Comparison of SSH clients

An SSH client is a software program which uses the secure shell protocol to connect to a remote computer. This article compares a selection of notable clients.

General

Name	Developer	Initial release	Platform	Latest release		License	GUI	TUI/CLI
				Version	Date
Template:Rh| AbsoluteTelnet	Celestial Software (Brian Pence)	1996	Windows	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	Template:Proprietary	Template:Ya	Template:Na
Template:Rh| Bitvise SSH Client	Bitvise Limited	2001	Windows	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	Template:Proprietary	Template:Ya	Template:Ya
Template:Rh| ConnectBot	Kenny Root Jeffrey Sharkey	2007-11Template:Efn	Android	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	Template:Open source	?	?
Template:Rh rowspan="9" | Dropbear	Matt Johnston	2003-04-06	AIX	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	rowspan="9" Template:Open source	rowspan="9" Template:Na	rowspan="9" Template:Ya
BSD
Cygwin
Linux
HP-UX
iOS
Maemo
macOS
Solaris
Template:Rh rowspan="13" | OpenSSHTemplate:Efn	The OpenBSD project	1999-12-01Template:Efn	AIX	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	rowspan="13" Template:Open source	rowspan="13" Template:Na	rowspan="13" Template:Ya
Android
BSD
Cygwin
Linux
HP-UX
iOS
Maemo
OpenVMS
macOS
Solaris
Windows
z/OS
Template:Rh rowspan="5" | PuTTY	Simon Tatham	1999-01-22	BSD	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	rowspan="5" Template:Open source	rowspan="5" Template:Ya	rowspan="5" Template:Ya
Linux
macOS
Solaris
Windows
Template:Rh rowspan="4" | SecureCRT	VanDyke Software	1998–06	Linux	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	rowspan="4" Template:Proprietary	rowspan="4" Template:Ya	rowspan="4" Template:Na
macOS			Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata
iOS			Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata
Windows			Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata
Template:Rh| Tera Term	TeraTerm Project	2004Template:Efn	Windows	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	Template:Open source	Template:Ya	Template:Na
Template:Rh| TN3270 Plus	SDI USA, Inc.	2006	Windows	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	Template:Proprietary	Template:Ya	Template:Na
Template:Rh | WinSCP	Martin Přikryl	2000	Windows	6.3.3	2024-04-16	GNU GPL	Template:Ya	?
Template:Rh rowspan="6" | wolfSSH	wolfSSL	2016-07-20Template:Efn	BSD	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	rowspan="6" Template:Open source	rowspan="6" Template:Na	rowspan="6" Template:Ya
Cygwin
Linux
macOS
Solaris
Windows
Template:Rh rowspan="3" | ZOC Terminal	EmTec, Innovative Software	1995-07-01	macOS	Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata	rowspan="3" Template:Proprietary	rowspan="3" Template:Ya	rowspan="3" Template:Ya
OS/2			Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata
Windows			Template:Wikidata	Template:Wikidata

Platform

The operating systems or virtual machines the SSH clients are designed to run on without emulation include several possibilities:

• Partial indicates that while it works, the client lacks important functionality compared to versions for other OSs but may still be under development.

The list is not exhaustive, but rather reflects the most common platforms today. Template:Sort-under

Name	macOS	Windows	Cygwin	BSD	Linux	Solaris	OpenVMS	z/OS	AIX	HP-UX	iOS	Android	Maemo	Windows Phone
Template:Rh| AbsoluteTelnet	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
Template:Rh| Bitvise SSH Client	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Template:Rh| ConnectBot	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No
Template:Rh| Dropbear	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	Yes	Yes	YesTemplate:Efn	No	Yes	?
Template:Rh| lsh	Yes	No	No	PartialTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	?	?	No	No	No	No	No	?
Template:Rh| OpenSSHTemplate:Efn	Included	IncludedTemplate:Efn	Included	Included	IncludedTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	YesTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	?
Template:Rh| PuTTY	Partial	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?	No	No	No	No	No	Beta
Template:Rh| SecureCRT	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	?
Template:Rh| SmartFTP	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
Template:Rh| Tera Term	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
Template:Rh| TN3270 Plus	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
Template:Rh| WinSCP	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	YesTemplate:Efn	No	No	?
Template:Rh| wolfSSH	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No
Template:Rh| ZOC Terminal	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	No	?
Name	macOS	Windows	Cygwin	BSD	Linux	Solaris	OpenVMS	z/OS	AIX	HP-UX	iOS	Android	Maemo	Windows Phone

