MobaXterm vs Termius (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MobaXterm grades higher than Termius: 2.8 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MobaXterm grades higher on value for money and features. Termius grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MobaXterm
Tabbed SSH client and X server for Windows in one portable app
Termius
SSH and SFTP client for desktop and mobile with a synced vault
Which one is for you
Pick MobaXterm if
- Fits if you are on Windows and need SSH, X11 forwarding and RDP together
- Works for admins who want a portable app with no install
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as it is Windows only
- Tight if you pass 12 sessions, 2 tunnels or 4 macros on Home
- Watch out: Professional includes 12 months of updates and the page gives no price after
- Watch out: for use inside a company the vendor points you to Professional
Pick Termius if
- Fits if you want one SSH client on a laptop and a phone
- Makes sense if a team needs shared, access-controlled hosts
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you want sync, as the free plan keeps the vault local
- Pricey if you want a team: Team is $20 and Business $30 per seat a month
- Watch out: SAML SSO is an add-on on Business and included only in Enterprise
- Watch out: the trial length is not stated, and Enterprise has no price
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMobaXtermGood | 2.6GPATermiusGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AProfessional is $69 one-time with 12 months of updates, under a year of the category's $8.33 middle subscription. Home is free. | CPro is $10 a month billed yearly, against the $8.33 middle, so just above it. |
| Free plan and trial | BHome has the X server and SSH, RDP, VNC and SFTP, capped at 12 sessions, 2 tunnels and 4 macros. | BStarter is free, including for commercial use, with SSH, SFTP and port forwarding, but the vault stays local. |
| Features | BSSH, an X server, RDP, VNC and an SFTP browser together. The listing shows no gap in the core job. | CSSH, SFTP, snippets and shared vaults. Syncing needs Pro or higher, and SAML SSO is an add-on on Business. |
| Ease of use | BA portable app you run without installing, with no store rating read. | BAn app you install and start, with no store rating read and no setup before the first host. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, as the vendor describes it as a Windows application. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, with no API or integrations list on the pages read. |
| Best for | SSH, X11 and RDP in one Windows app | one SSH client on your laptop and phone |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: MobaXterm and Termius. How we grade
Where they differ
- MobaXterm also covers file sharing and remote desktop.
At a glance
| MobaXterm | Termius | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates | $10 per month, billed annually |
| Free plan | Home Edition: full X server and SSH, RDP and VNC clients, SFTP browser; capped at 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels and 4 macros. | Starter: local vault, SSH and SFTP, AI-powered autocomplete and port forwarding; the page says it is available for commercial use. |
| Free trial | None listed | Free trial of the paid plans; the pricing page does not state its length |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Mobatek | Termius Corporation |
| Price read from | mobaxterm.mobatek.net | termius.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MobaXterm
- Runs on Windows only; the vendor describes it as a Windows application.
- The Home Edition caps sessions at 12, SSH tunnels at 2 and macros at 4.
- The Professional price includes 12 months of updates; the page does not state the price of later updates.
- For use inside a company, the vendor says to consider the Professional Edition; it mentions volume discounts.
Termius
- Syncing across devices needs Pro or higher; the free plan keeps the vault local.
- SAML SSO is an add-on on Business and included only in Enterprise.
- Enterprise has no published price, and the SOC 2 Type II report is listed only there.
Key features
MobaXterm
- Tabbed SSH terminal
- Tabbed sessions based on PuTTY with antialiased fonts, macro support and a session manager for saved connections.
- Embedded X server
- An X.org-based server exports DISPLAY from a remote Unix host and carries X11 forwarding over SSH.
- Remote desktop protocols
- Besides SSH, the Home Edition lists RDP, VNC and Xdmcp for remote desktops, and Telnet, rlogin and Mosh for terminals.
- Automatic SFTP browser
- Opening an SSH session brings up a graphical SFTP browser so remote files can be edited directly.
- Unix commands on Windows
- Basic Cygwin commands such as bash, grep, awk, sed and rsync run in a single portable executable.
- Plugins and Customizer
- Plugins extend the app. The Professional Edition adds a Customizer for startup message, logo and profile script.
Termius
- SSH and SFTP
- Connect to servers over SSH and move files with SFTP from the same app, on every plan including the free one.
- Vault for hosts and keys
- Hosts and keychain entries are kept in a local vault on Starter; Pro moves it to a personal cloud vault synced between devices.
- Snippets and port forwarding
- Port forwarding comes with the free plan. Snippets automation is listed from Pro upward.
- Shared vaults
- Team adds one shared vault with real-time collaboration; Business adds several vaults with granular access control.
- Session logs
- Pro records session logs, and Team and above can share them with teammates.
- Desktop and mobile apps
- The site offers downloads for Windows, Linux and macOS, plus iOS and Android apps.
Plans
MobaXterm
Home Edition$0
Free. Max. 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels and 4 macros; the vendor points company use to Professional.
Professional Edition$69
per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates
Also listed in euros at 49. Unlimited sessions, tunnels and macros, a Customizer tool and a lifetime right to use.
Termius
Starter$0
Local vault, SSH and SFTP, AI-powered autocomplete and port forwarding.
Pro$10
per month, billed annually
Adds a personal cloud vault, sync across mobile and desktop, session logs and snippets automation.
Team$20
per seat / month, billed annually
Adds one shared team vault, real-time collaboration, shared session logs and consolidated billing.
Business$30
per seat / month, billed annually
Adds multiple team vaults and granular access control on vaults; SAML SSO is an add-on.
EnterpriseCustom
Adds SAML SSO, a SOC 2 Type II report, priority support and a dedicated manager.
Ways to pay less
MobaXterm
No public discounts listed.
Termius
- Education
Free for GitHub Student Developer Pack holders
Students with an active GitHub Student Developer Pack get the features of Termius Pro and Team for free.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MobaXterm or Termius?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MobaXterm starts at $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates, and Termius starts at $10 per month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, MobaXterm or Termius?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MobaXterm and Termius have a free plan.
Which platforms do MobaXterm and Termius run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Termius lists macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.