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Head-to-head · SSH Clients

PuTTY vs Termius

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score PuTTY #3 in SSH Clients 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 2 of 3 features Visit PuTTY
Termius #7 in SSH Clients 8.6/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Termius

PuTTY leads on 0 checks, Termius on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 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
  • Most featuresTermius · 3 of 3

PuTTY scores higher on our rubric for ssh clients: 9.0 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #7.

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

PuTTY is the better fit for users wanting a proven free SSH client. Termius is the better fit for teams needing polished cross-platform SSH.

  • PuTTY fits best

    Users wanting a proven free SSH client

  • Termius fits best

    Teams needing polished cross-platform SSH

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 PuTTY 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Termius 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.6
Ranking #3 in SSH Clients #7 in SSH Clients
Best for Users wanting a proven free SSH client Teams needing polished cross-platform SSH
Pricing model Free Free plan + paid
Starting price Free plan $10/mo
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Desktop Cloud, Desktop, Mobile
Platforms Windows, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Support Email, Docs Tickets, Docs
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features PuTTY 2/3 · Termius 3/3
SFTP support ✓ ✓
Port forwarding ✓ ✓
Team session sharing Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Supported protocols SSH, Telnet, Rlogin, SUPDUP, raw, serial, SFTP, SCP SSH, SFTP, Telnet, Mosh, local terminal
Supported platforms Windows and Unix Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, iPadOS
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
  • Supports SSH, SFTP, Telnet, Mosh, and local terminal connections
  • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and iPadOS
  • Adds vaults, workspaces, snippets, logs, and real-time collaboration
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
  • Cloud synchronization starts with the $10/month Pro plan
  • Team and Business pricing is charged per seat per month
  • SAML SSO is an add-on on Business and Enterprise pricing is custom
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 →

Termius is a cross-platform SSH client for individuals, DevOps engineers, system administrators, and infrastructure teams. It supports SSH, SFTP, Telnet, Mosh, and local terminal connections, with port forwarding, terminal tabs,…

Read the review →
  1. PuTTYSSH Clients 9.0Free plan
  2. TermiusSSH Clients 8.6Free 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

  • Termius — where it wins

    • Supports SSH, SFTP, Telnet, Mosh, and local terminal connections
    • Runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and iPadOS
    • Adds vaults, workspaces, snippets, logs, and real-time collaboration

    Where it doesn't

    • Cloud synchronization starts with the $10/month Pro plan
    • Team and Business pricing is charged per seat per month
    • SAML SSO is an add-on on Business and Enterprise pricing is custom
  • PuTTY9.0/10 · Free plan

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

    Visit PuTTYFull verdict →
  • Termius8.6/10 · Free plan

    A capable cross-platform SSH client with useful free features and paid team management.

    Visit TermiusFull verdict →

More comparisons

All SSH clients comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update