MobaXterm review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Tabbed SSH client and X server for Windows in one portable app
Black Friday: is there a MobaXterm sale?
MobaXterm report card
Good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026
Best for SSH, X11 and RDP in one Windows app
MobaXterm bundles an SSH client, an X server and remote-desktop clients in a portable Windows app. Home is free but capped at 12 sessions, 2 tunnels and 4 macros, and it runs on Windows only.
Who MobaXterm is for
- 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
Who MobaXterm is not for
- 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
Why MobaXterm gets a 2.8
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyProfessional is $69 one-time with 12 months of updates, under a year of the category's $8.33 middle subscription. Home is free.
- BFree plan and trialHome has the X server and SSH, RDP, VNC and SFTP, capped at 12 sessions, 2 tunnels and 4 macros.
- BFeaturesSSH, an X server, RDP, VNC and an SFTP browser together. The listing shows no gap in the core job.
- BEase of useA portable app you run without installing, with no store rating read.
- DPlatforms and integrationsWindows only, as the vendor describes it as a Windows application.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Mobatek's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/mobaxterm#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/mobaxterm.svg" alt="MobaXterm: 2.8 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where MobaXterm stands among remote desktop apps
MobaXterm's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 69 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on value for money (A, above 63 of 85) and worst on platforms and integrations (D, above 0).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 86 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. MobaXterm’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 63 of 85, level with 22
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 85, level with 22
- BFeaturesAbove 55 of 85, level with 30
- BEase of useAbove 59 of 85, level with 25
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 85, level with 11
Keep MobaXterm, or make your own?
Keep it
To replace MobaXterm you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 69 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade. It costs $69, paid once.
What you could not
- A fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- A real app for Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. MobaXterm’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is MobaXterm?
MobaXterm is a Windows application that bundles a tabbed SSH terminal, an embedded X server and clients for RDP, VNC, FTP and Mosh. It opens a graphical SFTP browser alongside an SSH session. A free Home Edition exists, and a Professional Edition removes its session and tunnel caps.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
MobaXterm pricing
As of Nov 13, 2026, MobaXterm has a free plan, and paid plans start at $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates.
- Starts at
- $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates
- 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 trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Home Edition | $0 | Free. Max. 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels and 4 macros; the vendor points company use to Professional. |
| Professional Edition | $69per 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. |
Read from mobaxterm.mobatek.net on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with MobaXterm before you buy.
MobaXterm alternatives
- MobaXterm vs SecureCRT
Free trial · from $119/yr
- MobaXterm vs Xshell
Free plan · from $119/yr
- MobaXterm vs Termius
Free plan · from $10/mo
- MobaXterm vs Royal TS
Free plan · from €49 one-time
Common questions
Does MobaXterm have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. MobaXterm is listed for Windows.
Does MobaXterm have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. MobaXterm is listed for Windows.
Is MobaXterm open source?
MobaXterm is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026.