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 private keys never touch disk. 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, or PuTTY — 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, or PuTTY — 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.