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OpenSSH vs Xshell

OpenSSH

openssh.org

Xshell

xshell.com

Side by side

FigureOpenSSHXshell
Price fromFreeFree
Free planYesYes
Free trial—Yes
Open source——
WindowsYesYes
macOSYes—
LinuxYes—
Self-hostedYes—
Plans published14
Spec score · SSH Clients8.0 (#11)7.6 (#24)
Founded19991997
PurposeOpenSSH provides encrypted connectivity for remote login and remote file transfers using the SSH protocol.Xshell is an SSH terminal with protocols including SFTP, Telnet, and RDP, plus tools for managing sessions.

Plans

OpenSSH

  • OpenSSHFree

OpenSSH pricing →

Xshell

  • Free licenseFree
  • Xshell$119, paid once
  • Xshell Plus$139, paid once
  • Xmanager Power Suite$399, paid once

Xshell pricing →

In their own words

OpenSSH

OpenSSH has no write-up on Specifiction yet; its figures are above.

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Xshell

Xshell is a Windows terminal for connecting to remote hosts and managing sessions. It supports SSH1, SSH2, SFTP, Telnet, Rlogin, serial, and RDP, with SFTP and port forwarding among its listed capabilities. Session, quick command, tab, and file managers help organize remote hosts. Users can create command buttons, trigger actions from terminal patterns, compose multiline input, and generate scripts from terminal input and output. Multiple tabs and tab groups can sit in one window; scripting is available in VB, JScript, and Python. Authentication profiles can store authentication variables for one or more sessions, with profile changes reflected in dependent sessions. Security features include public-key, password, and keyboard-interactive authentication, SSH PKCS#11 and CAPI, multiple encryption algorithms, and master-password encryption for saved passwords. Xshell interoperates with Xmanager, Xagent, and Xftp. The free license is restricted to personal, home, and educational use, excluding commercial use. Paid perpetual single-user options include Xshell at $119, paid once, Xshell Plus at $139, paid once, and Xmanager Power Suite at $399, paid once. A 30-day evaluation is offered without a credit card.

Visit xshell.com