Technical

Name	SSH1 (insecure)	SSH2	Additional protocols		Port forwarding and Tunneling			Session multiplexing Template:Efn	Kerberos	IPv6	Terminal	SFTP/SCP	Proxy clientTemplate:Efn
			TELNET	rlogin	Port forwarding	SOCKS Template:Efn	VPN Template:Efn
Template:Rh| AbsoluteTelnet	yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	SOCKS 4, 5; HTTP
Template:Rh| Bitvise SSH Client	no	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	SOCKS 4, 5
Template:Rh| Dropbear	no	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?
Template:Rh| lsh	no	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	?
Template:Rh| OpenSSHTemplate:Efn	noTemplate:Efn	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	ProxyCommand
Template:Rh| PuTTY	yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	YesTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	YesTemplate:Efn	SOCKS 4, 5; HTTP; Telnet; Local
Template:Rh| SecureCRT	yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	SOCKS 4, 5; HTTP; Telnet; Generic
Template:Rh| SmartFTP	no	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	SOCKS 4, 5; HTTP
Template:Rh| Tera Term	yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	SCP	SOCKS 4, 5; HTTP; Telnet
Template:Rh| TN3270 Plus	yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	SOCKS 4
Template:Rh| WinSCP Template:Efn	noTemplate:Efn	Yes	No	No	limitedTemplate:Efn	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	simple	Yes	SOCKS 4, 5; HTTP; Telnet; Local
Template:Rh| wolfSSH	no	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	simple	Yes	No
Template:Rh| ZOC Terminal	yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	YesTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn	SOCKS 4; 5; HTTP; Jumpserver
Name	SSH1 (insecure)	SSH2	Additional protocols		Tunneling			Session multiplexing Template:Efn	Kerberos	IPv6	Terminal	SFTP/SCP	Proxy clientTemplate:Efn
			TELNET	rlogin	Port forwarding	SOCKS Template:Efn	VPN Template:Efn

Features

Name	Keyboard mapping	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	URL hyperlinking	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Hardware encryption	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Template:Verth	Template:Verth
Template:Rh| AbsoluteTelnet	full	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	Yes	Yes	?	?	?
Template:Rh| Bitvise SSH Client	?	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	No	?	Partial	Yes	No	Yes	No
Template:Rh| OpenSSHTemplate:Efn	?	No	No	?	YesTemplate:Efn	Yes	not nativeTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	Yes	PartialTemplate:Efn	No	No	?	YesTemplate:Efn
Template:Rh| PuTTY	No	NoTemplate:Efn	No	No	Yes	Yes	NoTemplate:Efn	Yes	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	NoTemplate:Efn
Template:Rh| SecureCRT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	?	?
Template:Rh| SmartFTP	Partial	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	AES-NI	Yes	No	?	?	?
Template:Rh| Tera Term	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	?	?
Template:Rh| TN3270 Plus	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	?	?	?
Template:Rh| wolfSSH	No	No	No	No	No	Yes	No	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	Yes
Template:Rh| ZOC Terminal	full	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	?	?	?

Authentication key algorithms

This table lists standard authentication key algorithms implemented by SSH clients. Some SSH implementations include both server and client implementations and support custom non-standard authentication algorithms not listed in this table.

Name	ssh-dssTemplate:Efn	ssh-rsa	RSA with SHA-2		ECDSA with SHA-2			EdDSA		Security keys
			rsa-sha2-256	rsa-sha2-512	ecdsa-sha2-nistp256	ecdsa-sha2-nistp384	ecdsa-sha2-nistp521	ssh-ed25519	ssh-ed448	sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256	sk-ssh-ed25519
Template:Rh| AbsoluteTelnet	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Template:Rh| Bitvise SSH Client	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Template:Rh| Dropbear	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?
Template:Rh| lsh	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Template:Rh| OpenSSHTemplate:Efn	YesTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	Yes	Yes
Template:Rh| PuTTY	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	NoTemplate:Efn	NoTemplate:Efn
Template:Rh| SecureCRT	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?
Template:Rh| SmartFTP	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No
Template:Rh| Tera Term	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Template:Rh| TN3270 Plus	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Template:Rh| WinSCP	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	?	?
Template:Rh| wolfSSH	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	No	No
Template:Rh| ZOC TerminalTemplate:Efn	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Name	ssh-dss	ssh-rsa	rsa-sha2-256	rsa-sha2-512	ecdsa-sha2-nistp256	ecdsa-sha2-nistp384	ecdsa-sha2-nistp521	ssh-ed25519	ssh-ed448	sk-ecdsa-sha2-nistp256	sk-ssh-ed25519
			RSA with SHA-2		ECDSA with SHA-2			EdDSA		Security keys

See also

• Comparison of SSH servers
• Comparison of FTP client software
• Comparison of remote desktop software