Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

ConEmu VS Xshell

Compare ConEmu VS Xshell and see what are their differences

ConEmu logo ConEmu

ConEmu-Maximus5 is a full-featured local terminal for Windows devs, admins and users. Get better console window with tabs, splits, Quake style, copy+paste, DosBox and PuTTY integration, and much more.

Xshell logo Xshell

Xshell is a powerful terminal emulator that supports SSH, SFTP, TELNET, RLOGIN and SERIAL.
  • ConEmu Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-22
  • Xshell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-29

ConEmu features and specs

  • Customizability
    ConEmu offers a high degree of customizability, allowing users to tailor the interface, keyboard shortcuts, colors, and behavior to suit their workflow.
  • Tab Management
    The application supports multiple tabs, permitting users to manage various command-line sessions within a single window, enhancing multitasking capabilities.
  • Integrations
    ConEmu can integrate with various shells such as Command Prompt, PowerShell, Git Bash, Cygwin, and more, thus making it a versatile tool for a wide range of needs.
  • Quake-style Mode
    This feature allows users to quickly summon and hide the terminal with a specific key combination, similar to the drop-down console in Quake games.
  • Split View
    ConEmu offers split-view functionality, which allows users to see and interact with multiple terminal panes simultaneously.
  • Portable Mode
    The application can be used in portable mode, enabling users to carry their ConEmu settings and preferences across different machines without installation.

Possible disadvantages of ConEmu

  • Complex Setup
    For new users, the initial configuration can be somewhat complex and may require a steep learning curve to leverage all features effectively.
  • Windows Only
    ConEmu is exclusive to the Windows operating system, limiting its usage for individuals who work across multiple OS platforms.
  • Resource Intensive
    Compared to some lightweight terminal emulators, ConEmu can be more demanding on system resources, which may be a concern for users on lower-end hardware.
  • Occasional Stability Issues
    Some users have reported occasional crashes or instability, particularly when dealing with complex configurations or extensive usage.
  • Lack of Built-in SSH
    Unlike some terminal emulators, ConEmu does not come with built-in SSH capabilities, necessitating the use of third-party tools for SSH sessions.

Xshell features and specs

  • User Interface
    Xshell features a user-friendly interface that is easy to navigate and customize, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users.
  • Session Management
    Xshell offers robust session management capabilities, allowing users to manage multiple sessions simultaneously with saved session profiles and tabbed windows.
  • Customization
    The application allows extensive customization options, including themes, key mappings, and layout adjustments to suit individual preferences.
  • Security
    Xshell supports various security protocols like SSH, SFTP, and Rlogin, providing secure connections and robust encryption features.
  • Port Forwarding
    Supports dynamic, local, and remote port forwarding, providing flexibility for network and security configurations.
  • Script and Automation
    Incorporates scripting capabilities to automate tasks, which can save time and reduce manual errors.
  • File Transfer
    Includes integrated support for SFTP and Zmodem protocols, making file transfers straightforward within the terminal window.
  • Customer Support
    Offers comprehensive customer support and a wide range of online resources including forums, FAQs, and detailed documentation.

Possible disadvantages of Xshell

  • Cost
    Xshell is a commercial product with a licensing fee, which might not be feasible for all users, especially when there are free alternatives available.
  • Complexity for Novices
    Despite its user-friendly design, the range of features can be overwhelming for novices or users who do not require advanced capabilities.
  • Platform Limitation
    Xshell is primarily available for Windows operating systems, limiting its usability for users on Mac or Linux platforms.
  • Resource Consumption
    It can be resource-intensive and might slow down on systems with limited hardware capabilities.
  • Update Frequency
    Updates and new features are not as frequent as some users might prefer, potentially leaving some advanced users wanting more regular enhancements.

