PuTTY vs Solar-PuTTY

by Gralio Feb 25, 2025

PuTTY and Solar-PuTTY are both free SSH clients, but they cater to different needs. PuTTY excels in its simplicity and portability, while Solar-PuTTY offers a more feature-rich experience with integrated file transfer and a more modern interface. Choose PuTTY for basic remote access on the go, and Solar-PuTTY for more demanding tasks and frequent file transfers.

At Gralio.ai we help to simplify your decision-making process by offering detailed, side-by-side software comparisons like this one, to help you confidently choose the tool that aligns with your business goals.

This comparison was created by analysing 357 reviews and 59 websites, saving 2 hours, 28 minutes of reading.

PuTTY

Website

Solar-PuTTY

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About

PuTTY is a free tool that allows you to securely connect to computers from your Windows desktop. Think of it like a secure remote control for another computer, often used by IT professionals. While PuTTY itself is quite basic, it's known for being reliable and easy to use.

Solar-PuTTY is a free, open-source terminal emulator and network file transfer application. It lets you securely access and manage remote computer systems using protocols like SSH and Telnet. Think of it as a secure window to work with your company's servers or network devices from anywhere. While offering a simple and familiar interface, it's powerful enough for IT professionals but easy enough for anyone comfortable with basic computer tasks.

Summary

Main difference

PuTTY is a lightweight and portable SSH client known for its simplicity and ease of use, ideal for basic remote access needs. Solar-PuTTY offers a more robust interface with features like tabbed sessions and integrated SCP/SFTP, making it better for managing multiple connections and file transfers.

Relative strengths of PuTTY (compared to Solar-PuTTY)

Lightweight and portable, requiring no installation.
Simple and intuitive interface, easy to learn and use.
Supports a wide range of protocols, including SSH, Telnet, and Serial.

Relative weaknesses of PuTTY (compared to Solar-PuTTY)

SSH key management is cumbersome, requiring conversion via PuTTYgen.
Lacks an integrated interface for SCP/SFTP file transfers, relying on separate utilities.
Limited UI customization and a dated interface compared to modern alternatives.

Who should use PuTTY VS. Solar-PuTTY

PuTTY is a free and open-source tool ideal for IT professionals needing secure remote access to servers. Users praise its lightweight portability and support for various protocols like SSH and Telnet. However, some find SSH key management complex and the interface dated. Consider PuTTY if you need a reliable, basic, and free remote access solution but be prepared for some limitations.

Solar-PuTTY is a free and open-source terminal emulator perfect for secure remote access. It's powerful enough for IT admins managing servers, yet simple enough for anyone comfortable with computers. A reliable tool for secure connections and file transfers.

Ideal for small to enterprise-level businesses, particularly those with IT teams.
A strong fit for the IT, Software, and Telecommunications industries, as well as other sectors.

Best fit for enterprise companies.
Ideal for IT professionals.

PuTTY and Solar-PuTTY features

Supported

Partially supported

Not supported

Type in the name of the feature or in your own words tell us what you need

SCP transfer

Supported

PuTTY supports secure file transfer using its bundled command-line tool, PSCP.

Supported

Solar-PuTTY supports secure file transfer using SCP.
FTP transfer

Not supported

PuTTY does not support FTP, but offers secure alternatives via PSCP and PSFTP over SSH.

Not supported

Solar-PuTTY does not support FTP file transfers.
SSH Support

Supported

PuTTY supports SSH connections for secure remote server access.

Supported

Solar-PuTTY supports SSH connections.
SFTP transfer

Supported

PuTTY supports SFTP transfers via its PSFTP component.

Supported

Solar-PuTTY supports secure file transfers using SFTP.
Telnet Support

Supported

PuTTY supports Telnet connections but its use is discouraged due to security risks.

Supported

Solar-PuTTY supports Telnet connections.
Session saving

Supported

PuTTY allows saving session configurations.

Supported

Solar-PuTTY allows saving and managing terminal sessions.

Qualities

Value and Pricing Transparency

No data

No data
Customer Service

No data

No data
Ease of Use

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

No data
Reliability and Performance

+1

Strongly positive sentiment

No data
Ease of Implementation

+0.33

Rather positive sentiment

No data
Scalability

No data

No data

PuTTY and Solar-PuTTY Pricing

No data

User sentiment

Strongly positive

We couldn't find a pricing page for PuTTY.

No data

See full Pricing page

PuTTY and Solar-PuTTY review insights

357 reviews analysed from

Users love

Free and open-source, readily available.
Lightweight and portable; no installation required.
Supports various protocols (SSH, Telnet, Serial).
Simple and intuitive interface for basic use.
Allows saving of session configurations.

