SSHDock vs PuTTY
PuTTY is a reliable Windows SSH client that has been around since 1999. SSHDock is a browser-based client that works on any device with a browser. They target different use cases.
| Feature | SSHDock | PuTTY |
|---|---|---|
| Platform | Any browser (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Chromebook) | Windows only (unofficial ports for others) |
| Installation | None. Open in browser and connect. | Installer or standalone .exe required |
| Key authentication | RSA and Ed25519 PEM keys, stored in browser local storage | Requires converting .pem to .ppk with PuTTYgen |
| Jump host / bastion | Built-in support in the connection form | Requires manual proxy configuration or PuTTY Plink chaining |
| Tabs / multiple sessions | Multiple tabs, one per browser tab | One session per window, no native tab support |
| SFTP | Terminal only; use a separate SFTP client for file transfer | Separate tool (PSFTP / WinSCP) required |
| Port forwarding | Via jump host support; browser limits some forwarding types | Full local, remote, and dynamic forwarding |
| Mobile use | Yes. Mobile-optimized keyboard with SSH keys | No |
| Session saving | Connection profiles saved in browser local storage | Sessions saved in the Windows registry |
| Cost | Free | Free |
When PuTTY is the right choice
PuTTY makes sense if you are on a fixed Windows machine that you control, and you need full port forwarding flexibility. It is also the standard tool in many corporate IT environments where native client software is required. If you already have PuTTY set up with saved sessions and converted key files, there is no strong reason to change.
PuTTY does require converting AWS .pem keys to .ppk format using PuTTYgen before you can use them, which catches people off guard the first time.
When SSHDock is the right choice
SSHDock is the better option when you need to access a server from a device that doesn't have PuTTY installed, or can't have it installed. That includes Chromebooks, iPads, phones, or a colleague's machine you are borrowing.
SSHDock also accepts .pem keys directly without any conversion step, which makes it faster to connect to AWS EC2 instances. And since it works on mobile, it covers emergency server access from a phone when no laptop is available.
Try SSHDock in your browser
No installation, no account. Connect to your server in under a minute.
Open SSH Terminal