putty is one of the most requested secure shell (ssh) clients in the world. Furthermore, it is a popular terminal client and communication software used to make remote connections. supports many iterations of the secure remote terminal. putty is also a great terminal emulator and supports vt102, vt220 and xterm emulation scripts. although it is one of the oldest terminal clients, it is still widely trusted and used.
One of the downsides of putty is that it doesn’t support many of the modern features, such as a tabbed interface. therefore developers also looked for putty alternatives for windows.
however, putty is a windows operating system application and does not work on the most widely used mobile operating system: android.
hence, listed below are the top ten ssh clients or the putty alternative for android OS. putty has several clients, such as the key generation utility – puttygen, the scp client – pscp, the sftp client – psftp, and the telnet client – puttytel. As such, our list of alternatives to putty includes applications that not only offer themselves as an alternative ssh client, but also cover most of the functionality of putty components.
Before going into details, it is necessary to understand what ssh is and its main uses.
ssh is a standard cryptographic network protocol that is leveraged to operate network services on the unsecured network securely. ssh was designed as a replacement for telnet, a protocol that offers the possibility of two-way text-based interactions over the Internet.
With ssh, one can remotely access servers through ssh channels which ensure complete security. In addition, users can also remotely access most devices on the same network. In addition, the cryptographic network protocol is also used for port forwarding or tunneling. it is well known that ssh is the best for secure connections.
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best ssh clients for android
There are tons of apps on android that are great secure shell clients as well as alternatives to puty. however, our list only features the top ten applications that can meet the requirements of most.
The following list covers both free and paid ssh client applications. most paid apps offer a trial version for a user to try.
juicessh – the best ssh client for android
juicessh is one of the best free putty alternatives for android. At present, it is one of the most wanted ssh clients for android. Furthermore, the app supports local shell, mosh, and telnet, thus it is commonly known as the all-in-one terminal client. Among its main features is its minimal interface packed with features. the application is so powerful that users feel like they have a linux terminal at their fingertips.
The app is free to use and most features are unlocked. however, certain advanced features are locked and can only be unlocked through in-app purchases. some of these elements include dynamic port forwarding, team collaboration, post-login script, multi-device synchronization. the added advantage of juicessh is that it does not contain ads.
The feature-rich terminal client allows users to assign identities, such as usernames, the private key for multiple logins, and passwords, to each of the individual logins. the software is promoted as the best and is most favored by users. even google gets it as the top result for the search query “ssh client for android”. the fact is common for search in google play store.
juicessh is a sleek and modern ssh client that offers a colorful terminal. Furthermore, the app comes with a popup keyboard that includes shell characters. however, for users who want to connect to an external keyboard, the app has scheduled support. juicessh offers several in-depth configuration capabilities, such as taking advantage of the volume key to change the font size or even choosing the connection type.
The app comes with built-in themes to choose from, such as molokai, 80s hacker, solarized light and dark. moreover, users can configure a particular script to be executed at login by creating an ssh connection.
Best features include 3rd party plugin support, mid-session copy and paste, android terminal support, key forwarding and rsa key generator. Another secure feature is support for two-factor authentication. users can secure their connections through google authenticator or any other third party authenticator.
termius: the favorite putty for android
termius is unanimously the preferred putty alternative for android. the application is a sophisticated and complete command line terminal solution that facilitates remote access. any device including linux or iot device can be remotely accessed and operated by termius. one can seamlessly make remote connections from the comfort of their couch.
with terminal, you can access ssh, telnet and mosh. users can download the app for free from play store. the software has a beautiful, minimal and easy to operate user interface. To manage the server, a user just has to log in by entering the ssh command. In fact, you can also control android mobile phone using local terminal.
termius does more than facilitate remote access; the app is also a great file transfer client. The program comes with a built-in file transfer protocol called – SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). as such, file transfer, file management, and file access are effortless on the server.
Also, the ssh client supports multiple visual themes. as such, the particular feature is one of the most promoted in many forums. Another efficient one is that it makes it easy to manage multiple connections through a tabbed interface, thus saving time and effort. termius is one of the few ssh clients for android that provides tab support. plus, users can even organize connections with labels.
termius supports automatic operating system recognition for raspberry pi oses and ubuntu. Other features that the application bundles include port forwarding for local, remote, and dynamic clients, as well as cryptographic algorithms such as chahca20-poly1305, ed25519, and ecdsa.
termius has two versions: the basic one is free and the other offers monthly and yearly subscriptions. in the free iteration, many of the advanced features are locked. But the best part of the free version is that it doesn’t show ads. Features only available in the paid version include fingerprint protection, terminal tabs, AWS EC2 integration, and SFTP support.
actual td
royal tsd is an excellent android secure shell client option. The business application provides easy and secure access to remote systems by allowing users to access Royal TS/X documents. one of the significant advantages is that it is a cross-platform application, which makes it easy for users to switch between various operating systems.
