PuTTY vs SecureCRT (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PuTTY grades higher than SecureCRT: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PuTTY grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. SecureCRT grades higher on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
PuTTY
Free SSH and Telnet client for Windows with file-copy utilities
SecureCRT
SSH, Telnet and serial terminal for Windows, macOS and Linux
Which one is for you
Pick PuTTY if
- Fits if you want a free, small SSH client on Windows and need nothing else
- Works for scripts that call plink or pscp from the command line
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want tabs or a saved-session manager, because it is one window per connection
- Skip it if you are on a Mac or on Linux and want a ready-made app, as Unix gets a source archive only
- Watch out: the vendor says using the SSH tools is illegal in countries that outlaw encryption
- Watch out: putty.org is not the project's site; the real one is the chiark.greenend.org.uk page
Pick SecureCRT if
- Fits if you script repetitive terminal work or talk to network gear over serial
- Works for a team that mixes Windows, Mac and Linux machines on one license
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a free tool, since after the 30-day evaluation you pay per user
- Pricey if you need FTPS, SCP or WebDAV too, as that is the separate SecureFX client and the bundle costs $129
- Watch out: a license covers 1 year of updates and support, and the longer 3-year option costs $190
- Watch out: RDP works on Windows only, and Python 3 scripting is listed for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu only
- Watch out: 50 or more licenses go through sales, not the price list
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAPuTTYVery good | 2.6GPASecureCRTGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree to download and run, with no account and no paid tier at all. That puts it under the $1.67 a month line that marks the very cheapest remote-access tools. | B$119 per user with 1 year of updates is under two years of the category's middle subscription. Three years of updates is $190, and the SecureFX bundle is $129 for a year. |
| Free plan and trial | AEverything is free outright: the SSH client, pscp, psftp, plink, puttygen and pageant, with nothing held back for a paid plan. | CA fully working 30-day evaluation license, but nothing free after that, and the page does not say whether a card is needed. |
| Features | CIt does the SSH and Telnet job fully, plus file copy and key tools, but it is a smaller job than a full session manager: the listing shows no tabs, no saved-session extras and no RDP. | BSSH, Telnet, serial, tabbed sessions, keyword highlighting, a script recorder and scripting in four languages. The listing shows no gap in the core terminal job. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, but it is a program you download and start using; you type a host name and connect, though the key tools and command-line pieces take some reading. | CNo store rating on record. Sessions, scripts and highlighting rules all have to be set up by you. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Linux only, and the listing says Linux users get a source archive to build, not binaries. A program for computers alone, with no phone or web version. | BWindows, macOS and Linux on one license, plus an iOS version. No web version, and RDP is Windows only. |
| Best for | a bare-bones SSH client on Windows | scripted SSH and serial sessions across desktops |
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: PuTTY and SecureCRT. How we grade
Price against what you get
PuTTY has no paid plan and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. SecureCRT starts at $9.92 a month when paid by the year for each person and scores 2.7.
SecureCRT scores higher, and starts $9.92 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than PuTTY for less, and 3 score higher than SecureCRT for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- SecureCRT can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PuTTY also covers remote desktop.
- SecureCRT also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| PuTTY | SecureCRT | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free trial |
| Starts at | Free | $119 per user, with 1 year of updates |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day evaluation license, fully functional |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Simon Tatham and the PuTTY team | VanDyke Software, Inc. |
| Price read from | chiark.greenend.org.uk | vandyke.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
PuTTY
- Unix users get a source archive to build themselves; the download page lists no Unix binaries.
- The vendor warns that using the SSH tools is illegal in countries where encryption is outlawed.
- The official site is the chiark.greenend.org.uk page; putty.org is an unaffiliated page that says it is not endorsed by the project.
SecureCRT
- No free plan: licenses are sold per user, and the free option is a 30-day evaluation.
- Licenses include one year of updates and support (or three years at a higher price).
- RDP support is Windows only, and Python 3 scripting is listed for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu Linux.
- Prices are quoted per order; 50 or more licenses go through sales.
Key features
PuTTY
- SSH and Telnet client
- putty.exe is the SSH and Telnet client itself; a separate puttytel.exe is a Telnet-only build with no encryption-law caveat.
- File transfer tools
- pscp.exe is a command-line secure file copy and psftp.exe is an SFTP client for general file transfer sessions.
- Key tools
- puttygen.exe generates RSA and DSA keys, and pageant.exe is an SSH authentication agent for the other tools.
- Command-line back end
- plink.exe offers a command-line interface to the PuTTY back ends, for scripts and other programs.
- Installers and standalone binaries
- MSI installers cover 64-bit x86, 64-bit Arm and 32-bit x86, or each tool can be downloaded as a single exe.
SecureCRT
- Session management
- Tabbed sessions and tab groups, with keyword highlighting that accepts regular expressions for prompts and errors.
- Several protocols
- SSH2, SSH1, Telnet, Telnet over TLS and serial connections, plus RDP on Windows only.
- Scripting
- Scripts in VBScript, JScript, PerlScript or Python, and a script recorder that turns keystrokes into a script.
- File transfer
- SFTP, Xmodem, Ymodem, Zmodem and Kermit transfers, plus a built-in TFTP server; SecureFX adds FTPS, SCP and WebDAV.
- One license, three desktops
- The vendor says client licenses are not platform-specific, so one license registers Windows, macOS and Linux copies.
Plans
PuTTY
PuTTY$0
Free download of the full PuTTY suite; the Microsoft Store copy is also free of charge.
SecureCRT
SecureCRT, 1 year of updates$119
per license, 1 year of updates and support
Single license; $116 each for 2 to 9, $114 each for 10 to 24 and $100 each for 25 to 49.
SecureCRT, 3 years of updates$190
per license, 3 years of updates and support
Single license; $186 each for 2 to 9, $182 each for 10 to 24 and $140 each for 25 to 49.
SecureCRT + SecureFX bundle$129
per license, 1 year of updates and support
Terminal plus the SecureFX file transfer client; $206 for 3 years of updates.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PuTTY or SecureCRT?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PuTTY is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $9.92 a month when paid by the year for each person for SecureCRT. PuTTY is free, and SecureCRT starts at $119 per user, with 1 year of updates.
Which has a free plan, PuTTY or SecureCRT?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PuTTY has a free plan. SecureCRT does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do PuTTY and SecureCRT run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only SecureCRT lists macOS and iOS apps. Both list Windows and Linux apps. 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.