19 BEST FTP Clients for Windows & Mac in 2023 (Free/Paid)
Mary Brent
Following is a handpicked list of Best FTP Client Software & Programs for Windows & Mac, with their popular features and website links. The list contains both Open Source (Free) and Commercial (Paid) software.
Top FTP Client Software & Programs: [Mac & Windows]
| Name | Free Trial | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Cerberus FTP | 25-Day Free Trial | Learn More |
| GoodSync | 30-Day Free Trial | Learn More |
| ForkLift | 7-Day Free Trial | Learn More |
| FileZilla | Download for Free | Learn More |
| FTP server software | 30-Day Free Trial | Learn More |
#1) Cerberus FTP
Cerberus is an FTP Server that has been one of the most popular secure file transfer solutions on the market for 20+ years. Cerberus supports all major protocols such as FTP, SFTP, FTP/S, HTTP/S, SCP, and Ad-Hoc File Transfers. Its native 64-bit software can be used on Windows Server 2022, 2019, 2016, and 2012, along with Windows 11 and 10.
Features:
- Streamlined setup for hassle-free and quick installation.
- Whitelabeled HTTP/S client for seamless web file transfers across devices.
- Simplify file transfers via automation with SOAP API, event management, and notifications.
- Advanced administration features include account management, logging and reporting, web administration, and more.
- Ensure data privacy and file transfer security with file retention policies, audit trails, FIPS 140-2 encryption, IP auto-banning and geoblocking, and more.
- Customizable encryption and protocol settings, including self-generated SSH keypairs, client certificate verification, and revocation lists.
- Includes SSO, 2FA, and LDAP support.
- Comprehensive support for backup, recovery, and multi-server synchronization.
- Seamlessly integrate with Azure and AWS cloud services.
- Supports Microsoft’s Hyper-V and VMware’s ESX platforms.
- Top-rated US-based phone and email support with available severity 1 support.
25-Days Free Trial
#2) GoodSync
GoodSync is a backup and file synchronization tool. This software can be used to sync files between computer and storage devices or between computer and server. It enables the user to run parallel threads to achieve file transfer speed.
Features:
- Real-time data can be transfer with no hassle
- It is one of the best FTP software that performs automated schedule and real-time backup without user interaction.
- Encrypts the files using AES-256.
- It can detect files that are renamed or moved from one location to another.
- You can control the bandwidth speed.
- Provides logs of actions performed and changes report
- It can fix access denied errors.
- This tool can compare two files by MD5.
- You can specify paths for removable drives.
30-Days Free Trial
#3) ForkLift
ForkLift is a file transfer client design specifically for macOS. This FTP client for Mac enables users to manage files across multiple networks and servers easily.
Features:
- Compare both local and remote sources and identify matching, deleted, or modified files.
- Preview panel that displays information of selected files.
- Search file and filter by name, kind, extension, and tags on a remote server.
- Ease of access to favorites, menu commands, and devices.
- Rename a large number of files on remote files or remote server.
- Control every file operation easily from the keyboard.
- Supported languages are English, Chinese, French, Spanish, Hungarian, and more.
7-Days Free Trial
#4) FileZilla
FileZilla is a free FTP solution for transferring data over the internet. The software helps you to filter filename easily. It is one of the best FTP client for Windows that offers drag and drop facility to copy desired files from local machine to the server.
Features:
- You can easily browse the synchronized library.
- It offers remote file search
- Comparing directory is possible.
- You can edit remote files with ease.
- Available in numerous languages.
- This free FTP client supports FTP, SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) and FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS).
- You can configure the speed of file transfer.
- It is one of the free FTP softwares that offers network configuration wizard.
Download for Free
#5) FTP server software
Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server helps you easily file transfers from the web and mobile devices. You can quickly add and manage users and groups. You can monitor and troubleshoot effectively to resolve problems quickly.
Features:
- It allows you to transfer multiple and large files easily
- Simple file transfer administration and management
- It enables you to avoid data at rest in DMZ networks
- You can manage file transfer settings and permissions
- Free trial: Yes
30-Day Free Trial
#6) Commander One
Commander One is a MAC FTP client. It offers a convenient option to copy files from one server to another, delete, etc. The software provides full support of FTP protocols. It helps the user to establish multiple connections at the same time.
Features:
- You can map the FTP server as your local drive.
- It enables you to link the entire Amazon S3 (Amazon Simple Storage Service) account
- Mount more than one Dropbox accounts.
- You can work with Google docs and Sheets.
- It supports the encryption file between Mac, cloud storage, and the remote server.
- Compressor extract archives without any hassle.
- Convenient selection of a file.
- This FTP software provides access to shared computers over the network.