Users can open documents from Google Drive, OneDrive or any other cloud provider. files can also be transferred via usb or email. as such, there is no longer a need to connect to a remote desktop. royaltsd is updated regularly, and the last update was on April 18, 2019.
royal tsd uses third party applications to ssh to remote machines. are more advantages as most of the third party applications pass the pre-configured login credentials so that one can automatically login to remote hosts. furthermore, users can configure all the parameters that will be passed to these third party applications.
The application is best suited for those who need to repeatedly access remote systems with multiple protocols. The software is typically used by professionals such as system engineers and developers.
The app has two iterations: light version and full edition. the full version costs approximately $7 and allows full access to all management connections. Furthermore, it also allows users to run powershell scripts on multiple remote machines simultaneously. the powershell script will offer “quick find” functionality. with the script, the results are displayed in a grid or text. additionally, it provides group and column sorting functionality.
In the lite edition of the app, only remote connections can be initiated. When the app works alongside the real server, users can browse event logs, manage virtual machines, and even restart services.
The app saves time and energy as users get access to everything with just one click. furthermore, one can run simultaneous commands on multiple systems.
The most significant benefit of the app is that it supports various terminal connections, some of which are on our list of top 10 putty alternatives for android, such as connectbot, admin hands, and juicessh.
gsw connectbot
gsw connectbot is one of the most powerful, robust and easy to use ssh clients for android. georgia softworks developed the app. the software is designed to benefit both industrial and administrative environments. however, gsw connectbot is primarily leveraged for industrial environments and tested on various scanner guns.
The software comes with a clear and simple user interface. the applications derive their user interface from the popular secure shell client application: connectbot. gsw connectbot is reportedly the most reliable ssh client mostly used by professionals.
The reason for its world-class security is the team of professional and skilled technicians who support the software 24/7. furthermore, the application is promoted as offering the strongest encryption available for ssh client in the commercial market. one of the biggest advantages of the program is that it has robust features that are highly reliable for industrial environments.
Another important element of the application is that it supports multiple hosts. The software also allows the administrator to pre-configure the host shortcuts so that one can launch the program on screen lock based on the required working environment. therefore, gsw connectbot’s feature set is one of the reasons why it is the ideal putty alternative for android.
Moreover, users do not need an internet connection to take advantage of most management capabilities. as such, the software exchanges information or machine interactions at no cost with third-party applications.
The gsw connectbot team updates the software regularly and makes sure that users do not use the cryptographic algorithm that is considered vulnerable. therefore, the program takes advantage of the latest ciphers that are tested to contain no weaknesses or vulnerabilities. the team ensures that the best of the best is only released for commercial implementation.
connection bot
connectbot is another android ssh client. It is an open source application that is completely free. the source code of the program is available on github. Also, the app has no ads and no in-app purchases blocked behind subscription plans. the best attribute of the software is that it offers an excellent set of features that can be customized. is a perfect app for users looking for an alternative to putty.
The program is designed in such a way that it can transform any android device into a simple and straightforward secure shell client for easy connection to a remote server.
The downside is that the app was not regularly updated and had been dormant for a few years in terms of development. however, as part of their plan to develop and revive the software, the team behind the app has released a revamped version.
The new version includes many new features, such as “material design”, which greatly improves the appearance of the application. The update includes improvements to IPv6 support and minor bug fixes.
When it comes to customization, users have freedom and numerous options when creating an ssh host. As such, you can customize the font size, keyboard button settings, and the ssh authentication agent. Additionally, users can access the control key, function keys, and arrow keys by taking advantage of the application’s special key options. the app is often promoted to manage public keys.
although connectbot doesn’t include features like termius, it makes up for it by being completely free.
far commander
far commander is instead a new secure shell client for android that is easy to use. It is arguably one of the best putty alternatives for android devices. One of the most significant advantages of the app is that users can create specific commands and then group them based on the requirement. one can use the software as an ssh client for essential remote connections.
far commander is a free app that contains no ads. however, the app does have in-app purchases and is reasonably reliant on donations. The software is regularly updated and was last updated on April 21, 2019. Regarding permissions, the app requires an internet connection so the app can connect to servers.
