PuTTY vs Tabby (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Tabby grades higher than PuTTY: 3.2 against 3.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Tabby grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use 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
Free
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 Tabby if
- Fits if you want one free app for local shells, SSH and serial ports
- Works for Windows users replacing PuTTY or the default console
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if memory use matters, since the project says Tabby is not lightweight
- Skip it if you need shared vaults or team features, as the pages describe none
- Too light for support needs: there is no paid support, only the open-source project
- Watch out: it is not a new shell and does not replace MinGW or Cygwin
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAPuTTYVery good | 3.2GPATabbyVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AFree under the MIT license, and the web app can be self-hosted at no charge. Nothing to pay for anything it lists. |
| 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. | AThe whole project is free, with no paid tier and no account, so nothing is held back. |
| 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 with jump hosts and port forwarding, serial, Telnet, split panes, local shells and an encrypted secrets container. The listing names 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. | BNo store rating on record. It installs like any desktop app, but connections, plugins and shortcuts are for you to configure. |
| 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. | CWindows, macOS, Linux and a web app. No iOS or Android app, and the listing shows few integrations beyond local shells and Docker. |
| Best for | a bare-bones SSH client on Windows | a free terminal for local shells and SSH |
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 Tabby. 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. Tabby has no paid plan and scores 2.7.
Tabby scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than PuTTY for less, and none scores higher than Tabby 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
- Tabby is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- PuTTY also covers remote desktop.
In commonFree planWindowsLinuxFile sharing
At a glance
| PuTTY | Tabby | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Simon Tatham and the PuTTY team | Eugeny (Tabby project) |
| Price read from | chiark.greenend.org.uk | tabby.sh |
| 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.
Tabby
- The project says it is not lightweight; it points to other terminals if memory use matters.
- Tabby is not a new shell and does not replace MinGW or Cygwin.
- The pages read describe no team features such as shared vaults, and list no paid support.
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.
Tabby
- SSH and Telnet client
- SSH2 with a connection manager, X11 and port forwarding, jump hosts, agent forwarding and login scripts.
- Serial terminal
- Saved serial connections with readline input, optional hex input and hexdump output, newline conversion and automatic reconnection.
- Split panes and tabs
- Nested split panes, tabs on any side of the window, a dockable quick console with a global hotkey and fully configurable shortcuts.
- Local shells on Windows
- Profiles for PowerShell, WSL, Git-Bash, Cygwin, MSYS2, Cmder and CMD sit beside remote sessions.
- Encrypted secrets container
- SSH secrets and configuration are kept in an integrated encrypted container; Zmodem transfers files from SSH sessions.
- Plugins and web app
- Plugins and themes install from the settings view, and a web app offers SSH, SFTP and Telnet, with a self-hosted option.
Plans
PuTTY
PuTTY$0
Free download of the full PuTTY suite; the Microsoft Store copy is also free of charge.
Tabby
Tabby$0
Free and open source; the web app can also be self-hosted.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, PuTTY or Tabby?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PuTTY and Tabby are free to use.
Which has a free plan, PuTTY or Tabby?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PuTTY and Tabby have a free plan.
Which platforms do PuTTY and Tabby run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Tabby lists a web app and a macOS app. 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.