saasrankedSoftware, ranked on the facts

SSH client · Simon Tatham

PuTTY

Free, MIT-licensed SSH and Telnet client for Windows, with companion tools for SFTP, keys and automation.

68/100

#6 of 12 SSH clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

PuTTY suits admins who want a free, open-source client with serial, tunnel and jump-host support, plus Pageant and PuTTYgen for keys2,4,5. 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 logins4,5,6,7. Vendor binaries are Windows only2,9.

Best for: Admins who want a small, free client and are happy to manage sessions themselves.

Where the points come from

Connections33 of 35
Keys and security11 of 25
Sessions and workflow10 of 18
Other systems0 of 8
Price14 of 14

Connections 33 of 35 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Built-in SFTP file transferYespsftp.exe is listed as the SFTP client in the download2.7 / 7
SSH agent forwardingYesManual documents the -A option and the Allow agent forwarding setting4,5.6 / 6
X11 forwardingYesManual section 3.4 covers forwarding X applications; the -X option turns it on4.5 / 5
Port forwardingYesLocal, remote and dynamic (SOCKS) forwarding are documented4,5.4 / 4
Jump hostsYesProxy panel option 'SSH to proxy and use port forwarding' is described as similar to OpenSSH -J, with multi-hop paths5.6 / 6
Serial port connectionsYesManual section 3.6 says PuTTY can connect directly to a local serial line4.4 / 4
Other protocolsTelnetTelnet is supported; the manual lists SSH, Telnet, Rlogin and SUPDUP, with no RDP or VNC4.1 / 3

Keys and security 11 of 25 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Key generator and key agentYesPuTTYgen generates keys and Pageant holds them in memory while you work6,7.5 / 5
Security key or smart card loginNot publishedNot published in the Pageant chapter or the configuration chapter, which cover only PPK key files5,6.0 / 6
Saved logins locked by a master passwordNot publishedThe manual describes passphrases on single key files only, not one password for all saved logins7.0 / 6
Open sourceYesDistributed under the MIT licence, with source archives and a Git repository2,3.6 / 6
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001Not publishedNot published on the vendor's home or licence pages1,3.0 / 2

Sessions and workflow 10 of 18 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Saved sessions in foldersNot publishedSaved sessions exist, but the manual describes no folders or groups for them4,5.0 / 4
Scripting or automationYesPlink is a command-line client for automated logins and commands, with a -batch mode8.5 / 5
Sync saved sessions between devicesNot publishedThe FAQ says settings live in the registry and not in a disk file9.0 / 4
Portable versionYesStandalone executables and a putty.zip archive are offered alongside the MSI installers2.2 / 2
Updated in the last 12 monthsYesVersion 0.85 was released on 2026-08-161,2.3 / 3

Other systems 0 of 8 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Other systemsNoneDownload page offers Windows binaries and source only; the FAQ says it has no Android or iOS version and no finished Mac version2,9.0 / 8

Price 14 of 14 points

RuleWhat is publishedPoints
Free for work useYesFree with no time limit; the licence page says commercial use is allowed3.6 / 6
Cheapest uncapped edition, per year$0Entirely free under the MIT licence3.8 / 8

The rule behind each line: how we score SSH clients.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

PlanPrice as listedPer monthNotes
PuTTYAnyone, including companiesFree2,3$0MIT licence; installers, standalone files and source

Strengths

  • Free for any use, including commercial, under the MIT licence3.
  • A new release (0.85) came out on 2026-08-161.
  • Standalone executables and a ZIP archive need no installer2.
  • Plink runs remote commands in scripts with a no-prompt batch mode8.
  • The proxy panel can hop through another SSH server, including multi-hop chains5.

Limits

  • Vendor binaries exist only for Windows; there is no macOS, iOS or Android version2,9.
  • The manual does not describe folders or groups for saved sessions4,5.
  • Saved sessions and settings are stored in the Windows registry, not in a disk file9.
  • The Pageant and configuration chapters do not document smart card or security key sign-in5,6.

Other SSH clients

  1. 1
    TabbyPeople who want a free, open-source terminal with SSH built in
    81/100
    $0cheapest uncapped edition, per year
  2. 2
    TermiusPeople who connect from a PC and a phone and want saved hosts to sync
    80/100
    $0cheapest uncapped edition, per year
  3. 3
    MobaXtermWindows admins who want SSH, SFTP, X11 and remote desktop in one window
    76/100
    $23/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year
  4. 4
    SecureCRTAdmins who want a paid, scriptable client with a one-time licence
    71/100
    $39.67/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year

All 12 SSH clients

Sources

  1. PuTTY: a free SSH and Telnet client, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  2. Download PuTTY: latest release (0.85), Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  3. PuTTY licence, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  4. PuTTY manual, chapter 3: Using PuTTY, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  5. PuTTY manual, chapter 4: Configuring PuTTY, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  6. PuTTY manual, chapter 9: Using Pageant, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  7. PuTTY manual, chapter 8: Using PuTTYgen, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  8. PuTTY manual, chapter 7: Using the command-line connection tool Plink, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
  9. PuTTY FAQ, Simon Tatham. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with Simon Tatham.