Best SSH Clients in 2026
The best SSH clients for Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android, compared. Whether you want a free classic like PuTTY or a modern app that syncs your servers across every device, here’s what to use.
WindowsmacOSLinuxiPhone & iPadAndroid
Quick picks
Our top SSH clients at a glance
Termius
Best overall. A modern SSH client for every platform, with a solid free plan and optional sync between desktop and phone.
Built-in OpenSSH
Best free option. Already installed on Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux. Nothing to download.
MobaXterm
Best all-in-one for Windows. SSH tabs, a file browser, X11 and network tools in one app.
Blink Shell
Best for iPhone and iPad. A fast, keyboard-first terminal with Mosh support for unreliable connections.
Compare
SSH client comparison
| SSH client | Platforms | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Termius | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Free plan; paid plans add sync | Using SSH on every device |
| OpenSSH (built in) | Windows 10/11, macOS, Linux | Free | Quick command-line connections |
| PuTTY | Windows (also Linux) | Free, open source | A lightweight classic |
| MobaXterm | Windows | Free Home edition; paid Pro | Sysadmins who want everything in one app |
| Bitvise SSH Client | Windows | Free, including at work | SFTP and SSH tunneling |
| Tabby | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free, open source | A modern, customizable terminal |
| SecureCRT | Windows, macOS, Linux | Paid | Network engineers and enterprise teams |
| iTerm2 | macOS | Free, open source | Mac users who live in the terminal |
| Royal TSX | macOS (Royal TS on Windows) | Free with limits; paid license | Managing lots of connections |
| Blink Shell | iPhone, iPad | Subscription | Serious work on an iPad |
| Prompt 3 | iPhone, iPad, Mac | Paid | Apple users who want a polished app |
| ConnectBot | Android | Free, open source | A simple, no-cost Android client |
Windows
Best SSH clients for Windows
Windows has more SSH clients than any other platform. If you only connect now and then, the built-in client is all you need (see how to SSH into a server). If you manage servers every day, a dedicated app saves a lot of time.
Windows OpenSSH
Windows 10 (version 1809 and later) and Windows 11 ship with the same OpenSSH client used on Linux and macOS. Open Windows Terminal or PowerShell and type ssh user@server. Windows Terminal adds tabs, split panes and profiles on top.
Best for: Quick connections without installing anything
PuTTY
The classic Windows SSH and Telnet client, first released in 1999 and still actively maintained with regular security releases. It’s tiny, fast and dependable, and comes with PuTTYgen for keys and PSCP/PSFTP for file transfers. The interface shows its age, and saved sessions aren’t easy to organize.
Best for: A lightweight, no-nonsense client
MobaXterm
A complete remote-work toolbox: tabbed SSH sessions with an SFTP sidebar that opens automatically, a built-in X11 server, RDP and VNC, plus Unix commands on Windows. The free Home edition caps saved sessions and tunnels; Professional removes the limits.
Best for: Sysadmins who want SSH, SFTP and X11 in one window
Bitvise SSH Client
A polished Windows client with a graphical SFTP window, strong SSH tunneling and port forwarding, and a command-line version for scripts. It’s free for personal and business use, with an optional paid license for extra support.
Best for: SFTP file transfers and SSH tunnels
Tabby
A modern, good-looking terminal with built-in SSH, SFTP and serial connections, a connection manager and lots of themes and plugins. It uses more memory than PuTTY, but it’s far nicer to look at all day.
Best for: A free, modern alternative to PuTTY
SecureCRT
A long-standing professional client from VanDyke Software with advanced session management, scripting, button bars and strong serial and Telnet support. It’s a common choice for network engineers working with routers and switches.
Best for: Network engineers and enterprise teams
macOS & Linux
Best SSH clients for Mac and Linux
macOS and Linux include OpenSSH out of the box, so you can open Terminal and run ssh user@server right away. These apps make it easier to manage many servers. You can also give each server a short name with our SSH Config Generator.
iTerm2
The most popular Terminal replacement on the Mac, with split panes, search, profiles, triggers and tmux integration. It uses the built-in ssh command, so your existing keys and SSH config just work.
Best for: Mac users who live in the terminal
Termius
A clean, modern SSH client with saved hosts, an SFTP browser, port forwarding, snippets and AI command autocomplete. The free plan covers SSH and SFTP. Paid plans sync your hosts and keys between computers and phones, and add team sharing.
