The MobaXterm Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about MobaXterm in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
MobaXterm
The Insider’s Guide
Tabbed SSH client and X server for Windows in one portable app
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among remote desktop apps, read from MobaXterm’s own pages.
Made by Mobatek · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from MobaXterm’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on MobaXterm’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 69 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about MobaXterm, taken from its own pages and our grades.
A portable app you run without installing, with no store rating read.
- 1
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.
- 2
What it costs
Paid plans start at $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates.
- 3
There is a 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.
- 4
It runs on Windows
Windows.
- 5
Tabbed SSH terminal
Tabbed sessions based on PuTTY with antialiased fonts, macro support and a session manager for saved connections.
- 6
Embedded X server
An X.org-based server exports DISPLAY from a remote Unix host and carries X11 forwarding over SSH.
- 7
Remote desktop protocols
Besides SSH, the Home Edition lists RDP, VNC and Xdmcp for remote desktops, and Telnet, rlogin and Mosh for terminals.
- 8
A 2.8 GPA, above 69 of 85
That is against the other remote desktop apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
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.
MobaXterm at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Windows
- Made by
- Mobatek
- Category
- Remote Desktop
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
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.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Professional is $69 one-time with 12 months of updates, under a year of the category's $8.33 middle subscription. Home is free. |
| Free plan and trial | B | Home has the X server and SSH, RDP, VNC and SFTP, capped at 12 sessions, 2 tunnels and 4 macros. |
| Features | B | SSH, an X server, RDP, VNC and an SFTP browser together. The listing shows no gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | B | A portable app you run without installing, with no store rating read. |
| Platforms and integrations | D | Windows only, as the vendor describes it as a Windows application. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
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 it 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
Good to know
Good for
- Windows users who need SSH, X11 forwarding and RDP in one tool
- Admins who want a portable executable that runs without installing
- Teams that outgrow the free edition's 12-session limit
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$69 one-time
To start. There is a free plan too
MobaXterm has a free plan. Paid plans start at $69 per user, one-time, with 12 months of updates.
Home Edition
$0
Free. Max. 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels and 4 macros; the vendor points company use to Professional.
Professional Edition
$69
per 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.
The 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.
Read from mobaxterm.mobatek.net on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Windows
Tabbed SSH client and X server for Windows in one portable app. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: file sharing, remote desktop.
SSH, an X server, RDP, VNC and an SFTP browser together.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Windows
What it works with
Its own pages name no integrations.
MobaXterm is made by Mobatek.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
69/85
Other remote desktop apps it is graded above
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
- BFree plan and trialAbove 48 of 85
- BFeaturesAbove 55 of 85
- BEase of useAbove 59 of 85
- DPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 85
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
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.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
PuTTY, SecureCRT, Xshell, Termius and Royal TS
The 5 tools MobaXterm is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
PuTTY
Free
Free SSH and Telnet client for Windows with file-copy utilities.
- Only PuTTY lists a Linux app.
- 2.6GPA
SecureCRT
Free trial · from $119/yr
SSH, Telnet and serial terminal for Windows, macOS and Linux.
- MobaXterm has a free plan. SecureCRT does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only SecureCRT lists macOS, Linux and iOS apps.
- SecureCRT can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- 2.4GPA
Xshell
Free plan · from $119/yr
SSH terminal for Windows with session, tab and file managers.
- Xshell can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- MobaXterm also covers file sharing.
- Xshell also covers workflow automation.
- 2.6GPA
Termius
Free plan · from $10/mo
SSH and SFTP client for desktop and mobile with a synced vault.
- Only Termius lists macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps.
- MobaXterm also covers file sharing and remote desktop.
- 2.8GPA
Royal TS
Free plan · from €49 one-time
Connection manager for RDP, SSH, VNC and web sessions.
- Only Royal TS lists macOS, iOS and Android apps.
- MobaXterm also covers file sharing.
- Royal TS also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
10
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is MobaXterm free?
MobaXterm has a 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.
How much does MobaXterm cost?
MobaXterm lists 2 plans. Home Edition: $0.
What platforms does MobaXterm work on?
MobaXterm is available on Windows.
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.
Who makes MobaXterm?
MobaXterm is made by Mobatek.
What are the alternatives to MobaXterm?
The closest alternatives to MobaXterm in our directory are PuTTY, SecureCRT, Xshell, Termius and Royal TS.
How does MobaXterm compare with other 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.
Could I make my own version of MobaXterm?
To replace MobaXterm you would be making a fast, secure link to another computer through any network.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from MobaXterm’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. 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.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Mobatek. Prices change, so check mobaxterm.mobatek.net before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- MobaXterm, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/mobaxterm
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "MobaXterm: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/mobaxterm
Know someone choosing between remote desktop apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/mobaxterm/guide
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See our other guides
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- Chrome Remote Desktop Insider's GuideGoogle's free remote access to your own computers from a browser3.2 GPA
- DWService Insider's GuideFree browser-based remote access to computers via an agent3.2 GPA
- HopToDesk Insider's GuideFree open-source remote desktop with a paid device dashboard3.2 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what MobaXterm’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. MobaXterm is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Mobatek. Prices and plans change: check mobaxterm.mobatek.net before you buy.