PuTTY vs OpenSSH for Windows

Struggling to choose between PuTTY and OpenSSH for Windows? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

PuTTY is a Network & Admin solution with tags like terminal-emulator, ssh-client, remote-access, command-line.

It boasts features such as 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 and pros including 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.

On the other hand, OpenSSH for Windows is a Security & Privacy product tagged with ssh, secure-shell, encryption, remote-access.

Its standout features include Provides SSH client and server functionality for Windows, Allows secure remote login, file transfer and tunneling over an encrypted connection, Implements SSH protocols for authentication and encryption, Supports public key authentication for login without passwords, Includes command line (ssh, scp, sftp) and GUI clients, Interoperable with OpenSSH on Linux/Unix systems, and it shines with pros like Free and open source, Secure - uses strong encryption for data transfer, Reliable and widely used SSH implementation, No need for 3rd party SSH clients on Windows, Provides both CLI and GUI access, Actively maintained and updated.

Feature	PuTTY	OpenSSH for Windows
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Network & Admin	Security & Privacy

Product Overview

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.

OpenSSH for Windows

Description: OpenSSH for Windows is a free SSH client and server for Windows that allows you to securely connect to Linux and Unix servers, transfer files, and run remote commands over an encrypted connection.

Key Features Comparison

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

OpenSSH for Windows Features

• Provides SSH client and server functionality for Windows
• Allows secure remote login, file transfer and tunneling over an encrypted connection
• Implements SSH protocols for authentication and encryption
• Supports public key authentication for login without passwords
• Includes command line (ssh, scp, sftp) and GUI clients
• Interoperable with OpenSSH on Linux/Unix systems

Pros & Cons Analysis

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

OpenSSH for Windows

Pros

• Free and open source
• Secure - uses strong encryption for data transfer
• Reliable and widely used SSH implementation
• No need for 3rd party SSH clients on Windows
• Provides both CLI and GUI access
• Actively maintained and updated

Cons

• Initial setup can be complex for beginners
• Requires some knowledge of SSH to configure and use
• Lacks some features available in commercial SSH clients
• GUI client lacks some usability compared to PuTTY
• May require tweaking firewall rules for server access

Pricing Comparison

PuTTY

• Free
• Open Source

OpenSSH for Windows

• Open Source