Comparison of FTP client software
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The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of File Transfer Protocol (FTP) clients. Unless otherwise specified in footnotes, comparisons are based on the stable versions without any add-ons, extensions, or external programs.
Free and open-source software
[edit | edit source]| Client | Developer | Initial release | Latest release | License | Copy files over 2 GB limit[1] | Interface | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | ||||||
| cURL | Daniel Stenberg | 1998 | curl | Yes | CLI | ||
| Cyberduck | David V. Kocher | 2001 | GPL-3.0-or-later | Yes | GUI and CLI | ||
| Far Manager | Eugene Roshal / FAR Group | 1996 | BSD-3-Clause | Yes | TUI | ||
| FileZilla | Community | 2001 (January) | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes | GUI | ||
| FireFTP | Mime Čuvalo | 2004 (September) | MPL-1.1, Charityware | Yes (since version 2.0.5) | Waterfox, Firefox pre-version 57 addon | ||
| Fugu | University of Michigan Research Systems Unix Group | 2003 | Fugu[2] | ? | GUI | ||
| gFTP | Brian Masney | 1998 | GPL-2.0-or-later | Yes | GTK+ | ||
| lftp | Alexander V. Lukyanov | 1996 (August) | GPL-3.0-or-later | Yes | CLI | ||
| Macfusion | Michael Gorbach | ? | Apache-2.0 | ? | GUI | ||
| NcFTP | NcFTP Software Inc. | 1991 | ClArtistic | Yes | CLI | ||
| net2ftp | David C. Gartner | 2003 (January) | GPL-2.0-or-later | ? | Web application | ||
| Rclone | Nick Craig-Wood | 2015 (July) | MIT | Yes | CLI | ||
| tnftp | Luke Mewburn | 1999 | BSD-4-Clause | Yes | CLI | ||
| WinSCP | Martin Přikryl | 2000 | GPL-3.0-only | Yes | GUI and CLI | ||
Proprietary freeware
[edit | edit source]| Client | Developer | Initial release | Latest release | License | Copy files over 2 GB[1] | Interface | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | ||||||
| CrossFTP | CrossFTP Software | 2006 | 1.99.2 | 2020-05-23 | Proprietary | Yes | GUI |
| LeechFTP | Jan Debis | 1998 | 1.3 (Discontinued) | Proprietary | No | GUI | |
| FTP Voyager | Rhino Software, Inc | 1997 (January) | 16.1.0.0 | 2013-08-20 | Proprietary | Yes | GUI |
Freeware and commercial editions
[edit | edit source]| Client | Developer | Initial release | Latest release | License | Copy files over 2 GB[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | |||||
| Core FTP | CoreFTP.com | 2003 | 2.2 (build 1751) | 2012-06-27 | Freeware | Yes |
| Fetch | Fetch Softworks | 1989 | 5.7.7 | 2017-12-02 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Secure FTP | Glub Tech | 1999 | 2.6.2 | 2013-07-27 | Apache | Yes |
| Sysax FTP Automation | Codeorigin, LLC | 2005 | 5.31 | 2012-04-12 | Proprietary | Yes |
Trials of commercial
[edit | edit source]| Client | Developer | Initial release | Latest release | License | Copy files over 2 GB[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | |||||
| AbsoluteTelnet | Celestial Software | 1996 | 9.49 | 2012-07-02 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Beyond Compare | Scooter Software | 1996 | 5.1.7 | 2025-12-18 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Commander One | Eltima Software | 2015 | Proprietary | Yes | ||
| CrossFTP Pro | CrossFTP Software | 2006 | 1.98.7 | 2020-05-23 | Proprietary | Yes |
| CuteFTP | Alex Kunadze/Globalscape | 1994 | macOS: 3.1.3 Windows: 9.3.0 |
2014-05-02 2018-07-11 |
Proprietary | Yes |
| Directory Opus | GPSoftware | 1990 | 12.28 | 2022-06-03 | Proprietary | Yes |
| FlashFXP | OpenSight Software, LLC | 1999 | 5.4.0.3970 | 2017-04-01 | Proprietary | Yes |
| SmartFTP | SmartSoft Ltd | 1998 | 10.0.3185.0 | 2023-11-15 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Total Commander | Christian Ghisler | 1993 | Android: Windows: |
Proprietary | Yes | |
| WebDrive | South River Technologies, Inc. | 1998 | 2017 | 2017-06-16 | Proprietary | Yes |
| WS_FTP | Ipswitch, Inc. | 1996 | 12.7 | 2018-11-27 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Yummy FTP | Yummy Software | 2004 | 1.9.0 | 2018-05-10 | Proprietary, Setapp | ? |
Commercial
[edit | edit source]| Client | Developer | Initial release | Latest release | License | Copy files over 2 GB[1] | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Version | Date | |||||
| ALFTP | ESTsoft | 2000 | 5.31 | 2012-02-01 | Proprietary | ? |
| ExpanDrive (formerly SFTPDrive) | ExpanDrive, Inc | 2005 | Linux: macOS: Windows: |
Proprietary | Yes | |
| ForkLift | BinaryNights, LLC | 2007 | Proprietary | Yes | ||
| FTP Explorer | FTPx Corp. | October, 1996 | 1.0.1.53 | 2012-01 | Proprietary | ? |
| FTP Files | Anders Borum ApS | 2024 | 2024.47 | 2024-10-07 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Interarchy | Nolobe Software Pty Ltd | 1993 (as Anarchie) | 10.0.6 | 2014-08-18 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Steed | French Fry, SAS | 2012 | 1.2.1.1169 | 2017-06-27 | Proprietary | Yes |
| Transmit | Panic, Inc. | 1998 | 5.6.4 | 2020-04-20 | Proprietary | Yes |
| WISE-FTP | AceBIT | 1998 | 7.0 (Build 7.0.4) | 2012-03-16 | Proprietary | ? |
| edtFTPj | Bruce P. Blackshaw | 2000 | Proprietary | Yes | ||
| edtFTPnet | Bruce P. Blackshaw | 2003 | 2.2.1 | 2011-08-26 | Proprietary | Yes |
Operating system support
[edit | edit source]The operating systems the clients can run on:
| Client | Windows | macOS | Linux | BSD | Unix | AmigaOS | ChromeOS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AbsoluteTelnet | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| ALFTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Beyond Compare | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Classic FTP | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Codeanywhere (webbased) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Commander One | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Core FTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| CrossFTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| cURL (CL) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| CuteFTP | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Cyberduck | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Directory Opus | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | No |
| ExpanDrive | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No |
