PuTTY vs Termius (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PuTTY grades higher than Termius: 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 and the free plan. Termius grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
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
Termius
SSH and SFTP client for desktop and mobile with a synced vault
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 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
| 3.0GPAPuTTYVery good | 2.6GPATermiusGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CPro is $10 a month billed yearly, against the $8.33 middle, so just above it. |
| 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. | BStarter is free, including for commercial use, with SSH, SFTP and port forwarding, but the vault stays local. |
| 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. | CSSH, SFTP, snippets and shared vaults. Syncing needs Pro or higher, and SAML SSO is an add-on on Business. |
| 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. | BAn app you install and start, with no store rating read and no setup before the first host. |
| 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. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, with no API or integrations list on the pages read. |
| Best for | a bare-bones SSH client on Windows | 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: PuTTY and Termius. 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. Termius starts at $10 a month and scores 2.7.
Termius scores higher, and starts $10 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 Termius 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
- PuTTY also covers file sharing and remote desktop.
At a glance
| PuTTY | Termius | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $10 per month, billed annually |
| Free plan | None | 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 | Simon Tatham and the PuTTY team | Termius Corporation |
| Price read from | chiark.greenend.org.uk | termius.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.
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
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.
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
PuTTY
PuTTY$0
Free download of the full PuTTY suite; the Microsoft Store copy is also free of charge.
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
PuTTY
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, PuTTY or Termius?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PuTTY is cheaper to start with: it is free, against $10 a month for Termius. PuTTY is free, and Termius starts at $10 per month, billed annually.
Which has a free plan, PuTTY or Termius?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PuTTY and Termius have a free plan.
Which platforms do PuTTY and Termius run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Termius lists macOS, iOS and Android 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.