Link: https://mac.eltima.com/file-manager.html
#7) WinSCP
WinSCP is an FTP software for Microsoft Windows. It is one of the best FTP client for Windows that enables you to smoothly copy any file between the local system and the remote server. This software has a primary file manager and file synchronization functionality.
Features:
- It offers easy to use Graphical User Interface (GUI).
- This SFTP Windows client supports scripting and task automation.
- It has integrated text editor
- WinSCP interface can be translated into many languages
- Provides Command-line interface.
- Security through file encryption.
- Port forwarding is possible.
- It can be downloaded in the form of standalone portable executables.
Link: https://winscp.net/eng/index.php
#8) Transmit
Transmit is a tool that helps you to upload, download, as well as manage files on a wide range of servers. It is one of the best FTP client for Mac which has an extremely easy to use UI (User Interface). This file transfer protocol tool can be used for macOS.
Features:
- It has improved remote URL copy facility.
- It is one of the best FTP clients that supports Amazon S3 API V4.
- Copy and paste files.
- It is one of the best FTP client which provides authentication using NTLM (New Technology LAN Manager) and HTTP Digest authentication.
- Languages supported by this tool are English, French, German, and Chinese.
- Provides more text size-related options
- This FTP client sync progress bar to know how much file synchronization is completed.
- It offers various authentication methods to verify the user.
Link: https://panic.com/transmit/
#9) Core FTP LE
Core FTP is a secure FTP program design for Windows. It provides security using FTP client encryption. Tool supports FTP, SFTP SSL/TLS, and HTTP/HTTPS. It has a user-friendly interface that enables you to search for remote files.
Features:
- Support drag and drop feature.
- You can control the transfer bandwidth.
- Transfer file by just one mouse click.
- This SFTP Windows client provides command line support
- Transfer data from one site to another.
- You can use the international domain (top-level domain)
- Automatic retry of files in which transfer is failing.
- It provides browser integration.
- Assign file permissions
- This FTP client for Windows has an advanced directory listing
Link: http://www.coreftp.com/
#10) Cyberduck
Cyberduck is a software that supports FTP, SFTP, Microsoft Azure, OneDrive, Dropbox, etc. It has easy to use interface that enables you to connect to servers, share files, and provides cloud storage.
Features:
- It is one of the best FTP software that enables you to access Microsoft Azure cloud storage on your PC.
- DropBox can be used without synchronizing documents to local disk.
- It is one of the best SFTP clients that offers filename and file content encryption
- Quickly copy or select the file URL from the web browser.
- You can browse images with ease.
- Importing bookmarks from third-party software is possible.
- Browse a large folder structure without any hassle.
- You can drag and drop bookmarks
Link: https://cyberduck.io/
#11) Coffeecup
Coffeecup is a free FTP client that enables you to connect the server with one button click. You can upload or download any file by dragging and dropping into a computer or server. The software keeps managing your website seamlessly.
Features:
- You can set permission to files and folders.
- Support secure file transfer using SFTP, SSH (Secure Shel), HTTPS, etc.
- Local and remote files can be managed with ease.
- You can quickly backup your website.
- Accurately manage the history of created folders.
Link: https://www.coffeecup.com/free-ftp/
#12) WS_FTP Professional
WS_FTP Professional offers the easiest way to upload and download files. It is one of the best SFTP client which provides an FTP transfer facility using encryption technology. This software is easy to use and can reduce the administrative burden.
Features:
- Supports a wide range of File Transfer Protocols, including SSL/FTPS, SSH/SFTP, and HTTP/S.
- Uses Windows 10 security features.
- Automatic backup of your website.
- Users can connect unlimited local connections simultaneously.
- More than one file can be transferred at the same time.
- Server to server transfer is possible.
- Provides security using PGP (Pretty Good Privacy).
- Users can connect unlimited remote connections simultaneously.
Link: https://www.ipswitch.com/ftp-server
#13) CuteFTP
CuteFTP is a suite of file transfer protocol applications. The versions of this software are available for Windows and Mac. You can use this app to transfer a file via FTP between PC, shared system.
Features:
- This FTP client for Mac supports OpenPGP encryption, password manager, one-time password authentication protocol.
- You can schedule a file transfer.
- It is one of the best FTP client that supports fully automated transfers
- Quickly monitor local folders for any change.
- You can connect to a new site with step by step wizard.
- It is one of the free FTP softwares which supports more than 100 concurrent transfers.
- You can view thumbnails of remote images.
- Works with more than one remote site simultaneously.
Link: https://www.globalscape.com/cuteftp
#14) FTP Voyager
FTP Voyager is an FTP client for Microsoft Windows and Linux operating system. This Linux SFTP client tool can transfer files of all sizes with no problem. FTP Voyager is facilitated to send file transfer over a secure shell data stream.