ConEmu videos

Development Tools: ConEmu

Xshell videos

xshell tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to ConEmu and Xshell)
SSH
86 86%
14% 14
Server Management
88 88%
12% 12
Terminal Tools
83 83%
17% 17
Server Configuration And Automation

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare ConEmu and Xshell

ConEmu Reviews

7 Best Free Terminal Emulators For Windows 10/11 in 2022
It is free and open-source software that is built on the popular console emulator known as ConEmu. It is used to add enhancements from clink that provide bash style completion. Moreover, it also presents UNIX capabilities by extending them with PowerShell, MinnTTY, myysgit and Cygwin.
30 best PuTTY alternatives for SSH clients for 2020
Cmder is a straight-forward terminal emulator for Windows. The program runs on Windows and it is a combination of the ConEmu terminal emulation program with a Unix-like scripting language that works on Windows. The terminal emulator doesn’t have any encryption, so it would only be suitable for connections on private networks. The tool also lacks a file transfer system.

Xshell Reviews

10 Best PuTTY Alternatives To Try in 2024
Xshell is available in both free and paid versions for Windows. The free version is for home and school use. The paid version costs $99 and is designed for businesses.
10 Best PuTTY Alternatives for SSH Remote Connection
Xshell 7 is another great PuTTY alternative for connecting multiple protocols in a tabbed environment. The PuTTY alternative also ranks as an advanced option thanks to the application providing unique features such as audio alerts, highlighting sets, and custom key mappings.
Source: www.tecmint.com
Looking for MobaXterm Alternative? Here are Some Options to Consider
Xshell is a powerful SSH and telnet client for Windows that offers advanced features for system administrators and developers. It includes support for multiple sessions, tabbed sessions, dynamic port forwarding, and X11 forwarding. Xshell also has a scripting engine that allows you to automate repetitive tasks.
Top 12 BEST SSH Clients For Windows – Free PuTTY Alternatives
Xshell 6 is a powerful SSH client. It will allow you to open windows CMD directly within XShell like its own tab. XShell provides a tabbed interface. The Tabbed interface will arrange multiple sessions that need to be viewed and monitored simultaneously.
Best Putty Alternatives for SSH Clients for Windows (FREE!)
Xshell is another great tool for connecting to SSH1, SSH2, SFTP, Telent, rLogin and even to Serial connections. Some features of Xshell include the following:
Source: www.pcwdld.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, ConEmu seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 19 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

ConEmu mentions (19)

  • Dos Navigator – an orthodox file manager
    The sources for the awesome Dos Navigator are published on Github. An updated fork named Necromancer's Dos Navigator [NDN] can be found here: http://ndn.muxe.com/ An alternative to DN/NDN, that is in active development, is Far Manager: https://www.farmanager.com/ All of them, especially Far, work well in ConEmu (https://conemu.github.io/) or cmder (https://cmder.app/) Maybe interested people or nostalgic ones can... - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • Any user with Win 7 user + Vim at terminal+airline_with_Powerline_symbols?
    On Windows 7 your best bet is to install a modern terminal emulator like ConEmu: https://conemu.github.io/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • The amount of times I have accidentally done this...
    On my work system I have local admin but Windows Store is blocked by policy. One of my coworkers over on the DBA team had me install ConEmu which has some nice features similar to to Windows Terminal. Also, Posh-Git is a nice addition to have on top. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Name the tools you can't live without!
    Conemu if your a fan of that quake style terminal and tabbed terminals. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Steps of entering the IT world? Learn Python Or Operating systems first?
    If you do, try out this thing; https://conemu.github.io/. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

Xshell mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Xshell yet. Tracking of Xshell recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing ConEmu and Xshell, you can also consider the following products

MobaXterm - Enhanced terminal for Windows with X11 server, tabbed SSH client, network tools and much more

PuTTY - Popular free terminal application. Mostly used as an SSH client.

KiTTY - KiTTY is a fork from version 0.70 of PuTTY. It adds extra features to PuTTY.

GNOME Terminal - GNOME Terminal is a terminal emulator for GNOME desktop.

PowerShell - Download WMF. Windows Management Framework contains the latest versions of PowerShell, DSC, WMI, and WinRM for older versions of Windows. PowerShell Module Browser. Search for PowerShell modules and cmdlets.

Console - Console is a Windows console window enhancement.