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Head-to-head · SSH Clients

PuTTY vs electerm

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 3 checks side by side
Higher score PuTTY #3 in SSH Clients 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit PuTTY
electerm #10 in SSH Clients 8.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit electerm

PuTTY leads on 0 checks, electerm on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 3 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scorePuTTY · 9.0/10
  • Free planboth

PuTTY scores higher on our rubric for ssh clients: 9.0 against 8.3 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #10.

On session management, electerm gives you Workspaces where PuTTY offers Basic.

PuTTY is the better fit for users wanting a proven free SSH client. electerm is the better fit for free users needing broad SSH coverage.

  • PuTTY fits best

    Users wanting a proven free SSH client

  • electerm fits best

    Free users needing broad SSH coverage

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Side by side

Feature PuTTY 9.0/10 Visit ↗ electerm 8.3/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.3
Ranking #3 in SSH Clients #10 in SSH Clients
Best for Users wanting a proven free SSH client Free users needing broad SSH coverage
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Cloud, Self-hosted, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, Linux Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Email, Docs Community, Docs, Tickets
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market
Features PuTTY 2/3 · electerm 2/3
SFTP support ✓ ✓
Port forwarding ✓ ✓
Team session sharing Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Supported protocols SSH, Telnet, Rlogin, SUPDUP, raw, serial, SFTP, SCP SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, SPICE
Supported platforms Windows and Unix Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, HarmonyOS
Session management Basic Workspaces
Our review
Pros
  • 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
  • Free, open-source access across desktop, mobile, web, and self-hosted options
  • Supports SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, and SPICE
  • Includes tunneling, X11 forwarding, workspaces, and remote-file editing
Cons
  • Session management is basic
  • No release-quality Android, iOS, or macOS ports
  • Unix support is provided as source code rather than Windows-style executables
  • Its broad protocol and workspace set may add configuration overhead
  • Self-hosted and synchronization options require deployment decisions
  • AI and MCP integrations may be unnecessary for focused SSH workflows
Our verdict

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 →

electerm is a free, open-source terminal and file-management application for connecting to remote systems. It suits users who need more than a basic SSH terminal, including administrators and developers working across desktop, mobile,…

Read the review →
  1. PuTTYSSH Clients 9.0Free plan
  2. electermSSH Clients 8.3Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • 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

  • electerm — where it wins

    • Free, open-source access across desktop, mobile, web, and self-hosted options
    • Supports SSH, SFTP, FTP, Telnet, serial, RDP, VNC, and SPICE
    • Includes tunneling, X11 forwarding, workspaces, and remote-file editing

    Where it doesn't

    • Its broad protocol and workspace set may add configuration overhead
    • Self-hosted and synchronization options require deployment decisions
    • AI and MCP integrations may be unnecessary for focused SSH workflows

More comparisons

All SSH clients comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update