Start with what you actually need
The right client depends on the job: an occasional terminal, regular file transfers, or day-to-day administration of many servers. Also consider where your credentials are stored, whether the tool syncs them to a cloud service and what its license allows at work. Prices and editions change, so check them on the official pages linked below.
Windows OpenSSH
Windows 11 includes the OpenSSH client, so ssh, scp, sftp and ssh-keygen work directly in PowerShell or Windows Terminal, and nothing needs to be installed. It suits people who prefer the command line and already know ~/.ssh/config. It has no graphical file manager or profile manager.
ssh -V
ssh admin@server.examplePuTTY and WinSCP
PuTTY is a small free terminal with saved sessions, port forwarding and serial connections. WinSCP is an open-source graphical file manager for SFTP, SCP, FTP, WebDAV and S3 that shares site settings with PuTTY and works with its Pageant agent. Used together they cover the terminal and file transfers, as two separate programs.
Termius and MobaXterm
Termius has a free plan with SSH and SFTP and a local vault; paid plans add a cloud vault and sync between mobile and desktop devices. MobaXterm offers a free Home edition with limits, for example on the number of saved sessions, and a paid Professional edition without them. Both bring many functions together in one application.
CH-J Server Manager
CH-J Server Manager combines a terminal, a graphical SFTP file manager and editor, and tools such as System Monitor, Users, Disk Manager, NGINX Manager and Server Diagnostics. Profiles stay in a local encrypted vault, and no CH-J account or cloud is required. It uses a proprietary license with free commercial and non-commercial use under its terms. It is still in alpha and beta testing: SSH port forwarding is not available yet, the installer does not have a trusted Windows publisher signature, so SmartScreen may warn, and it is not meant for production use.
How to choose
Try two candidates with one real task on a test server: connect, verify the host key, edit a file, transfer a larger archive and reconnect after a dropped connection. Note what each one stores and where. If you only need a terminal, the built-in client is often enough; the integrated tools are worthwhile when you manage servers regularly.