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PuTTY vs RXVT

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

PuTTY icon
PuTTY
RXVT icon
RXVT

PuTTY vs RXVT: The Verdict

⚡ Summary:

PuTTY: 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.

RXVT: RXVT is a free and open-source terminal emulator for X Window System. It is highly configurable and features tabbed windows, unicode support, lightweight resource usage and customizability with plugins.

Both tools serve their respective audiences. Compare the features, pricing, and user ratings above to determine which best fits your needs.

Last updated: May 2026 · Comparison by Sugggest Editorial Team

Feature PuTTY RXVT
Sugggest Score — —
Category Network & Admin Os & Utilities
Pricing Open Source Free

Product Overview

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

RXVT
RXVT

Description: RXVT is a free and open-source terminal emulator for X Window System. It is highly configurable and features tabbed windows, unicode support, lightweight resource usage and customizability with plugins.

Type: software

Pricing: Free

Key Features Comparison

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
RXVT
RXVT Features
  • Tabbed interface
  • Unicode support
  • Lightweight resource usage
  • Extensible through plugins
  • Highly customizable

Pros & Cons Analysis

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
RXVT
RXVT

Pros

  • Free and open source
  • Low memory footprint
  • Stable and mature codebase
  • Supports modern features like Unicode
  • Highly configurable

Cons

  • Dated interface compared to newer terminals
  • Limited default features
  • Configuration can be complex
  • Not installed by default on most systems

Pricing Comparison

PuTTY
PuTTY
  • Open Source
RXVT
RXVT
  • Free

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Learn More About Each Product

PuTTY
PuTTY
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →
RXVT
RXVT
Reviews, pricing & alternatives →

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