SSH client · NetSarang Computer, Inc.

Xshell

Paid Windows SSH client with a one-time licence, a master password, PKCS#11 login and scripting.

61/100

#8 of 12 SSH clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

Xshell 8 is a one-time licence at $119 for one seat, with one year of maintenance included³.
The free licence covers personal and educational use only, not commercial use⁴.
It runs on Windows 8 or later; the download page lists no other system⁵.
It lists SFTP, agent forwarding, X11 forwarding, tunnelling, jump hosts, serial, Telnet and RDP².
The latest build, 0110, was released on 2 September 2026⁶.

Xshell suits Windows admins who manage many servers and prefer to pay once. The feature list covers jump hosts, PKCS#11 login, a master password, scripting and session folders². The catches: the free licence bars work use, there is no sync or portable version in the feature list, and it runs on Windows only^2,4,5. CyberScoop reported in 2017 that a backdoor was found in Xshell 5.0⁷.

Best for: Windows admins who want a one-time licence and many session tools.

Where the points come from

Connections34 of 35

Keys and security11 of 25

Sessions and workflow12 of 18

Other systems0 of 8

Price4 of 14

Connections 34 of 35 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Built-in SFTP file transfer	YesFeatures list FTP/SFTP file transfer and a File Manager; Xftp is a separate product^2,6.	7 / 7
SSH agent forwarding	YesLists Xagent for agent authentication and forwarding².	6 / 6
X11 forwarding	YesLists TCP/IP and X11 forwarding under tunnelling; Xmanager is the X server².	5 / 5
Port forwarding	YesLists TCP/IP forwarding, dynamic SOCKS forwarding and a tunnelling pane².	4 / 4
Jump hosts	YesFeatures list Jump Host Proxy; release notes mention multi-step jump host sessions^2,6.	6 / 6
Serial port connections	YesProtocol list includes SERIAL².	4 / 4
Other protocols	Telnet, RDPProtocol list names Telnet and RDP; VNC is not listed².	2 / 3

Keys and security 11 of 25 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Key generator and key agent	YesLists a New Key Wizard for RSA, ECDSA and ED25519 keys, and the Xagent key agent^2,6.	5 / 5
Security key or smart card login	YesLists SSH PKCS#11 and CAPI support².	6 / 6
Saved logins locked by a master password	Not publishedA Master Password encrypts the password section of session data⁸. Neither page says it also locks saved keys or passphrases^2,8.	0 / 6
Open source	Not publishedNot stated on the vendor's pages; the product is sold under a perpetual licence³.	0 / 6
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's pages^1,2.	0 / 2

Sessions and workflow 12 of 18 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Saved sessions in folders	YesSessions dialog supports a folder and tree view².	4 / 4
Scripting or automation	YesLists VB, JScript and Python scripting, script recording and login scripts².	5 / 5
Sync saved sessions between devices	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page; it lists only import and export of sessions².	0 / 4
Portable version	Not publishedNot published on the vendor's features page².	0 / 2
Updated in the last 12 months	YesUpdate history lists Xshell 8 Build 0110, dated 2 September 2026⁶.	3 / 3

Other systems 0 of 8 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Other systems	NoneDownload page lists Windows 8 or later only⁵.	0 / 8

Price 4 of 14 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Free for work use	NoThe free licence is for personal and educational use only, not commercial use⁴.	0 / 6
Cheapest uncapped edition, per year	$39.67/yrXshell 8 one-time perpetual licence, $119 for one user, divided by 3^1,3.	4 / 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.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
Free (personal and educational)1 person, non-commercial use	Free⁴	$0	Not for commercial use
Xshell 81 seat	$119 one-time³	–	Perpetual licence with 1 year of maintenance
Xshell 8 Educational1 seat, educational	$71 one-time³	–	Eligibility rules not stated on the store page

The store lists the licence as perpetual with one year of maintenance; extra maintenance years are sold separately³. The scored price counts $119 divided by 3.

Strengths

One-time $119 licence, with one year of maintenance included³.
Lists PKCS#11 and CAPI support, so smart card and token login are possible².
A master password can encrypt saved passwords².
Scripting in VB, JScript and Python, plus script recording².
Build 0110 came out in September 2026⁶.

Limits

The free licence is for personal and educational use only, so work use needs a paid licence⁴.
Windows only; the download page lists Windows 8 or later⁵.
The feature list shows no session sync and no portable version².
Further years of maintenance are an extra cost after the first year³.

Concerns on record

Cyberscoop reported on 16 August 2017 that a ShadowPad backdoor was active in NetSarang software, including Xshell 5.0, from 17 July to 4 August 2017; the article links to a NetSarang update⁷.

Other SSH clients

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

Xshell, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Xshell Features and Specs, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Online Store, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Free License for Home and School, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Xshell Download, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Xshell Update History, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
ShadowPad backdoor in NetSarang software, CyberScoop. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
Xshell 8 User Manual, NetSarang. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: www.netsarang.com/en/xshell · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with NetSarang Computer, Inc..