Skip to content
ToolGPA

PuTTY review (2026): is it any good?

Free SSH and Telnet client for Windows with file-copy utilities

FreeRemote DesktopChecked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Visit chiark.greenend.org.ukFree guide

PuTTY report card

3.0GPA

Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 13, 2026

Best for a bare-bones SSH client on Windows

PuTTY is a free SSH and Telnet client for Windows with file-copy, key and command-line tools in the same download. It stays small and costs nothing, but it is a plain window with no tabs or session extras, and Unix users only get source code to build.

Who PuTTY is for

  • 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

Who PuTTY is not for

  • 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
See the alternatives

Why PuTTY gets a 3.0

Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.

  • AValue for moneyFree 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 plan and trialEverything is free outright: the SSH client, pscp, psftp, plink, puttygen and pageant, with nothing held back for a paid plan.
  • CFeaturesIt 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.
  • BEase of useNo 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.
  • CPlatforms and integrationsWindows 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.

What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Simon Tatham's own page own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.

Make PuTTY? Put this grade on your site
PuTTY: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA

Paste this where you want the badge. It links here and follows the grade if it changes. About badges

<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/putty#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/putty.svg" alt="PuTTY: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>

Where PuTTY stands among remote desktop apps

PuTTY's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 75 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 3.

It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 71 of 85) and worst on features (C, above 1).

PuTTY has no paid plan.

On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 86 remote desktop apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. PuTTY’s own letter is outlined.

  • AValue for moneyAbove 63 of 85, level with 22
  • AFree plan and trialAbove 71 of 85, level with 14
  • CFeaturesAbove 1 of 85, level with 53
  • BEase of useAbove 59 of 85, level with 25
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 12 of 85, level with 15

Price against what you get

Each dot is one of 59 remote desktop apps. Further left costs less, and higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Point at a dot to see which tool it is.

Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged

D1.0C2.0B3.0A4.0Free$0.5$1$2$5$10$20$50$100$200$500More for lessCosts more, scores moreCosts less, scores lessCosts more, scores lessPuTTY

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
The full chart, and the best remote desktop apps at every price

Keep PuTTY, or make your own?

Keep it

PuTTY is free, so making your own would save you nothing.

And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 75 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade.

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 and Linux. Something home-made would be a web page.

What this rests on. PuTTY’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 PuTTY?

PuTTY is a free implementation of SSH and Telnet for Windows and Unix platforms, with an xterm terminal emulator. It is written and maintained primarily by Simon Tatham. The download bundle also carries command-line SCP and SFTP clients, a key generator and an SSH authentication agent.

Worth knowing

  • 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.

Key features

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.

PuTTY pricing

As of Nov 13, 2026, PuTTY is free to use.

Starts at
Free
Free plan
None
Free trial
None listed
PuTTY$0Free download of the full PuTTY suite; the Microsoft Store copy is also free of charge.

Read from chiark.greenend.org.uk on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with PuTTY before you buy.

Pricing in detail

PuTTY alternatives

All PuTTY alternatives comparedAll remote desktop apps

Common questions

Does PuTTY have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. PuTTY is listed for Windows and Linux.

Does PuTTY have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. PuTTY is listed for Windows and Linux.

Is PuTTY open source?

PuTTY 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.