# SecureCRT review (2026): is it worth $119 a year per user? > SSH, Telnet and serial terminal for Windows, macOS and Linux Checked Nov 13, 2026 ยท graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. SecureCRT is a terminal emulator from VanDyke Software that supports SSH, Telnet, serial and, on Windows, RDP. It has tabbed sessions, keyword highlighting and scripting in Python and other languages. It pairs with the SecureFX file transfer client, and one client license covers Windows, macOS and Linux. - **Category:** Remote Desktop - **Made by:** VanDyke Software, Inc. - **Website:** https://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt/ - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you want a free tool, since after the 30-day evaluation you pay per user. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, SecureCRT is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $119 per user, with 1 year of updates. - **Pricing model:** Free trial - **Free plan:** None. - **Free trial:** 30-day evaluation license, fully functional. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | SecureCRT, 1 year of updates | $119 per license, 1 year of updates and support | Single license; $116 each for 2 to 9, $114 each for 10 to 24 and $100 each for 25 to 49. | | SecureCRT, 3 years of updates | $190 per license, 3 years of updates and support | Single license; $186 each for 2 to 9, $182 each for 10 to 24 and $140 each for 25 to 49. | | SecureCRT + SecureFX bundle | $129 per license, 1 year of updates and support | Terminal plus the SecureFX file transfer client; $206 for 3 years of updates. | Read from https://www.vandyke.com/pricing/index.html on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with SecureCRT before buying. ## Key features - **Session management:** Tabbed sessions and tab groups, with keyword highlighting that accepts regular expressions for prompts and errors. - **Several protocols:** SSH2, SSH1, Telnet, Telnet over TLS and serial connections, plus RDP on Windows only. - **Scripting:** Scripts in VBScript, JScript, PerlScript or Python, and a script recorder that turns keystrokes into a script. - **File transfer:** SFTP, Xmodem, Ymodem, Zmodem and Kermit transfers, plus a built-in TFTP server; SecureFX adds FTPS, SCP and WebDAV. - **One license, three desktops:** The vendor says client licenses are not platform-specific, so one license registers Windows, macOS and Linux copies. ## Good for - Network and systems admins who script repetitive terminal tasks - Teams that mix Windows, macOS and Linux workstations under one license - Buyers who want to evaluate fully before paying ## Worth knowing - No free plan: licenses are sold per user, and the free option is a 30-day evaluation. - Licenses include one year of updates and support (or three years at a higher price). - RDP support is Windows only, and Python 3 scripting is listed for Windows, macOS and Ubuntu Linux. - Prices are quoted per order; 50 or more licenses go through sales. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 2.6 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. SecureCRT is a terminal for SSH, Telnet and serial that runs on Windows, macOS and Linux under one license, with scripting in Python and other languages. It starts at $119 for a year of updates, there is no free plan, and RDP only works on Windows. - **Value for money: B.** $119 per user with 1 year of updates is under two years of the category's middle subscription. Three years of updates is $190, and the SecureFX bundle is $129 for a year. - **Free plan and trial: C.** A fully working 30-day evaluation license, but nothing free after that, and the page does not say whether a card is needed. - **Features: B.** SSH, Telnet, serial, tabbed sessions, keyword highlighting, a script recorder and scripting in four languages. The listing shows no gap in the core terminal job. - **Ease of use: C.** No store rating on record. Sessions, scripts and highlighting rules all have to be set up by you. - **Platforms and integrations: B.** Windows, macOS and Linux on one license, plus an iOS version. No web version, and RDP is Windows only. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from VanDyke's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among remote desktop apps - SecureCRT's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 49 of the 85 other remote desktop apps we grade, and level with 19. - It stands best on features (B, above 55 of 85) and worst on ease of use (C, above 10). - Its paid plans start at $9.92 a month when paid by the year for each person, against a middle price of $8.33 for the category: 25 of the 44 others that charge start lower. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 3 tools score higher and cost less. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/remote-access ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** To replace SecureCRT you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It costs $119 a year. - You could not: Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. - You could not: Storing and serving files for other people. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS that stay in step with each other. - You could not: It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team. - You could not: The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with SecureFX, VShell Server **Tags:** Workflow automation, File sharing, One-time purchase ## Alternatives - [Xshell](https://toolgpa.com/tools/xshell): SSH terminal for Windows with session, tab and file managers. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/securecrt-vs-xshell) - [MobaXterm](https://toolgpa.com/tools/mobaxterm): Tabbed SSH client and X server for Windows in one portable app. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/mobaxterm-vs-securecrt) - [PuTTY](https://toolgpa.com/tools/putty): Free SSH and Telnet client for Windows with file-copy utilities. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/putty-vs-securecrt) - [Termius](https://toolgpa.com/tools/termius): SSH and SFTP client for desktop and mobile with a synced vault. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/securecrt-vs-termius) - [Tabby](https://toolgpa.com/tools/tabby): Configurable terminal with built-in SSH, Telnet and serial clients. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/securecrt-vs-tabby) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://www.vandyke.com/pricing/index.html - https://www.vandyke.com/products/securecrt/ Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/securecrt Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).