PuTTY8.9/10 · Free plan

  A portable, free Windows client with tabs, file transfer, and automatic reconnection.

  Visit Solar-PuTTYFull verdict →