No data

Users dislike

Difficult SSH key management; requires conversion using PuTTYgen.
Lacks built-in support for common key formats like standard RSA.
Can time out or freeze during inactivity, requiring re-login.
Limited UI customization options and a dated interface.
No multi-tab feature for managing multiple sessions.

No data

PuTTY and Solar-PuTTY Ratings

G2

4.5/5

(347)

G2

4.2/5

(11)

Company health

Employee growth

No data

Web traffic

No data

Financing

No data

How does Solar-PuTTY's SSH key management compare to PuTTY's PuTTYgen?

Solar-PuTTY simplifies SSH key management compared to PuTTY. PuTTY requires the use of a separate tool, PuTTYgen, to convert keys into its proprietary format, while Solar-PuTTY directly supports common SSH key formats, streamlining the process and eliminating the need for conversion.

Which product offers a more user-friendly interface for managing multiple sessions?

Solar-PuTTY offers a more user-friendly interface for managing multiple sessions. PuTTY users specifically dislike its lack of a multi-tab feature, impacting session management. While neither product's description explicitly mentions multi-tab support, the user feedback for PuTTY highlights this as a significant drawback, implying Solar-PuTTY may handle multiple sessions more efficiently.

What are the advantages of PuTTY?

PuTTY's advantages include its simplicity and ease of use, especially for basic SSH connections. It's lightweight, portable, and requires no installation, making it convenient for quick access. Being free and open-source also contributes to its widespread availability and reliability. Finally, while basic, PuTTY supports a range of protocols, including SSH, Telnet, and Serial.

What are the disadvantages of PuTTY?

PuTTY's disadvantages include difficult SSH key management, often requiring conversion using the separate PuTTYgen tool, and a lack of support for common key formats like standard RSA. Users also report occasional timeout or freezing issues during inactivity, leading to re-logins. The interface is considered dated with limited customization, and it lacks a multi-tab feature for managing multiple sessions simultaneously.

Alternatives to PuTTY and Solar-PuTTY

MobaXTerm

MobaXterm is a one-stop-shop application for working with remote computer systems. It's designed to be particularly useful for IT professionals, offering a range of tools like a terminal for running commands, a file transfer system, and the ability to run graphical programs from the remote computer on your Windows desktop. Essentially, it brings the most important elements of working with remote computers into one convenient package. MobaXterm offers a free version for home use and a paid 'Professional' version with more features for businesses.

Gainsight Customer Communities

Gainsight Customer Communities is a platform that helps you build an online hub for your customers. It offers tools to organize resources, encourage customer discussions, and gather feedback. The goal is to improve customer engagement and satisfaction, leading to better customer retention. Gainsight Customer Communities is part of a larger suite of customer success tools offered by Gainsight.

Gainsight Customer Success

Gainsight Customer Success is a software platform designed to help businesses reduce customer churn and increase revenue. It provides tools to track customer health, automate tasks, identify risks, and improve engagement. Gainsight helps businesses of all sizes in various industries get a complete picture of their customers' experiences, so they can make better decisions and drive growth. It stands out with its focus on "customer success" as a company-wide goal, not just a department.

AnyViewer

AnyViewer is a remote access tool that lets you connect to and control computers from anywhere using a simple security code. It allows for file transfer, remote support, and even gaming on a remote desktop. While offering features for personal use, it also provides solutions for businesses to enable secure remote work and IT support. AnyViewer is compatible with Windows, iOS, and Android devices.

ManageEngine Remote Access Plus

ManageEngine Remote Access Plus helps businesses remotely control their work computers from anywhere in the world. Ideal for IT support teams in midsize to large companies, it allows you to fix computer problems, manage software, and even chat with remote users - all from your own desk. Think of it as a secure way to access and troubleshoot any company computer as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Getscreen.me

Getscreen.me is a cloud-based software that allows you to access and control remote computers and mobile devices. You can use it from any web browser without installing additional software. Getscreen.me is suitable for IT administration, providing technical support, working remotely, and personal use. It offers features like permanent device access, quick support sessions, and integrations with other platforms.

Page co-authored by

Michal Kaczor

CEO at Gralio

Michal has worked at startups for many years and writes about topics relating to software selection and IT management. As a former consultant for Bain, a business advisory company, he also knows how to understand needs of any business and find solutions to its problems.

Tymon Terlikiewicz

CTO at Gralio

Tymon is a seasoned CTO who loves finding the perfect tools for any task. He recently headed up the tech department at Batmaid, a well-known Swiss company, where he managed about 60 software purchases, including CX, HR, Payroll, Marketing automation and various developer tools.

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