Table of Contents
Best SSH Clients for Windows is a program that lets you connect to a computer far away. To do this, it uses something called a “secure shell protocol.” SSH Client is used to log in securely, send files securely, and get into computers without a screen. Headless systems can be single-board computers, any kind of TV box, or a system that doesn’t have a local terminal for entering orders and seeing the results.
SSH clients, which are also called telnet clients, are pieces of software that let people set up secure connections between clients and servers. SSH (Secure Shell) clients are network protocols that make it safe for computers and server software to talk to each other. Use the table below to compare the best SSH clients that are available right now.
Best SSH Clients for Windows Comparison Table
| Product Name | MobaXterm | WinSCP | SolarPutty | SecureCRT | SmarTTY | iTerm2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SSH Client | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (macOS) |
| SFTP Client | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No (macOS) |
| SCP Client | No | Yes | No | No | No | No (macOS) |
| Telnet Client | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | No (macOS) |
| Serial Client | No | No | No | Yes | No | No (macOS) |
| Tabbed Interface | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Scripting | Yes | Limited | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| File Transfer | Yes | Yes | Basic | Yes | Basic | No (macOS) |
| Remote Editing | No | Yes | No | No | No | No (macOS) |
| Customizable | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Platform | Windows | Windows | Windows | Windows | Windows | macOS |
MobaXterm
| Product Name | MobaXterm |
|---|---|
| SSH Client | Secure SSH connections |
| X11 Server | Remote graphical applications |
| SFTP Client | Secure file transfers |
| Remote Desktop | Access to remote desktops |
| Tabbed Interface | Multiple sessions in tabs |
| Unix Commands | Comprehensive Unix commands |
| Customizable | Configurable settings and appearance |
| Plugins | Extend functionality with plugins |
| Network Tools | Various network tools included |
| Scripting | Automation with scripting support |
Because MobaXterm is a lightweight and portable application, it will be possible for you to launch it from a USB stick. You may bring UNIX commands like bash and ls to your Windows desktop by using a single portable.exe file that contains a collection of remote network utilities such as SSH, X11, RDP, and others. MobaXterm provides a text editor.
Through the use of plugins, MobaXterm’s functionality can be expanded. Programmers, webmasters, IT administrators, and anyone else who wants to administer a system from a remote location can make use of the features provided by this tool. It is compatible with a wide range of protocols, including SSH, X11, RDP, VNC, and others.
The Good
- Integrated X server for seamless remote display
- Supports many protocols, such as SSH, Telnet, FTP, and more
The Bad
- Some of the more advanced features need to be paid for.
WinSCP
| Product Name | WinSCP |
|---|---|
| SFTP Client | Secure file transfers |
| SCP Client | Securely copy files |
| FTP Client | FTP protocol support |
| Remote Editing | Edit files on remote servers |
| File Synchronization | Keep local and remote directories in sync |
| Batch File Scripting | Automate file transfer operations |
| Secure File Copy | Transfer files securely between hosts |
| Drag and Drop | Easy file transfer with drag and drop |
| Customizable | Customize interface and settings |
| Integration | Integration with Windows shell |
It is common practice to transfer files with WinSCP. It offers features similar to that of a basic file manager. It supports scripting in various languages. Both the SFTP client and the FTP client offered here come equipped with features that make it possible to transfer files between a local computer and remote servers. It utilizes the file transfer protocols of FTP, FTPS, SCP, SFTP, WebDAV, or S3 respectively.
A Graphical User Interface (GUI) and an Integrated Text Editor are both included with WinSCP. It will support any conceivable operation that can be performed on files. It offers a great deal of additional capabilities, such as Scripting and Task automation, Workspaces, Background transfers, and many others.
The Good
- Offers a secure file transfer interface that is easy to use.
- FTP, SFTP, and SCP are some of the transfer protocols it supports.
The Bad
- Only lets you transfer files and doesn’t have any advanced terminal features.
SolarPutty
| Product Name | SolarPutty |
|---|---|
| SSH Client | Secure SSH connections |
| Tabbed Interface | Multiple sessions in tabs |
| Scripting | Automation with scripting support |
| Reconnection | Auto-reconnect on network failure |
| File Transfer | Basic file transfer support |
| Saved Sessions | Store and manage connection profiles |
| Multi-Protocol | Support for SSH, Telnet, RDP, and more |
| Session Logs | Record and review session logs |
| Credential Management | Securely store and manage credentials |
| Themes | Customizable themes and color schemes |
Solar Putty is a modern Best SSH Clients for Windows with a multi-tab layout that lets you run multiple sessions from the same console. Solar Putty has many features that Putty doesn’t have, such as the ability to save passwords, support for multiple sessions, quick access to the most recent sessions, and integration with Windows search.
