SSH client · kingToolbox

WindTerm

Free SSH, Telnet and serial terminal with built-in SFTP, agent forwarding, X11 and tunnels, partly open source.

53/100

#10 of 12 SSH clients
Facts checked 8 Oct 2026

In short

WindTerm is free for commercial and non-commercial use without limitations¹.
It lists built-in SFTP and SCP, SSH agent forwarding, X11 forwarding, local, remote and dynamic port forwarding, and jump servers¹.
Windows builds ship as portable zip files in 32-bit and 64-bit; Mac and Linux builds also exist².
The latest stable release, 2.7.0, was published on 11 March 2025³.
Only part of the source is public; the released code is under Apache-2.0¹.

WindTerm suits admins who want a free client with SFTP, agent forwarding, X11, tunnels and jump servers in one window, including at work¹. It runs from a portable zip on Windows². The catch: it is only partly open source, the README lists scripting only as a roadmap item, and its latest stable release is from March 2025^1,3.

Best for: Admins who want a free client with many connection features and no work-use limit.

Where the points come from

Connections33 of 35

Keys and security0 of 25

Sessions and workflow2 of 18

Other systems4 of 8

Price14 of 14

Connections 33 of 35 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Built-in SFTP file transfer	YesREADME lists an integrated SFTP and SCP client for download, upload, rename and delete¹.	7 / 7
SSH agent forwarding	YesREADME says it supports SSH agent forwarding; release 2.7.0 notes describe it with pageant and ssh-agent^1,2.	6 / 6
X11 forwarding	YesREADME says it supports X11 forwarding¹.	5 / 5
Port forwarding	YesREADME lists local, remote and dynamic port forwarding¹.	4 / 4
Jump hosts	YesREADME lists Jump Server proxy and SSH ProxyCommand or ProxyJump¹.	6 / 6
Serial port connections	YesREADME lists SSH, Telnet, Raw TCP, Serial and Shell protocols¹.	4 / 4
Other protocols	TelnetTelnet is listed; RDP and VNC are not mentioned¹.	1 / 3

Keys and security 0 of 25 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Key generator and key agent	Not publishedNot published in the README or release notes; they mention only external agents^1,2.	0 / 5
Security key or smart card login	Not publishedNot published in the README or release notes^1,2.	0 / 6
Saved logins locked by a master password	Not publishedThe README says only 'enhanced protection' of saved usernames and passwords¹.	0 / 6
Open source	NoREADME calls it a partial open source project; only released code is Apache-2.0, so the apps' source is not fully public¹.	0 / 6
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001	Not publishedNot published in the README or release notes^1,2.	0 / 2

Sessions and workflow 2 of 18 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Saved sessions in folders	Not publishedREADME lists a session dialog and session tree; folders or groups are not mentioned¹.	0 / 4
Scripting or automation	Not publishedNot published as a current feature. The README roadmap lists a script, macro and plugin system as a future item¹.	0 / 5
Sync saved sessions between devices	Not publishedNot published in the README or release notes^1,2.	0 / 4
Portable version	YesRelease 2.7.0 offers Windows portable zip files, 32-bit and 64-bit².	2 / 2
Updated in the last 12 months	NoThe latest release, 2.7.0, was published on 2025-03-11, over 12 months ago³.	0 / 3

Other systems 4 of 8 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Other systems	macOS, LinuxRelease 2.7.0 has a Mac dmg and a Linux portable zip; no iOS or Android app is listed².	4 / 8

Price 14 of 14 points

Rule	What is published	Points
Free for work use	YesREADME says completely free for commercial and non-commercial use without limitations¹.	6 / 6
Cheapest uncapped edition, per year	$0Entirely free, including commercial use¹.	8 / 8

The rule behind each line: how we score SSH clients.

Plans and prices

As the vendor lists them, before tax. Prices are in US dollars unless the plan shows euros; the points use US dollars, with euros converted at the ECB rate.

Plan	Price as listed	Per month	Notes
WindTermAny user, including commercial use	Free^1,2	$0	Portable builds for Windows, macOS and Linux

Strengths

Free for commercial use, with no cap on sessions listed¹.
Lists SFTP, agent forwarding, X11, three kinds of port forwarding and jump servers¹.
Opens SSH, Telnet and serial sessions¹.
Windows versions run from a portable zip without installing².
Also available for macOS and Linux².

Limits

The project calls itself partly open source; the source is released gradually¹.
The README lists a script, macro and plugin system only as a roadmap item¹.
The latest stable release is dated 11 March 2025³.
No iOS or Android app is listed¹.

What kingToolbox says

Vendor claims. We show them, but they earn no points.

The release notes say terminal performance improved by 20 to 30 percent and SFTP speed by 20 to 40 percent in 2.7.0².

Other SSH clients

1
TabbyPeople who want a free, open-source terminal with SSH built in
81/100
$0cheapest uncapped edition, per year
2
TermiusPeople who connect from a PC and a phone and want saved hosts to sync
80/100
$0cheapest uncapped edition, per year
3
MobaXtermWindows admins who want SSH, SFTP, X11 and remote desktop in one window
76/100
$23/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year
4
SecureCRTAdmins who want a paid, scriptable client with a one-time licence
71/100
$39.67/yrcheapest uncapped edition, per year

All 12 SSH clients

Sources

WindTerm README, kingToolbox on GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
WindTerm 2.7.0 release, kingToolbox on GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.
WindTerm latest release data, GitHub. Accessed 8 Oct 2026.

Website: github.com/kingToolbox/WindTerm · Markdown version · We are not affiliated with kingToolbox.