It is often promoted as the one-click application which makes it very easy to use. pre-configured commands can also be used in multiple ssh sessions simultaneously with a single touch. furthermore, users can even tag ssh servers into various categories. far commander makes it very easy to use the terminal. In addition, with a single touch, users can get access to raspberry pie, linux server or other devices that are available in the home automation system.
One of the significant advantages of using far commander is that it allows users to backup all categories of ssh servers and custom commands, configurations and even server information. the only drawback is that it lacks many of the advanced features.
mobile ssh
mobile ssh is an essential and easy to use ssh client that comes with a simple user interface. In fact, the app doesn’t rank high in terms of providing a great user experience, but it is one of the closest terminal clients to the world’s favorite ssh client for windows.
the reason it is similar to putty is that its internal library is based on putty and opensh. is derived from opensh and mastic. Using the app is very easy and it supports multiple ssh sessions simultaneously.
one has to enter the secure shell details and click the connect button. It also supports one of the first public key cryptosystems called Rivest-Shamir-Adleman Key Authentication (RSA). the rsa authentication system is popular among users for secure data transmission.
It is promoted that the software was developed in an attempt to spread the use of openssh on android devices.
mobilessh comes in two versions: basic and paid. Furthermore, the free edition contains ads. Some of the features like support for multiple ssh sessions are locked behind the pro version which is affordably priced at $2.99. the pro version is available as a standalone app on the play store.
The pro version has an intuitive interface and offers few configuration options. furthermore, the team behind the software actively updates the app. overall it is a simple but powerful terminal client for android devices.
The barebone application offers telnet and ssh1/ssh2 access to various networks. In addition, it supports a wide range of terminal emulators such as IBM 5250 and 3270 and vt100.
termux
termux is a versatile and complete ssh in one android application that supports a commendable variety of connection options. It is an android terminal emulator and linux environment app that does not require rooting the phone.
users must first install termux and then run the following command: ‘apt install inetutils’ which will in turn allow them to use ssh, telnet and rlogin. the application packed with features, from the most basic to the most advanced. Although it may seem like overkill, the extra features can be useful at times.
The best part of the advanced app is that it is free to use and is ad-free. moreover, the app has no in-app purchases. one can enjoy the full freedom of all the features for free.
The user has to install the additional base packages via the apt package manager. One of the reasons why the app is popular with users is that it supports a complete collection of Linux packages. it is one of the best terminal emulators for android and is second to none when it comes to features.
after installing termux, users will gain access to the linux shell, where they can add, update, or remove built-in packages. one of the significant advantages is that it offers the same user experience as a computer; therefore, connecting to a server is the same as connecting to a computer. as such, the full power of the command line can be harnessed.
Beyond its ability to connect to ssh, termux can execute linux commands directly, as it provides access to the android shell. the application syncs well with various command line utilities, compilers, and command languages. Few of them are bash, unix-like operating command system, grep and build systems, gcc and clang. plus, it makes it easy to edit files with nano and vim.
serial robot
serialbot is a simple and easy to use terminal app for android devices. putty alternative for android makes it easy to terminal emulate for ssh, serial & bluetooth terminal sessions, rlogin, serial and telnet connections. The terminal application provides built-in support for RS232 serial connections. supports vt100 terminal emulation.
In most cases, users leverage serialbot to connect to industrial equipment and router console ports.
The application is created by a global cloud-based communication solutions company: cloudstore. the company offers several cloud-based products. It is famous for developing the serial port application for ios platform named as fetch console. it is also the manufacturer of the popular serial-over wifi or bluetooth adapter – airconsole.
sshdroid
sshdroid is a great ssh client and an ideal alternative to putty for android. the application is designed to serve not only terminal connections, but also winscp, secure file transfer protocol, and cyberduck.
Similar to most of the software on the list, sshdroid comes in a basic (free) version and a professional (paid) edition. The software blocks several advanced features, such as Wi-Fi autostart whitelisting, ad removal, home screen and lock screen widgets, and shared key authentication, behind the Pro iteration.
However, the free edition offers secure ssh connections for android. As it supports sftp, users can take advantage of the software for file transfer. users are not required to root the phone to use the app; it is an optional choice. one of the drawbacks is that the team behind the app doesn’t actively update the app.
many others are available on the market, such as the orangessh client, andftp and the advanced ssh/sftp/ftp/telenet client – administrator hands.
However, the ones listed above are the top ten android putty alternatives. Most of the apps have an intuitive user interface that makes it easy to use. furthermore, the apps are a mix of free and paid iterations, thus giving the user complete freedom of choice. The listed apps not only cover most of putty’s features, but also add to them.