Best Free SSH Clients 2026: 6 Options Compared

An SSH client connects you to a remote server for a shell, file transfer or port forwarding, and the free choices are strong. OpenSSH is the standard command-line client on Linux and macOS, and it is available on Windows too; its licence says all components are under a BSD licence or a more free one. PuTTY has long been the default graphical choice on Windows and is MIT-licensed. Tabby is a modern terminal with built-in SSH, while MobaXterm's free Home edition adds an X server and tabs on Windows but is limited to 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels and 4 macros. Termius works across desktop and phone with a free Starter plan that covers a local vault, SSH and SFTP. Remmina supports SSH among the other protocols it speaks on Linux. The decision is partly about syncing. If you manage many servers across devices, a client with synced hosts saves time, but that often means putting your connection list with a vendor. Use key-based login rather than passwords, protect your private key with a passphrase and check host key fingerprints on first connect. If you only SSH occasionally, the built-in OpenSSH client is enough and avoids installing anything.

OpenSSH

BSD-licensed command-line client and server suite, standard on Linux and macOS. No graphical window, but no extra install on most systems; the best baseline.

Price: Free (Free open-source software) (OpenSSH pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Linux, macOS, Windows, BSD. BSD (per LICENCE file) (open source).

Project activity: 4.1k GitHub stars · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: Command-line users on any system.

Worth knowing: LICENCE file says all components are under a BSD licence or one more free.

PuTTY

MIT-licensed and free with no paid tier. A long-standing graphical SSH and serial client for Windows; the interface is plain and has no built-in tabs.

Price: Free (Free (MIT-licensed, no paid tier)) (PuTTY pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows, Unix-like systems. MIT (open source).

Best for: Windows users who want a classic client.

Compare: PuTTY alternatives

Tabby

MIT-licensed terminal with SSH support and no paid tier. Offers tabs and a modern look, but it is a heavier app than PuTTY.

Price: Free (Free (MIT-licensed, no paid tier)) (Tabby pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux. MIT (open source).

Project activity: 75.2k GitHub stars · latest release v1.0.238 (Oct 7, 2026) · last commit Oct 27, 2026

Best for: A modern terminal with built-in SSH.

MobaXterm

Home edition is free with max 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels and 4 macros; Professional is $69 per user. Packs SSH, SFTP and tabs together in one Windows app.

Price: Free (Home edition is free: max 12 sessions, 2 SSH tunnels, 4 macros); paid from $69 per user, one-time (Professional; EUR 49 also listed) (MobaXterm pricing, checked 2026-10-23).

Platforms and license: Windows. Proprietary (free Home edition).

Best for: Windows admins with a few servers.

Termius

Free Starter plan has a local vault, SSH and SFTP, with autocomplete and port forwarding. Paid starts at $10 a month billed annually; syncing across devices needs a paid plan.

Price: Free (Free (Starter): local vault, SSH and SFTP, AI-powered autocomplete and port forwarding, listed as available for commercial usage); paid from $10 per month, billed annually (Pro); Team is $20 per seat per month billed annually (Termius pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, iPadOS. Proprietary.

Best for: Using SSH on desktop and phone.

Compare: Termius alternatives

Remmina

GPL-2.0-or-later Linux remote client supporting several protocols, including SSH. Best for people who already use it for RDP or VNC.

Price: Free (Remmina pricing, checked 2026-10-22).

Platforms and license: Linux. GPL-2.0-or-later (open source).

Project activity: 2.6k GitHub stars · latest release v1.2.30 (May 20, 2018) · last commit Feb 8, 2026

Best for: Linux users who want one client for many protocols.

Worth knowing: A client for RDP, VNC and SSH, not a hosted relay service.

Which one to pick

• You only SSH occasionally: OpenSSH
• You are on Windows and want a classic app: PuTTY
• You want a modern terminal with SSH built in: Tabby
• You connect from phone and desktop: Termius