--- title: PuTTY canonical: https://saasranked.com/software/putty/ category: SSH Clients points: 68 rank: 6 of 12 facts_checked: 2026-10-08 --- # PuTTY Free, MIT-licensed SSH and Telnet client for Windows, with companion tools for SFTP, keys and automation. 68 points out of 100. #6 of 12 SSH clients. Vendor: Simon Tatham. Website: https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/ - Free under the MIT licence, and the page says companies may use it commercially [3]. - Version 0.85 was released on 2026-08-16 [1]. - The download includes putty.exe, psftp.exe, plink.exe, puttygen.exe and pageant.exe, as installers or standalone files [2]. - Windows is the only system with vendor binaries; other systems get source code only [2][9]. - The manual lists agent forwarding, X11 forwarding, tunnels, serial lines and an SSH proxy that works like OpenSSH's -J [4][5]. Verdict: PuTTY suits admins who want a free, open-source client with serial, tunnel and jump-host support, plus Pageant and PuTTYgen for keys [2][4][5]. It lists the main connection features. The catch is workflow: the manual describes no folders for saved sessions, no sync, no smart card login and no single password that locks saved logins [4][5][6][7]. Vendor binaries are Windows only [2][9]. Best for: Admins who want a small, free client and are happy to manage sessions themselves. ## Points | Criterion | Line | Value | Points | Note | |---|---|---|---|---| | Connections | Built-in SFTP file transfer | Yes | 7/7 | psftp.exe is listed as the SFTP client in the download [2]. | | Connections | SSH agent forwarding | Yes | 6/6 | Manual documents the -A option and the Allow agent forwarding setting [4][5]. | | Connections | X11 forwarding | Yes | 5/5 | Manual section 3.4 covers forwarding X applications; the -X option turns it on [4]. | | Connections | Port forwarding | Yes | 4/4 | Local, remote and dynamic (SOCKS) forwarding are documented [4][5]. | | Connections | Jump hosts | Yes | 6/6 | Proxy panel option 'SSH to proxy and use port forwarding' is described as similar to OpenSSH -J, with multi-hop paths [5]. | | Connections | Serial port connections | Yes | 4/4 | Manual section 3.6 says PuTTY can connect directly to a local serial line [4]. | | Connections | Other protocols | Telnet | 1/3 | Telnet is supported; the manual lists SSH, Telnet, Rlogin and SUPDUP, with no RDP or VNC [4]. | | Keys and security | Key generator and key agent | Yes | 5/5 | PuTTYgen generates keys and Pageant holds them in memory while you work [6][7]. | | Keys and security | Security key or smart card login | Not published | 0/6 | Not published in the Pageant chapter or the configuration chapter, which cover only PPK key files [5][6]. | | Keys and security | Saved logins locked by a master password | Not published | 0/6 | The manual describes passphrases on single key files only, not one password for all saved logins [7]. | | Keys and security | Open source | Yes | 6/6 | Distributed under the MIT licence, with source archives and a Git repository [2][3]. | | Keys and security | SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001 | Not published | 0/2 | Not published on the vendor's home or licence pages [1][3]. | | Sessions and workflow | Saved sessions in folders | Not published | 0/4 | Saved sessions exist, but the manual describes no folders or groups for them [4][5]. | | Sessions and workflow | Scripting or automation | Yes | 5/5 | Plink is a command-line client for automated logins and commands, with a -batch mode [8]. | | Sessions and workflow | Sync saved sessions between devices | Not published | 0/4 | The FAQ says settings live in the registry and not in a disk file [9]. | | Sessions and workflow | Portable version | Yes | 2/2 | Standalone executables and a putty.zip archive are offered alongside the MSI installers [2]. | | Sessions and workflow | Updated in the last 12 months | Yes | 3/3 | Version 0.85 was released on 2026-08-16 [1][2]. | | Other systems | Other systems | None | 0/8 | Download page offers Windows binaries and source only; the FAQ says it has no Android or iOS version and no finished Mac version [2][9]. | | Price | Free for work use | Yes | 6/6 | Free with no time limit; the licence page says commercial use is allowed [3]. | | Price | Cheapest uncapped edition, per year | $0 | 8/8 | Entirely free under the MIT licence [3]. | ## Plans | Plan | Price | Per month (USD) | |---|---|---| | PuTTY | Free [2][3] | $0 | ## Strengths - Free for any use, including commercial, under the MIT licence [3]. - A new release (0.85) came out on 2026-08-16 [1]. - Standalone executables and a ZIP archive need no installer [2]. - Plink runs remote commands in scripts with a no-prompt batch mode [8]. - The proxy panel can hop through another SSH server, including multi-hop chains [5]. ## Limits - Vendor binaries exist only for Windows; there is no macOS, iOS or Android version [2][9]. - The manual does not describe folders or groups for saved sessions [4][5]. - Saved sessions and settings are stored in the Windows registry, not in a disk file [9]. - The Pageant and configuration chapters do not document smart card or security key sign-in [5][6]. ## Sources 1. [PuTTY: a free SSH and Telnet client](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 2. [Download PuTTY: latest release (0.85)](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/latest.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 3. [PuTTY licence](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/licence.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 4. [PuTTY manual, chapter 3: Using PuTTY](https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/htmldoc/Chapter3.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 5. [PuTTY manual, chapter 4: Configuring PuTTY](https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/htmldoc/Chapter4.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 6. [PuTTY manual, chapter 9: Using Pageant](https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/htmldoc/Chapter9.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 7. [PuTTY manual, chapter 8: Using PuTTYgen](https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/htmldoc/Chapter8.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 8. [PuTTY manual, chapter 7: Using the command-line connection tool Plink](https://the.earth.li/~sgtatham/putty/latest/htmldoc/Chapter7.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08 9. [PuTTY FAQ](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/faq.html), Simon Tatham, accessed 2026-10-08