termalCompare · Termalin vs SecureCRT
The SecureCRT alternative that brings your sessions with you.
Termalin is a fast, modern SSH client for Windows, macOS and Linux — tabbed terminal, SFTP browser with a built-in editor, one-unlock keys and end-to-end encrypted sync, so your hosts follow you instead of staying registered to one machine. Plus a live server stats bar and an MCP server for your AI agents. Free tier — plus a 14-day Pro trial.
Free tier · 14-day Pro trial · Windows, macOS & Linux
Termalin vs SecureCRT at a glance
| Termalin | SecureCRT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier (full desktop app) · Pro $8/mo billed yearly — with a one-time lifetime deal during the beta | $119 perpetual license — includes 1 year of updates & support |
| License model | Per user — your encrypted vault syncs to all your devices | A license registers one machine at a time |
| Platforms | Windows · macOS · Linux — plus a browser cabinet for any device | Windows · macOS · Linux (one license covers all three) |
| Encrypted cloud sync | ✓End-to-end — hosts, keys and history follow you; the server stores only encrypted blobs | —no cloud sync |
| Live server stats bar | ✓CPU, memory, disk, network, load and uptime — always current | — |
| MCP server for AI agents | ✓In the app, plus a hosted endpoint with API keys | — |
| Scripting engine | —snippets & command automation instead | ✓Python & VBScript scripting with decades of depth |
SecureCRT pricing and features from VanDyke Software's public pages as of August 2026 — check their site for the latest.
01 / the license math
A free tier instead of a license key.
SecureCRT is a $119 perpetual license with a year of updates included — a fair, old-school deal, but it registers one machine at a time and extended update coverage costs extra. Termalin's Free tier is the whole desktop app on every machine you own, and the encrypted cloud — when you want it — is $8/mo billed yearly. And every new account starts with a 14-day Pro trial, no card required.
- ▸Free means the full app. SSH, SFTP with a built-in editor, session recording & replay, the watch grid and the MCP agent — no host limits, local-only.
- ▸Pro for $8/mo billed yearly adds the end-to-end encrypted cloud vault, sync across devices and cloud recordings.
- ▸Prefer paying once, like SecureCRT? There's a one-time lifetime Pro deal during the beta.
02 / sealed sync
Sessions that follow you — end-to-end encrypted.
With a per-machine license, your sessions stay where you set them up. Termalin syncs hosts, keys and per-host command history across your devices, encrypted on your device before upload: the server stores ciphertext it can't read, and the master password can't be reset by design. Read the security model →
- ▸Encrypted blobs only. The sync server never sees a hostname, a key or a password in the clear.
- ▸Versioned vault + recycle bin. Deleted hosts are recoverable for 30 days, and an accidental overwrite can be rolled back server-side.
- ▸Works fully offline — the Free tier is local-only; the cloud is an add-on, not a requirement.
03 / the part no one else has
Built for your agents, not just for you.
Termalin ships a real MCP server over the hosts you choose. Your AI agent lists them and works through Termalin — opening its own sessions or stepping into yours — while a key custodian signs on its behalf, so the agent never holds a key. You watch every move in the grid, and each agent action is marked in the recording. No SSH client in this comparison does that.
04 / switching — honestly
Moving over, and what SecureCRT still does better.
Termalin imports hosts from an ~/.ssh/config, a CSV, PuTTY or MobaXterm — get your hosts into any of those formats and they come across in a click. Export back to an SSH config or CSV any time: no lock-in, either direction. The honest trade-off: SecureCRT has a track record measured in decades and a Python/VBScript scripting engine that teams have built serious automation on — Termalin's snippets and MCP automation cover a lot, but they aren't a drop-in replacement for a library of SecureCRT scripts. If that's your workflow, SecureCRT keeps earning its seat.
Questions
How much does Termalin cost compared to SecureCRT?
SecureCRT is a $119 perpetual license with a year of updates included, registered to one machine at a time. Termalin's Free tier is the whole desktop app with no host limits; Pro — the encrypted cloud — is $8/mo billed yearly, and there's a one-time lifetime Pro deal during the beta. Every new account starts with a 14-day Pro trial — no card required. See pricing →
Does Termalin run on Windows, macOS and Linux like SecureCRT?
Yes — native builds for all three, and your hosts, keys and history follow you between them with end-to-end encrypted sync. There's also a browser cabinet at termal.in/account that works on any device, phones included. Download →
Does Termalin support Telnet and serial connections?
Yes — alongside SSH, SFTP and FTP, Termalin connects over Telnet and Serial/COM ports and browses S3. If your day includes network gear on a console cable, you're covered. See all features →
Does Termalin have scripting like SecureCRT?
Not SecureCRT's kind. There's no Python or VBScript engine — Termalin covers repetition with snippets and command automation, and its MCP server lets an AI agent run multi-step jobs across your hosts. If your workflow is built on years of SecureCRT scripts, that's a real switching cost.
Can I move my hosts over from SecureCRT?
Termalin imports hosts from an ~/.ssh/config, a CSV, PuTTY or MobaXterm — get your hosts into any of those formats and they come across in a click. You can export back to an SSH config or CSV at any time, so there's no lock-in either direction.
Try the SecureCRT alternative — free.
The Free tier is the full desktop app — no host limits, on Windows, macOS and Linux. New accounts get Pro free for 14 days.
Free tier · 14-day Pro trial · all features · pricing
SecureCRT is a trademark of its respective owner (VanDyke Software). Termalin is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by VanDyke Software. Comparison based on publicly available information as of August 2026.