Solar Putty also works with the telnet, SCP, SFTP, and TFP protocols, in addition to SSH. It’s easy to set up multiple sessions and switch between them with the tabbed layout. The homepage looks like a browser and makes it easy to find sessions. If you save your passwords, you can start an SSH session with just one click.
The Good
- Easy-to-use and quick terminal emulator
- Offers a user interface that is clean and easy to use
The Bad
- Compared to other terminal emulators, it does not have as many advanced features.
SecureCRT
| Product Name | SecureCRT |
|---|---|
| SSH Client | Secure SSH connections |
| Telnet Client | Telnet protocol support |
| Serial Client | Serial communication support |
| Tabbed Interface | Multiple sessions in tabs |
| Scripting | Automation with scripting support |
| Customization | Customizable interface and settings |
| Secure File Transfer | Securely transfer files between hosts |
| Session Management | Store and organize connection profiles |
| Remote Access | Access to remote desktops and servers |
| Integration | Integration with external tools and protocols |
SecureCRT is an SSH viewer that works with SSH1, SSH2, Telnet, Rlogin, serial, and TAPI protocols. SecureCRT is a commercial tool with a Windows-style interface. In the latest version, you can change the colors, wrap lines, paste with confirmation, drag and drop multiple sessions, handle sessions, improve encryption, and see a list of your most recent sessions.
You can use the quick connect option if you don’t need to handle a session. No configuration is needed. Even though it has features that are similar to those of other apps, system administrators still choose it.
The Good
- Offers a very safe and reliable SSH client
- Powerful session management and automation features
The Bad
- Compared to other SSH clients, it’s pricey.
SmarTTY
| Product Name | SmarTTY |
|---|---|
| SSH Client | Secure SSH connections |
| Tabbed Interface | Multiple sessions in tabs |
| Scripting | Automation with scripting support |
| Reconnection | Auto-reconnect on network failure |
| Session Management | Save and manage connection profiles |
| Text Editor | Built-in text editor for remote editing |
| File Transfer | Basic file transfer support |
| Customizable | Customize interface and settings |
| Remote Command Execution | Execute commands on remote hosts |
| Portable | Run the software from a portable device |
SmarTTY is yet another Best SSH Clients for Windows that supports multiple tabs and also works with SCP. SmarTTY, like the majority of the other utilities on this list, has the ability to replace the functionality of PuTTY. You can have numerous tabs open for a single SSH subsession, and the SCP file transfer protocol will allow you to copy files and folders across locations.
There are periodic updates made to smartTTY. New features have been added to the most recent version of their SmarTTY software, version 3.0, including an auto-complete feature for the Smart Terminal, a file panel, and a graphical user interface for managing packages.
The Good
- SSH client that is light and quick
- Offers a tabbed interface for managing multiple sessions
The Bad
- Some advanced features and ways to customize it are missing.
iTerm2
| Product Name | iTerm2 |
|---|---|
| Terminal Emulator | Powerful terminal emulator for macOS |
| Split Panes | Split terminal into multiple panes |
| Tabs | Multiple sessions in tabs |
| Customization | Customizable interface and settings |
| Scripting | Automation with scripting support |
| Search | Search and highlight text in the terminal |
| Mouse Support | Mouse actions in the terminal |
| Session Management | Save and manage connection profiles |
| Hotkey Support | Assign hotkeys for various functions |
| Multi-Language | Support for multiple languages |
iTerm2 takes the place of Terminal and is the follow-up to iTerm. It works on Macs with at least macOS 10.14. iTerm2 brings the terminal into the 21st century by adding tools you didn’t even know you wanted. Lots of things can be done with iTerm2. Every possible need that a terminal user could have has been thought of and met. And these are only the main things to see and do!
Anyone can get to a computer by pressing a key. You can tell the button to open a specific window. This puts a terminal at your hands that is always open. The find-on-page tool in iTerm2 is very good. The interface doesn’t get in the way. Right away, every match is marked. Even help with regular expressions is available!
The Good
- Feature-rich terminal emulator for macOS
- Supports split panes, tabs, and a lot of ways to customize.
The Bad
- Only works on the macOS platform
FAQs
There is free and open-source software for a lot of SSH apps for Windows. We’ve already said that PuTTY, OpenSSH, Bitvise SSH Client, KiTTY, and WinSCP are all free to use. But some SSH clients may have extra functions or business versions that cost extra or require a license.
Absolutely! SSH clients for Windows can link to SSH servers that run on different operating systems, such as Linux. On Windows, you can use an SSH client to connect to and handle Linux servers remotely in a safe way.
Yes, some SSH apps can do more than just connect to SSH servers. For example, MobaXterm has an X11 server for running remote graphical apps, and WinSCP has an SFTP client built in for sending files securely. It’s a good idea to look into the different features of different SSH programs to find one that fits your needs.