PuTTY vs Xshell (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, PuTTY grades higher than Xshell: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
PuTTY grades higher on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms. Xshell grades higher on features.
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
Xshell
SSH terminal for Windows with session, tab and file managers
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 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
| 3.0GPAPuTTYVery good | 2.4GPAXshellFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 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 | AEverything is free outright: the SSH client, pscp, psftp, plink, puttygen and pageant, with nothing held back for a paid plan. | 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 | 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, 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 | 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. It needs sessions and authentication profiles set up before it saves you time. |
| 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. | DWindows only: the download page lists Windows 8 and later and no macOS or Linux build. |
| Best for | a bare-bones SSH client on Windows | 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: PuTTY and Xshell. 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. Xshell starts at $9.92 a month when paid by the year for each person and scores 2.0.
PuTTY scores higher and starts $9.92 a month lower. Of the other remote desktop apps on the chart, none scores higher than PuTTY for less, and 26 score higher than Xshell 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
- Xshell can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- PuTTY also covers file sharing.
- Xshell also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| PuTTY | Xshell | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $119 per user, perpetual, with 1 year of maintenance |
| Free plan | None | 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 | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Simon Tatham and the PuTTY team | NetSarang Computer, Inc. |
| Price read from | chiark.greenend.org.uk | netsarang.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.
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
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.
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
PuTTY
PuTTY$0
Free download of the full PuTTY suite; the Microsoft Store copy is also free of charge.
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
PuTTY
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, PuTTY or Xshell?
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 Xshell. PuTTY is free, and Xshell starts at $119 per user, perpetual, with 1 year of maintenance.
Which has a free plan, PuTTY or Xshell?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both PuTTY and Xshell have a free plan.
Which platforms do PuTTY and Xshell run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only PuTTY lists a Linux app. 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.