MobaXterm vs Xshell (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MobaXterm grades higher than Xshell: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MobaXterm grades higher on value for money and ease of use. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and platforms.
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
Xshell
SSH terminal for Windows with session, tab and file managers
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 Xshell if
- Fits if you are a student or hobbyist on Windows who qualifies for the free license
- Works for a company that would rather buy a perpetual license than rent one
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use a Mac or Linux, as there is no build for either
- Not for you if you work for a company and expected the free license, because business use needs a paid one
- Watch out: the license includes only 1 year of maintenance, and the page gives no price after that
- Watch out: SFTP file transfer is a separate product, Xftp, unless you buy Xshell Plus at $139
- Watch out: downloading the free version signs you up for promotional emails
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAMobaXtermGood | 2.4GPAXshellFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | B$119 once for up to 2 devices, with a year of updates, is under two years of this category's middle subscription ($8.33 a month). Xshell Plus with Xftp is $139 and the full suite $399. |
| Free plan and trial | BHome has the X server and SSH, RDP, VNC and SFTP, capped at 12 sessions, 2 tunnels and 4 macros. | BThe free license covers personal and educational use with no stated cap, but business use is outside it and needs a paid license after the 30-day evaluation. |
| Features | BSSH, an X server, RDP, VNC and an SFTP browser together. The listing shows no gap in the core job. | BSSH, Telnet, SFTP and RDP tabs, quick commands, triggers, script recording and shared authentication profiles. Nothing in the listing is missing from a terminal client's core job. |
| Ease of use | BA portable app you run without installing, with no store rating read. | CNo store rating on record. It needs sessions and authentication profiles set up before it saves you time. |
| Platforms and integrations | DWindows only, as the vendor describes it as a Windows application. | DWindows only: the download page lists Windows 8 and later and no macOS or Linux build. |
| Best for | SSH, X11 and RDP in one Windows app | SSH, SFTP and RDP tabs on a Windows PC |
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 Xshell. How we grade
Where they differ
- Xshell can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- MobaXterm also covers file sharing.
- Xshell also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| MobaXterm | Xshell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates | $119 per user, perpetual, with 1 year of maintenance |
| 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. | Free license for personal and educational (non-commercial) use of Xshell and Xftp; business use needs a paid license. |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day evaluation |
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Mobatek | NetSarang Computer, Inc. |
| Price read from | mobaxterm.mobatek.net | netsarang.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.
Xshell
- The free license excludes business use; the vendor says commercial use needs a paid license.
- A paid license includes 1 year of maintenance (updates and support); the page does not give the price after that.
- The download page lists Windows 8 and later; no macOS or Linux build is listed.
- Volume discounts are by quote; the vendor tells larger buyers to contact sales.
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.
Xshell
- Session, tab and file managers
- Dockable panels for saved sessions, open tabs, a quick command manager and a file manager sit around the terminal.
- Quick commands and triggers
- Build buttons for frequent commands, run actions when terminal output matches a pattern, and use a compose pane for multi-line input.
- Script recording
- Scripts can be generated automatically from the input and output of a terminal session.
- Authentication profiles
- Save a set of authentication settings once, apply it to many sessions and update them all by editing the profile.
- RDP in the same window
- Remote Desktop sessions open as tabs beside terminal sessions in one window.
- Color themes and highlight rules
- Dark and other themes, per-session color schemes and highlight rules that pick out important terminal text.
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.
Xshell
Free (personal and educational)$0
Non-commercial use only; downloading it signs you up for occasional promotional emails.
Xshell$119
per user, perpetual license, 1 year of maintenance included
Single-user license for up to 2 devices, with 1 year of free updates and support.
Xshell Plus$139
per user, perpetual license, 1 year of maintenance included
Xshell plus Xftp, the SFTP and FTP transfer client.
Xmanager Power Suite$399
per user, perpetual license, 1 year of maintenance included
Xmanager X server, Xshell, Xftp and the Xlpd print server together.
Ways to pay less
MobaXterm
No public discounts listed.
Xshell
- Education
Free license for personal and educational use
NetSarang licenses Xshell and Xftp free for personal and educational use only; any business use is outside the free terms.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MobaXterm or Xshell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MobaXterm starts at $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates, and Xshell starts at $119 per user, perpetual, with 1 year of maintenance.
Which has a free plan, MobaXterm or Xshell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MobaXterm and Xshell have a free plan.
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.