The PuTTY suite of utilities is an open-source software package that allows users to connect to remote computers through the SSH protocol. They are commonly used for logging into remote servers, desktops, and virtual private networks (VPNs). However, on Windows operating system the PuTTY application can be a little bit tricky to set up. In this article, we explore the six best alternative PuTTY clients for Windows and alternatives to using instead of it.
Why use a PuTTY Alternative?
The PuTTY suite of tools is used to connect to remote hosts across a network. These tools are commonly used by system administrators and developers when they need to administer a remote computer. PuTTY is available on a variety of different operating systems, including Windows and macOS. This is what makes it a very popular SSH client. However, on Windows operating system the PuTTY application can be a little bit tricky to set up.
PuTTy Alternatives for Windows
1. Solar-PuTTY
Solar PuTTY is an excellent and free tool provided by SolarWinds. Solar Putty supports Multiple Protocols including SSH, SCP (Secure Copy), Telnet & SFTP/FTP. It has a multi-tabbed interface for quickly switching between multiple Sessions. Provides auto login using saved credentials. If any connection is dropped, it reconnects automatically.
Auto Reconnect if a Connection Drops
2. KiTTY
KiTTY is a fork from version 0.63 of PuTTY, the best telnet / SSH client in the world. KiTTY is only designed for the Microsoft Windows platform. For more information about the original software, or pre-compiled binaries on other systems, you can go to the Simon Tatham PuTTY page.
3. MobaSSH
MobaSSH is a Windows SSH client that is best suited for Windows 10 and Windows 7. MobaSSH has a clean and simple user interface and is very lightweight. MobaSSH is an open-source SSH client that is completely free and easy to use. Although MobaSSH is an incredibly simple application, it comes with all the basic features you need to connect to a remote server. It supports multiple connections and auto-completion, and it also has a built-in tunneling feature.
Overall, MobaSSH is a great choice for those who want a lightweight Windows SSH client. One of the best features of MobaSSH is that it has a built-in File Transfer Protocol (FTP) client. You can use it to transfer files to and from remote computers or even edit remote files with your local computer. This makes it a great alternative to the built-in Windows FTP client.
4. mRemoteNG
mRemoteNG is a fully featured, open-source remote connection manager and is considered to be the best alternative to PuTTY on Windows 10. With mRemoteNG, you can manage all your remote connections in one place and even create a custom interface for each connection. You can customize the client to use with your existing SSH public keys or create new, custom keys. mRemoteNG is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, and even in a web version.
If you are an IT professional or a system administrator who manages a large number of servers, you might find it easier to use mRemoteNG over PuTTY. PuTTY is simple and lightweight but might not be the best choice for those who manage a large number of servers. One of the best things about using mRemoteNG is that you can easily manage multiple SSH connections at once. You can create custom tabs for each connection, which allows you to jump between connections with ease.
You can even use tabbed interfaces for different cloud services. mRemoteNG has a very clean and modern user interface with plenty of features that can make your life easier.
5. Xshell
Xshell is a powerful terminal emulator that supports SSH, SFTP, TELNET, RLOGIN and SERIAL. It delivers industry-leading performance and feature sets that are not available in its free alternatives.
6. Bitvise SSH Client
Bitvise is an advanced and robust commercial SSH client for Windows. It is a very feature-rich application that is great for power users. Bitvise is available in a free trial version, and if you like it, you can purchase a license. A license is $59 for a single user and $149 for a 5-user pack. Bitvise has a clean, modern user interface and has a lot of useful features. Bitvise supports SSH connections and SFTP connections. It also has a built-in terminal emulator that you can use to run commands and manage your remote servers.
Bitvise is a great alternative to the PuTTY SSH client if you are looking for a feature-rich application. If you are a system administrator who manages a large number of servers, Bitvise is a great choice for you. It has a lot of features that are specifically designed for system administrators. You can create custom session profiles for different servers and use them to connect to them with ease. You can also create shortcuts for your custom session profiles and connect to your servers with a single click.
Conclusion
PuTTY is a popular SSH client that is used to connect to remote computers. PuTTY is available in a variety of different languages and is easy to set up and use. PuTTY is a simple application and is best suited for those who don’t need a lot of features. If you are looking for a more feature-rich alternative to PuTTY, you can use mRemoteNG, MobaSSH, Bitvise SSH Client, or any other alternatives mentioned in this article. If you are a system administrator who manages a large number of servers, Bitvise is a great choice for you. It has a lot of features that are specifically designed for system administrators.
22 Comments
Help. I am looking for guide
My fav is Bitvise SSH Client, after Putty
“KiTTY is a fork from version 0.63 of PuTTY, the best telnet / SSH client in the world.”
No. The best SSH client in the world is ssh.
I use Eltima’s Serial Port Monitor (https://www.eltima.com/products/serial-port-monitor/) for serial communication as an advanced alternative to terminal apps like Putty. The utility has the terminal mode which helps to emulate sending data.
it was great and useful my freind…
My F-Secure antivirus software said that Bitvise tried to change the antivirus software!
I suggest that you contact F-Secure to ask if you should keep Bitvise on the list still…
I am using putty on my ubuntu 16.04 desktop pc, But I can not login using it. Do you have article about this?
Thanks
I always like putty, but silly putty is king.
That’s a Great Alternatives of Putty & it could actually work as a great SSH Clients.
I should leave using Putty now .
Cheers.
If you like it simple and clean you should check out WinSSHTerm
SecureCRT?
MobaXterm is a wonderful tool to work for windows, gives a good working experience. I really felt happy when started working with this tool even though I am new to this one.
Thanks MobaXterm!!
Nothing beats Mobaxterm yet. Really astonishing that it took so long before someone finally strted thinking what would be useful to put into the software instead of just creating bloatware. Mobs rocks, Am using it for years now.
mobaxterm would be the best, but it is crashing forme since 7.1. Icontacted the team but so far no news for my issue.
XShell is the top master , been using it with very different equipments and never failed me once ………
Thank you for this very useful post !
I did not know MobaXterm, so just try it and it is really great.
I get all the feature I miss in others. By the way the SSH gateway is awesome for RDP and VNC connection.
mRemoteNG rocks! I’m fine with putty, but I wanted an easy “menu”-like list of urls to choose from. I’m getting that and much more.
If we talking about SSH clients then mRemoteNG is NOT replacement.
It is a nice GUI wrapper for bunch of protocols, but internally mRemoteNG using old Putty (or one can replace with KiTTY, but it isnt SSH client.
mRemoteNG gets my vote aswell
i personally tested all and prefer to stick with mRemoteNG which is free.
Thank you very much for these alternatives to Putty: I found MobaXterm very useful and suitable for my daily work. The graphical Sftp browser is really a killer feature!! There is a screencast on their website which shows all the advantages of this solution: http://mobaxterm.mobatek.net
Given tools are very useful but I always like PuTTy. Thanks for list