FTP vs SFTP: Key Difference Between Them

What are FTP and SFTP?

• FTP doesn’t provide a secure channel to transfer files between hosts, whereas SFTP offers a secure channel for transferring files between hosts.
• FTP stands for “File Transfer Protocol,” whereas SFTP stands for “SSH File Transfer Protocol”.
• FTP uses 2 channels to transfer data, while SFTP uses 1 channel to transfer data.
• FTP allows inbound connections on port 21, whereas SFTP allows incoming connections on port 22.
• FTP doesn’t provide encryption, whereas SFTP provides encryption for sending the data.
• FTP uses Client-server architecture, whereas SFTP uses SSH architecture.
• FTP has a direct transfer method, whereas SFTP has a tunneling transfer method.

Here, I have analyzed the difference between the FTP and the SFTP and will comprehensively evaluate their pros and cons.

What is FTP?

FTP stands for “File Transfer Protocol.” It is an internet service designed to establish a connection to a specific server or computer. Therefore, users can transfer files (downloads) or data to their computer or the FTP server.

The FTP protocol also includes commands, which you can use to execute operations on any remote computer. For example, to change directories, show folder contents, create folders, or delete files. It is built on a client-server architecture. FTP lets you utilize separate control and data connections between the client and server applications. It helps to solve the issue of different end-host configurations.

What is SFTP?

SFTP (full-form SSH File Transfer Protocol) is a part of the SSH protocol suite. It provides secure file transfers over SSH to access all the shell accounts on a remote SFTP server.

SSH is a protocol for secure remote access to a machine over untrusted networks. It is a replacement for telnet, rsh, and rlogin. SFTP verifies the client’s identity, and information is exchanged once a secure connection is established.

Features of FTP

From my experience, here are the key features of FTP:

• Auto re-get or Resuming
• A user interface that shows both local and remote files
• Allows monitoring of file transfers
• It helps you set up and save multiple FTP sessions
• Allows for uploading multiple files at one time. Support for numerous flavors of FTP and SFTP
• FTP operates in a client-server environment, meaning the remote machine is configured as a server. So, it waits for the other machine to request a service.
• The FTP protocol can also perform actions such as creating and deleting directories, listing files, deleting and renaming files, etc.

Features of SFTP

From my hands-on work, here are the key features of SFTP:

• Transmission is secure and can be compressed
• Support for TMUX and screen sessions
• Implements the SSH3 protocol
• It allows you to execute commands over SSH channel
• Provide support for IPV6 HTTP protocols
• Supports both password and public-key authentication
• Offers interactive keyboard authentication
• It helps you handle server key re-exchanges transparently
• Supports custom channels
• Automatic conversion of text output from the remote system’s charset to Unicode-based strings

FTP vs SFTP: What is the Difference Between FTP and SFTP?

Drawing from my years of working with these protocols, the main difference between SFTP and FTP is:

Parameter	FTP	SFTP
Founder	By Abhay Bhushan in 1971	Tatu Ylönen, with assistance from Sami Lehtinen, in 1997
Full Form	File Transfer Protocol.	Secure FTP Protocol.
Basic	FTP does not offer a secure channel to transfer files between hosts.	SFTP provides a secure channel for transferring files between hosts.
Encryption	FTP is accessible anonymously, and in most cases, it is not encrypted.	SFTP encrypts the data before sending it to another host.
Architecture used	Client-server	SSH
Protocol	FTP is TCP/IP protocol.	SFTP protocol is part of the SSH protocol, which is a remote login application program.
Number of channels used	2	1
Commonly used	Yes	NO
Transfer method	Direct transfer	Tunneling
Inbound Port	Allow inbound connection on port 21	Allow incoming connections on port 22
Outbound Port	Allows outbound connection to port 21.	Allow outbound connections to port 22.

Advantages of using FTP

Reflecting on my usage, here are the essential advantages of FTP:

• The directory listing is uniform and machine-readable
• Transfers can be resumed and can be scheduled
• There is no size limitation on single transfers
• FTP allows files to have ownership and access restrictions
• It helps you hide the information on individual computer systems
• Many FTP clients offer scripting capabilities
• Most FTP clients have a synchronizing utility
• FTP client allows you to transfer multiple files & directories

Advantages of using SFTP

In my experience, here are the benefits of using SFTP:

• The connection is always secure.
• Uninformed TCP/IP ports can be redirected through the encrypted channel in both directions.
• The SFTP protocol runs on a secure channel without transferring clear text passwords or file data.
• You can install the software and use with restricted functionality, even without root privileges.

Disadvantages of using FTP

Based on what I have seen, here are the downsides to FTP.

• Filtering active FTP connections is a tough job on your local machine
• Servers can be spoofed to send data to a random, unknown port on any unauthorized computer
• Hard-to-script jobs using FTP protocol
• FTP is not a secure way to transfer data
• Compliance can be an issue when using FTP to send files
• Does not allow server-to-server copy and recursive directory removal operations

Disadvantages of using SFTP

Here are the disadvantages of SFTP from my own experience.

• The communication is binary and can’t be logged
• SSH keys are not easy to manage and validate
• The standards define specific things as optional or recommended. It may lead to compatibility problems between different software developed by other vendors.

Best FTP Client Software

From my perspective, this stands out as the best FTP client software.

• Cerberus FTP
• FTP server software
• FileZilla
• GoodSync
• ForkLift

Best SFTP Server Software

Based on my professional use, I recommend this as the best SFTP server software.

• SolarWinds SFTP/SCP Server
• Files.com
• WS_FTP Server Corporate
• Couchdrop SFTP
• CompleteFTP

How to Choose Between FTP and SFTP

From my perspective, the choice between FTP and SFTP comes down to a trade-off between simplicity and security. For critical data, I invariably recommend SFTP because of its superior protection capabilities.