Best for: Using the same servers on desktop and mobile
Royal TSX
A connection manager for people with dozens or hundreds of servers. It organizes SSH, RDP, VNC and web connections into shareable documents, with stored credentials. The free version limits how many connections you can save.
Best for: Managing lots of connections
Tabby on Linux
Most Linux users are happy with their terminal emulator and the ssh command. If you want a graphical connection manager with SFTP built in, Tabby is the best free option and works the same on every desktop OS.
Best for: A graphical SSH manager on Linux
Mobile
Best SSH apps for iPhone, iPad and Android
Fixing a server from your phone is a lifesaver. Look for an app with good keyboard support and Mosh, which keeps your session alive when you switch between Wi-Fi and cellular.
Blink Shell
A fast, keyboard-driven terminal built for the iPad, with first-class Mosh support, SSH keys and agent forwarding, and a built-in code editor. It’s the favorite of people who do real work on an iPad.
Best for: Serious terminal work on iPad
Prompt 3
Panic’s polished SSH client supports Mosh and Eternal Terminal, syncs servers and keys between your Apple devices, and has a clean, native design.
Best for: Apple users who want a polished app
Termius mobile
Termius is one of the few clients that is equally good on iPhone and Android, with an extra keyboard row for Ctrl, Esc and arrow keys. Pair it with the desktop app and a paid plan to have every server on every device.
Best for: Using the same servers on desktop and mobile
ConnectBot
A simple, lightweight SSH client that has been around for well over a decade. It supports key authentication and port forwarding, with no account, ads or subscription.
Best for: A free, no-frills Android client
Termux
Not an SSH app exactly, but a full Linux terminal for Android. Run pkg install openssh and you get the real ssh, scp and ssh-keygen commands on your phone.
Best for: Power users who want real OpenSSH tools on Android
What about JuiceSSH? JuiceSSH was the go-to Android SSH app for years, but it hasn’t been updated since 2021 and was removed from Google Play in December 2025. Because it no longer gets security fixes, we recommend switching to Termius or ConnectBot.
Buying guide
How to choose an SSH client
- Start with what you have. The built-in OpenSSH client handles most jobs. Add an app only when you need saved sessions, a GUI or file transfers.
- Check key support. Make sure the client supports Ed25519 keys and your preferred key format, OpenSSH or PuTTY .ppk.
- Want file transfers? MobaXterm, Bitvise, Termius and Tabby all include an SFTP browser. For dedicated apps, see the best SFTP clients.
- Work from several devices? Pick a client with sync, like Termius or Prompt 3.
- Prefer open source? PuTTY, Tabby, iTerm2, ConnectBot and OpenSSH are all free and open source.
A bit of CodeBrowser history
CodeBrowser has been about SSH for a long time. Back in the mid-2000s, codebrowser.org was the home of zaTelnet, zaSFTP and zaTunnel: some of the first SSH, SFTP and tunneling apps for Windows Mobile phones and Pocket PCs. Phones have changed a lot since then, but the need to reach a server from anywhere hasn’t.
FAQ
SSH client questions, answered
What is an SSH client?
An SSH client is a program that connects securely to a remote computer, usually a Linux server, over the SSH protocol. It lets you run commands on that server as if you were sitting in front of it. Many SSH clients can also transfer files using SFTP or SCP.
What is the best free SSH client?
For most people, the OpenSSH client that is already built into Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux. If you want a graphical app, PuTTY and Tabby are free and open source, Bitvise is free for personal and business use, and MobaXterm and Termius have capable free versions.
Does Windows have a built-in SSH client?
Yes. Windows 10 version 1809 and later, and all versions of Windows 11, include the OpenSSH client. Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run ssh user@server.
Is PuTTY still safe to use?
Yes, as long as you keep it updated. PuTTY is still actively maintained and regularly releases security fixes, so always download the latest version from its official website.
What is the difference between SSH and SFTP?
SSH gives you a secure command-line session on a remote server. SFTP runs over the same secure SSH connection but is used to upload, download and manage files. Most modern SSH clients support both.
Can I use SSH from my phone?
Yes. Termius works on both iPhone and Android, Blink Shell and Prompt 3 are excellent on iPhone and iPad, and ConnectBot and Termux are free options for Android.
Need an SSH key first?
Every client on this list works with Ed25519 and RSA keys. Create yours in seconds, right in your browser.