SecureCRT by VanDyke Software has been the gold standard for network professionals for over two decades. RockTerm is built for the same audience — engineers who manage routers, switches, firewalls, and servers every day — with more in the box from day one.
What RockTerm includes that SecureCRT doesn't
SFTP Is Included
SecureCRT charges $59.95 extra for SecureFX to get SFTP, or $129 for the bundle. RockTerm includes a full SFTP browser in a dockable panel — plus Zmodem, Xmodem, Ymodem, and a built-in TFTP server. One product, one price.
12 Built-In Network Tools
Subnet calculator, subnet splitter, route summarization, wildcard converter, CIDR reference, IPv6 prefix splitter, EUI-64 helper, prefix-list generator, regex lab, and log extractor. SecureCRT has none of these — you'd need separate tools or web apps.
Built-In AI Assistant
Right-click terminal output, send it to the AI panel, and get instant help interpreting errors, explaining commands, or troubleshooting. Works with Claude or GPT using your own API key. SecureCRT has no AI capabilities. AI usage is billed directly by your chosen provider, not by Rock River Research.
Built-In Trigger System
Create triggers that fire on regex pattern matches — auto-respond to prompts, highlight text, send notifications, run scripts, or disconnect. SecureCRT can do some of this through scripting, but RockTerm has a dedicated GUI-driven trigger manager.
No Renewal Fees
SecureCRT charges $48–$52 per year to keep getting updates. Stop paying and you're stuck on your current version. RockTerm is a one-time purchase — all 1.x updates (bug fixes, security patches, and new features) are included with no annual renewals. See the Updates and Support Policy.
Import Your SecureCRT Sessions
Switching doesn't mean starting over. RockTerm has a built-in SecureCRT session importer that reads your existing session files and converts them — hosts, ports, credentials, and folders.
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
Green = included. Yellow = partial or limited. Gray = not available.
| Feature | RockTerm | SecureCRT |
|---|---|---|
| Protocols | ||
| SSH2 | Yes | Yes |
| SSH1 | No (deprecated) | Yes |
| Telnet | Yes | Yes |
| Telnet/TLS | No | Yes |
| Serial (RS-232) | Yes — full config, auto-detect | Yes |
| RDP (Remote Desktop) | Yes — in tabs | Yes |
| Raw Sockets | Yes | Yes |
| Named Pipes (VM) | No | Yes (Windows) |
| Local Shell | Yes | Yes |
| SSH Capabilities | ||
| Public Key Auth (RSA, Ed25519, ECDSA) | Yes | Yes (up to 16,384-bit RSA) |
| OpenSSH Certificate Auth | Yes | Yes |
| Kerberos v5 (GSSAPI) | No | Yes |
| X.509 / Smart Card (PIV/CAC) | No | Yes |
| Keyboard Interactive Auth | Yes | Yes |
| SSH Agent Forwarding | Yes | Yes |
| Jump Host / Bastion | Yes | Yes |
| Dynamic Port Forwarding (SOCKS) | Yes — SOCKS4/4a/5 | Yes |
| Local & Remote Port Forwarding | Yes — with wizard | Yes |
| X11 Forwarding | No | Yes |
| Full Cipher/KEX/MAC Selection | Yes — per algorithm | Yes |
| ChaCha20/Poly1305 | No | Yes |
| FIPS 140-2 Mode | No | Yes |
| SSH Key Manager | Yes — generate, convert, upload | Yes |
| Host Key Manager | Yes — view, export, delete | Yes |
| File Transfer | ||
| SFTP Browser | Yes — dockable panel, included | Requires SecureFX (+$59.95) |
| Zmodem (auto-detect) | Yes | Yes |
| Xmodem | Yes | Yes |
| Ymodem | Yes | Yes |
| ASCII File Transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in TFTP Server | Yes — RFC 1350 | Yes |
| Kermit | No | Yes |
| Drag-and-Drop File Upload | Yes | Yes (with SecureFX) |
| Scripting & Automation | ||
| Expect-Style Scripting | Yes — full engine | Yes |
| Python Scripting | Yes | Yes |
| VBScript / JScript | No | Yes (Windows) |
| Script Recorder | Yes — records send/expect pairs | Yes — Python or VBScript |
| Script Editor (syntax-highlighted) | Yes | Yes |
| Triggers (pattern-based actions) | Yes | Via scripting |
| Auto-Login Scripts | Yes | Yes |
| Post-Connect Commands | Yes | Yes |
| Command Snippets | Yes — with shortcuts | Yes — command manager |
| Built-In Network Tools | ||
| Subnet Calculator | Yes | No |
| Subnet Splitter | Yes | No |
| Route Summarization | Yes | No |
| Wildcard Converter | Yes | No |
| CIDR Reference | Yes | No |
| IPv6 Prefix Splitter | Yes | No |
| EUI-64 Helper | Yes | No |
| Prefix-List Generator | Yes | No |
| Regex Lab | Yes | No |
| Log Extractor | Yes | No |
| Session Management | ||
| Session Manager (tree view) | Yes — folders, search, filter | Yes — folders, filter |
| Batch Edit Sessions | Yes — multi-select | Yes |
| CSV/TSV Import Wizard | Yes | Yes |
| Import from PuTTY/SecureCRT | Yes — PuTTY + SecureCRT | CSV/TSV import only |
| Named Credential Profiles | Yes — encrypted vault | Yes |
| Named Firewall/Proxy Profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Layout Snapshots | Yes | Yes |
