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Astropad vs PuTTY

Professional comparison and analysis to help you choose the right software solution for your needs.

Astropad icon
Astropad
PuTTY icon
PuTTY

Astropad vs PuTTY: The Verdict

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature Astropad PuTTY
Sugggest Score
Category Photos & Graphics Network & Admin
Pricing Open Source

Product Overview

Astropad
Astropad

Description: Astropad is a graphics tablet app that allows you to use an iPad as a drawing tablet with your Mac. It mirrors your Mac's screen to your iPad, letting you use your iPad as a pen display with pressure sensitivity for creative tools like Photoshop.

Type: software

PuTTY
PuTTY

Description: PuTTY is a popular open-source terminal emulator and SSH client for Windows. Developed by Simon Tatham, PuTTY provides a lightweight and versatile tool for connecting to remote servers using various network protocols, including SSH, Telnet, and Rlogin. It is widely used for secure and convenient command-line access to remote systems.

Type: software

Pricing: Open Source

Key Features Comparison

Astropad
Astropad Features
  • Mirrors Mac screen to iPad for use as a graphics tablet
  • Pressure sensitivity for natural drawing experience
  • Low latency for real-time feedback
  • Customizable shortcuts and gestures
  • Supports Apple Pencil and common drawing apps like Photoshop
PuTTY
PuTTY Features
  • SSH client
  • Telnet client
  • Rlogin client
  • Raw socket connection
  • Serial port connection
  • Basic file transfer (SCP and SFTP)
  • Proxying for tunneling connections through HTTP proxies
  • Local terminal emulator (with VT100 and VT52 emulation)
  • Configurable keyboard shortcuts
  • Session logging

Pros & Cons Analysis

Astropad
Astropad
Pros
  • Turns iPad into a high quality pen display
  • Very responsive and accurate
  • Wireless connection for flexible setup
  • Good value compared to graphics tablets
Cons
  • Requires both Mac and iPad
  • Set up can be tricky
  • Occasional lag or disconnect issues
  • Limited to mirroring main screen only
PuTTY
PuTTY
Pros
  • Free and open source
  • Lightweight and fast
  • Supports multiple network protocols
  • Available for Windows, with unofficial ports for other platforms
  • Highly configurable with many options
  • Actively developed and maintained
Cons
  • Official builds only for Windows
  • Limited file transfer capabilities compared to FTP/SFTP clients
  • Minimalist interface lacks some conveniences of other SSH clients
  • Lacks advanced SSH features like agent forwarding or port tunneling
  • No official support offered

Pricing Comparison

Astropad
Astropad
  • Not listed
PuTTY
PuTTY
  • Open Source

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