Features:
- You can schedule and transfer multiple files concurrently.
- Drag-and-drop folders transfer from your desktop.
- Connect to more than one server at the same time
- This Linux SFTP client automatically syncs directories
- Upload or download any file using FTP, SFTP, and FTPS.
Link: https://www.serv-u.com/free-tools/ftp-voyager-ftp-client-for-windows
#15) Fetch FTP
FetchFTP is a file transfer client for Macintosh. It supports FTP and SFTP, FTPS, and more. You can use this tool to view overall progress and time remaining while transferring more than one file. Fetch FTP helps you to filter out needed directories.
Features:
- Edit any file by just one mouse click.
- It is one of the best SFTP clients which supports drag and drop folders and files between servers and your Mac.
- You can synchronize folders using the mirror command.
- It has WebView that enables you to preview files in your web browser.
- Upload file between server using copy and paste.
- Preserves file modifications date across uploads as well as downloads.
- You can synchronize shortcuts between two Macs using Dropbox.
- This FTP client for Mac Provides extensive online help.
- Compatible with macOS.
Link: https://fetchsoftworks.com/
#16) Pure FTPD
DescriptionPure-FTPD is software that can translate server messages into numerous languages including, English, French, Spanish, German, etc. It fully supports LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) authentication.
Features:
- Beginners can install this software in less time.
- You can limit the number of simultaneous users.
- It allows you to connect server only from a particular range on IP address.
- You can disallow downloads if the system load is high.
- More than one FTP server can be hosted on the same server.
- Compatible with your existing specification of client and server.
- You can quickly external setup software like database archival and virus scanners.
- It has built-in secure cryptographic techniques for security.
Link: https://www.pureftpd.org/project/pure-ftpd/
#17) Wise FTP
WISE-FTP is an FTP client for professionals. It has a user-friendly interface. This tool contains an integrated HTML editor. You can connect to any FTP servers like FTPES, FTPS, SFTP, etc.
Features:
- You can delete, rename, or copy from the FTP server to the local PC.
- It offers planners to schedule your uploading and downloading files.
- Easy to synchronize files directories, folders, and subfolders.
- Security is maintained through the SSH file transfer protocol.
Link: https://www.wise-ftp.de/en/
#18) CrushFTP
CrushFTP is easy to use file transfer solution can be run on Windows, Solaris, BSD, Unix, etc. It has a built-in zip method that enables users to download any files in a compressed format. The software can manage and monitor the server from anywhere with almost any device.
Features:
- It provides a thumbnail preview for images, documents, PDF, etc.
- You can customize website forms for the users.
- Built-in report to monitor user activity.
- You can quickly log in from the browser.
- The server admin can grant permission to the user.
- It offers real-time synchronization of data.
- Jobs or tasks can be configured so that you can run at a specified time.
- Supports a wide range of plugins.
Link: https://www.crushftp.com/index.html
#19) FlashFXP
FlashFXP platform that enables you to share files with your co-workers and friends using FTP. This tool is available in many languages, including Chinese, Dutch, French, German, etc. This software is also available in the portable edition.
Features:
- You can limit download and upload speed.
- Enables you to connect the server through FTP, FTPS, HTTP, and more.
- You can compare folders visually.
- It offers folder bookmarking.
- You can switch to a command-line interface.
- Rollback transfer of data.
- It provides an automatic transfer resume.
- You can calculate the size of the files.
Link: https://www.flashfxp.com/
#20) SmartFTP
SmartFTP is an FTP client that allows you to transfer files between a computer and a server. It helps you to publish and maintain your website. You can use this tool to upload and download documents, music files, movies, etc.
Features:
- This tool enables you to synchronize files or folders with ease.
- You can customize the commands the way you like.
- It is one of the best FTP client which enables you to preview the source file
- Visually compare files
- Multiple Connections are possible
- Supports UTF-8 (Transformation Format 8-bit blocks)
- Schedule tasks that run at a specific time.
Link: https://www.smartftp.com/en-us/
#21) CrossFTP
CrossFTP is a file transfer protocol client to handle data sync/transfer on Windows, Linux, and Mac. This SFTP client in Linux enables you to handle database and file backup.
Features:
- You can connect many site connections inside a single window.
- The latest version of this software protects your password through encryption.
- Enables you to compress, browse, and extract archives.
- Find the file on the web by just one click.
- Transfer data batch-wise.
- Zoom facility to preview
- This Linux SFTP client offers sound and event notifiers.
- It is one of the best FTP client for Mac which provides a convenient history information.
Link: http://www.crossftp.com/