| Active Sessions Manager | Yes — bulk ops | Yes |
| Connect on Startup | Yes | Yes |
| Dependent Sessions | No | Yes |
| Personal Data Folder | No | Yes |
| Interface & Display | ||
| Tabbed Sessions | Yes | Yes |
| Tiled / Split Pane View | Yes — MDI with floating tiles | Yes |
| Tab Groups | Yes | Yes |
| Tab Status Indicators | Yes — connected/activity dots | Yes |
| Drag-Drop Tabs Between Windows | No | Yes |
| Session Locking | Yes — password protect | Yes |
| Hex View | Yes | Yes |
| 24-bit Truecolor | Yes | Yes |
| Color Schemes (10+ built-in) | Yes + theme editor | Yes + Solarized |
| Button Bar | Yes — color-coded commands | Yes — icons + colors |
| Command Window (multi-line) | Yes | Yes |
| Command Manager (folders) | Yes | Yes |
| Scratchpad | Yes | Yes |
| Send to All/Selected Sessions | Yes | Yes |
| Alpha Transparency | Yes | Yes |
| Terminal Emulation | ||
| VT100/VT102/VT220 | Yes | Yes (+ VT320) |
| ANSI / Xterm | Yes | Yes |
| Linux Console | Yes | Yes |
| TN3270 (Mainframe) | No | Yes |
| Wyse 50/60 | No | Yes |
| TVI910/TVI925 | No | Yes |
| SCO ANSI | No | Yes |
| Keyboard & Input | ||
| Custom Key Mappings | Yes — per session | Yes — per session |
| Graphical Keyboard Editor | Yes | Yes (Windows) |
| Shareable Keymap Files | Yes — export/import | Yes |
| Emacs Mode (Alt as Meta) | Yes | Yes |
| Logging & Auditing | ||
| Session Logging to File | Yes — ANSI stripping | Yes |
| Log Rotation (date & size) | Yes | Yes (at midnight) |
| Dynamic Filename Templates | Yes — {host}, {date}, etc. | Yes |
| Auto-Start Logging on Connect | Yes | Yes |
| Command-Line Log Option | Yes — --log flag | Yes |
| Highlighting & Pattern Matching | ||
| Real-Time Keyword Highlighting | Yes — regex support | Yes — regex support |
| Ad Hoc Quick Highlight | Yes — toolbar field | No |
| AI Assistance | ||
| Built-In AI Panel | Yes — docked chat | No |
| Right-Click Send as Context | Yes | No |
| Multi-Turn Chat History | Yes | No |
| Choose Your AI Provider | Yes — Claude or GPT | No |
| AI Opt-In (disabled by default) | Yes — your key, your choice | N/A |
| Privacy & Data | ||
| All Data Stays Local | Yes — no cloud, no telemetry | Yes — local config |
| No Telemetry | Yes | Yes (update checks only) |
| Encrypted Local Credential Vault | Yes — AES | Yes |
| Other | ||
| Anti-Idle / Keep-Alive | Yes | Yes |
| URL Click-to-Open | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-Line Paste Confirmation | Yes | Yes |
| Block (Column) Selection | Yes | Yes |
| ANSI Color Copy to Clipboard | Yes | Yes |
| Host-Based Printing | Yes | Yes |
| Print Screen/Selection | Yes | Yes |
| IPv6 Support | Yes | Yes |
| Section 508 Accessibility | Yes | Yes (VPAT) |
| Cross-Platform | Windows only | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| MSI/Group Policy Deployment | MSIX (Microsoft Store) | Yes — MSI |
The Real Cost
SecureCRT charges $119 for the terminal alone. SFTP requires a separate product (SecureFX, $59.95) or the $129 bundle. Either way, you pay annual renewal fees to keep getting updates. RockTerm bundles everything above — SFTP, network tools, AI, triggers — for a one-time price.
RockTerm
12 network tools, AI assistant, trigger system.
No add-on products. No renewal fees.
Year 2 cost: $0. Year 3 cost: $0.
SecureCRT + SecureFX
Annual renewal: $52/year
SecureCRT alone: $119 + $48/yr renewal
3-year prepay bundle: $206
Stop paying, stop getting updates.
Where SecureCRT has the edge
SecureCRT has been in active development since 1998. That 28-year head start shows in a few areas:
- Cross-platform — SecureCRT runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. RockTerm is Windows-only.
- Legacy terminal emulation — If you need TN3270 (IBM mainframes), Wyse 50/60, or TVI910/925, SecureCRT supports those. RockTerm focuses on VT/ANSI/Xterm.
- FIPS 140-2 & Smart Card auth — Government and military environments that require FIPS compliance or X.509/PIV/CAC smart card authentication are well served by SecureCRT. RockTerm doesn't support these yet.
- VBScript/JScript — SecureCRT supports VBScript and JScript in addition to Python. If you have legacy VBScripts, they'll run in SecureCRT but not in RockTerm.
- Enterprise deployment — MSI installers and Group Policy deployment make SecureCRT straightforward to roll out across an enterprise. RockTerm distributes through the Microsoft Store.
If those specific features are requirements for your environment, SecureCRT is a proven choice. For the majority of network engineers and sysadmins — people who SSH into switches, configure firewalls, manage servers, and need practical daily tools — RockTerm delivers more functionality at a lower total cost.
Also see: RockTerm vs Termius
Same job. More tools. Less money.
Download the free trial and bring your SecureCRT sessions with you.