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PuTTy is the most basic and popular open-source SSH client used to securely connect to a remote server or device and manage it efficiently. Initially, this standard terminal emulator was developed for Windows-based systems, but there are versions available now for UNIX and Linux systems as well. No doubt, PuTTy’s network software has been enhanced over the years now, but what if you want more features and functionality than what PuTTY. The market has spoken and many other free alternatives that may be even better than PuTTy have popped up with added benefits, functionality, and more! Below are some of the Best Alternatives to PuTTy for SSH client connections: Some of the PuTTy replacements mentioned here are free, while others are paid versions. You can choose the one that best suits your requirements and needs. Here are the Best PuTTY alternativesconnections in 2020 1. Solar-PuTTY Solar-PuTTy is a FREE SSH client developed by an IT industry leader Solarwinds. It lets you remotely and securely connect to any device or server and is developed for Windows systems. Solar-PuTTy utility is user-friendly, as it allows you to save private keys or credentials to any session for quick logins every single time. Moreover, you can even automate scripts to establish a connection just as you log in. What makes it available is the fact it is light and portable. That means you can run the executable file, with NO need for installation. Plus, the ‘Windows Search’ integration makes it easier to find saved sessions, Usernames, IP addresses, and Tags in no time. You can even color-code each session for easy recognition. Solar-PuTTy Features: Single console with a tabbed interface to manage multiple sessions seamlessly (like Firefox/chrome/opera tabs) Includes Windows Search Integration to find saved sessions, IP address, or Tags Does not require Installation Supports SSH, SCP, SFTP, and Telnet protocols Saves credentials (even private keys) for Auto-login Graphical Progress Bar for SFTP file transfers Allows to automate all scripts once connected Auto Reconnection in case of connection failure Assign Color Codes to any PuTTy session 2. KiTTY KiTTy is a fork version of the PuTTy project. This means that the KiTTy was developed by copying and slightly changing the source code of PuTTy. It is an open-source, FREE SSH client mainly designed only for the Microsoft Windows system interface. But, you can still get access to remote computers that run on Mac OS, Windows, UNIX, and Linux systems. KiTTy tool gets updated every now and then to stay ahead of the game. With KiTTy, admins and server engineers can create scripts in order to automatically access and run commands on the command line of a remote device. KiTTy Features: Free, open-source Built-in Chat system and Text Editor Designed for Windows platform, but can log in to computers that run on other OS Session Filtering options provided Includes two SCP implementations viz. WinSCP and pscp Auto Scripts/Login Scripts once a session is established Allows you to launch multiple sessions Connects via SSH, Telnet, and login protocols Portable: Does not require Installation Can run Local Scripts on remote devices/computers Can Auto-Save sessions via Windows Registry Add Automatic Passwords 3. MobaXterm MobaXterm is an advanced terminal emulator with inbuilt X11 server integration, designed for Windows. It has a free version, ideal for home use, and also a ‘Paid’ version for enterprises. Even though it is made for Microsoft Windows systems, it supports a few Linux/Unix commands. It comes with a wide range of functions for people who want to manage systems remotely including programmers, IT admins, webmasters, etc. MobaXterm can run multiple SSH sessions simultaneously, which can be seamlessly accessed via a tabbed interface. The free version lets you run up to 12 SSH sessions, whereas the paid version supports unlimited sessions. All the file transfers are carried out through SFTP protocol, whereas a terminal session is handled by the X Server system. You can expand MobaXterm’s abilities with the use of plug-ins, and even tunnel protocol with HTTPS. MobaXterm Features (Free Version): Provides remote network tools such as VNC, RDP, FTP, SSH, X11, MOSH, etc. Supports a few Unix/Linux commands (cat, ls, bash, grep, rsync, awk, etc.) Embedded X11-Forwarding and X Server Tabbed interface for SSH: Maximum 12 sessions Built-in Text Editor, GUI File Light and Portable: Does NOT require Installation Maximum 4 macros Offers two SSH tunnels Maximum 360 seconds for Nfs, Tftp, and Cron Remote Session Manager Remote Desktop Manager Automatic SFTP browser Plugins support 4. mRemoteNG mRemoteNG is yet another fork version of mRemote – which is an open-source remote connection manager.mRemoteNG has a few additional features and bug fixes to mRemote. mRemote stands for ‘multi-remote’ sessions. Hence, mRemoteNG has a tabbed interface that lets you view multiple remote connections in a single, powerful window. It runs on Windows and also comes with various communication systems. But some of these, such as rLogin and RDP, are not so secure. Thus, it is recommended to NOT use these to access remote devices over the Internet. mRemoteNG Features: Supports SSH, VNC, rLogin, Telnet, ICA, RDP, Telnet, HTTPS, and other protocols Free, open-source Tabbed interface, multi-protocol features Simple, clean interface Integrated secure file transfer; supports SFTP and SCP Allows you to undock panels 5. Xshell 6 Client Xshell 6 is another powerful SSH client or terminal emulator that supports Telnet, SSH1, SSH2, rLogin, SFTP, and SERIAL connections. This also makes it one of the better PuTTy alternatives due to its wide set of features! Xshell has a free version for home use, and there’s also a paid version available for businesses. Xshell 6 Features: Full CMD functionality Launch multiple sessions at the same time as Xshell’s superior Session Manager Tabbed Interface Customization: Set key mappings, dock UI elements, define sessions and layouts Apply ‘Highlight Sets’ to each session as per your needs Uses PKCS#11 and GSSAPI authentication and encryption methods Master Password feature X11 Forwarding Built-in terminal lock Supports JScript, VBScript, and Python Custom Keyboard/Key Mappings 6. Bitvise SSH Client Bitvise is a highly flexible SSH Client and a powerful PuTTy alternative with myriads of functions. Most importantly, it is Free to use. Bitvise SSH Client comes with powerful tunneling features such as remote administration to the SSH server and dynamic port forwarding via integrated proxy. It is a Windows application with state-of-the-art terminal emulation as well as a file transfer system. It features command-line and graphical SFTP support; while the terminal emulator supports bvterm, vt100, and xterm protocols. Bitvise SSH Client Features: Free SSH Client with Graphical SFTP functionality Dynamic Port Forwarding via HTTP or Socks proxy Supports bvterm, xterm, and vt100 protocols Scriptable command-line options Supports DSA, RSA, and ECDSA Public Key Authentication FTP to SFTP Bridge Supports SSO (Single Sign-On) Remote Console Portable 8. SuperPuTTy SuperPuTTy is a GUI-based Windows Manager that is hosted on GitHub. It is mainly designed to provide the much-needed tabbed interface, as the standard PuTTy program lacks it. With this feature, you can easily access and manage various sessions through a tabbed window. It is an open-source program and absolutely free to download and use. Along with a powerful tabbed interface, SuperPuTTy also provides you with a customizable UI.