termique vs Xshell
One app, one price vs Windows-only bundle pricing
The short version.
- Mature scripting
- Free for home and school use
- Part of the NetSarang suite
- SFTP means buying Xftp
- Fixed-key encryption unless you set a Master Password
- Windows only, no sync
- SFTP and key management free in one app
- On-device encryption, always on
- macOS, Windows and Linux, synced
Already own the NetSarang suite? Stay. Otherwise termique covers more for less.
Every row, side by side.
Where the two part ways.
01Pricing
- termique
- One app, one price.
- Xshell
- Xftp, Xmanager and PortX sold separately.
Read the detail
One app, one price vs a la carte products. Getting SFTP alongside Xshell means buying Xftp separately, or the $399 Xmanager Power Suite bundle if you want the full NetSarang lineup. Mobile access is yet another separate product, PortX. Termique includes SFTP free on every plan, with SSH key management and mobile access in the same app - nothing else to buy.
02Encryption
- termique
- Always on, from the first host.
- Xshell
- Fixed key unless you opt in.
Read the detail
Encryption that's off by default. Xshell encrypts saved passwords with a fixed key unless you explicitly enable a Master Password, at which point that becomes the required unlock every session. Termique's on-device key derivation is not optional - every credential is encrypted the same way from the first host you add, with no configuration step to remember.
03Track record
- termique
- Encrypted with a key we never hold.
- Xshell
- ShadowPad shipped in a 2017 release.
Read the detail
A supply chain incident worth knowing about. In 2017, NetSarang's build infrastructure was compromised and a backdoor known as ShadowPad was distributed inside several of its products, including an Xshell release - a widely documented incident in the security community. It doesn't mean Xshell is unsafe today, but it's a relevant data point when evaluating who you trust to hold your SSH credentials.
On every device you use.
Xshell is Windows-only and mature there, with .xsh session files under Documents\NetSarang Computer. Termique's Windows build stores credentials in the Windows Credential Manager.
Not available. NetSarang's suite has never covered them, so cross-platform teams end up with two toolchains.
Moving over from Xshell.
- 01Locate your session files
Xshell writes one .xsh file per session, under Documents\NetSarang Computer\<version>\Xshell\Sessions by default. They are INI-style and readable.
- 02Export your keys
Xshell's user key manager can export in OpenSSH format, which is what Termique uses.
- 03Add hosts in Termique
Recreate the hosts, mirroring your session folders as groups. Credentials go in once and are AES-GCM encrypted on-device.
Is Termique cheaper than Xshell?
Xshell is free for home and school use and licensed per seat commercially, usually as part of a bundle with Xftp. Termique is free to download for any use, with a single $5/mo Pro tier that includes SFTP-equivalent functionality in the base app.
Do I need a separate app for file transfer?
No. SFTP is built into Termique on every plan, in the same window as the session. With Xshell you generally add Xftp.
Does Termique run on macOS and Linux?
Yes. Xshell is Windows-only.
Does Termique support scripting?
Not in Xshell's sense. There are reusable command snippets and an AI assistant that proposes commands for approval, but no session scripting API.
Can I import .xsh session files?
Not as a file format. They are readable INI files, so you can copy the host details across, or move them into ~/.ssh/config which Termique imports directly.