| Far Manager | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Fetch | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| FileZilla | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| FireFTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| FlashFXP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Fling FTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| ForkLift | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| FTP Client | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| FTP Explorer | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| FTP Files | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| FTP Voyager | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Fugu | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| gFTP | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Interarchy | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| LeechFTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| lftp (CL) | Yes (cygwin) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Macfusion | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Mosaic | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| NcFTP (CL) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| net2ftp (web-based) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| PSFTP (PuTTY) (CL) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Rclone | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Secure FTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| SmartFTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Steed | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Sysax FTP Automation | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Total Commander | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| tnftp (CL) | Yes (cygwin) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Transmit | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| WebDrive | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| WinSCP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| WISE-FTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| WS_FTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Yummy FTP | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Client | Windows | Mac OS X | Linux | BSD | Unix | AmigaOS | ChromeOS |
(CL) Command-Line interface only – no GUI (Graphical user interface)
Protocol support
[edit | edit source]Information about what internet protocols the clients support. External links lead to information about support in future versions of the clients or extensions that provide such functionality.
| Client | FTP | FTP over SSH | SFTP | FTPS (FTP over SSL) | FXP (Site2site transfer) | DAV / HTTP(S) | Compression | Mode Z / Remote Compression | API / Commandline available | Resume Download | Passive mode | Parallel Transfer[3] | Segmented Downloads[3] |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AbsoluteTelnet | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| ALFTP | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Beyond Compare | Yes | No | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | No | Yes (Pro only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Classic FTP | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | ? | ? | ? | Yes | ? | ? |
| Codeanywhere | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Commander One | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | ? | ? |
| Core FTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | ? | ? | ? | Yes[4] |
| CrossFTP | Yes | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| cURL | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (Only) | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| CuteFTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (HTTP(S)) | Yes | No | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Cyberduck | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes (SFTP only) | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Directory Opus | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| ExpanDrive (Mac) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| ExpanDrive (Windows) | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Far Manager | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | No | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Fetch | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| FileZilla | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes (basic) | Yes | Yes | ? | No |
| FireFTP | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| FlashFXP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Fling FTP | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| ForkLift | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| FTP Client | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | ? | ? | ? |
| FTP Explorer | Yes | No | No | No | ? | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| FTP Voyager | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Fugu | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| gFTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (control connection only) | Yes | ? | No | ? | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Interarchy | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ? | ? | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| LeechFTP | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| lftp | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Partial) | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | Yes |
| Macfusion | Yes | ? | Yes | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Macfusion | Yes | ? | Yes | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| NcFTP | Yes | No | No | ? | ? | ? | No | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | ? |
| PSFTP (PuTTY) | No | No | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? |
| Rclone | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Secure FTP | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| SmartFTP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Steed | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | ? | Yes | ? | ? |
| Sysax FTP Automation | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | No | Yes (script and command line) | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| Total Commander | Yes | Yes | Yes (plugin) | Yes | Yes | Yes (plugin) | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Transmit | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | ? | Yes (AppleScript) | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| WebDrive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (SFTP) | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Windows 7 (ftp.exe) | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | ? | No | ? | ? |
| WinSCP | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes (SFTP only) | Yes (SCP command) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No |
| WISE-FTP | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? |
| WS_FTP | Yes | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | Yes | Yes (Pro only) | Yes | Yes (Pro only) | No | Yes (Pro only) | Yes (Pro only) | Yes | ? | ? |
| Yummy FTP | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (AppleScript) | Yes | Yes | ? | ? |
| Client | FTP | FTP over SSH | SFTP | FTPS (FTP over SSL) | FXP (Site2site transfer) | DAV / HTTP(S) | Compression | Mode Z / Remote Compression | API / Commandline available | Resume Download | Passive mode | Parallel Transfer | Segmented Downloads |
See also
[edit | edit source]- File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
- Comparison of FTP server software packages
- Comparison of SSH clients – many of these, although not listed here, also have an SFTP capability
References
[edit | edit source]- ^ a b c d e ubuntuforums.org: 2007, 2GB data transfer limitation? Quote: "...The common 2 GB limit is actually a bug in many FTP clients. If he is using Windows, try the latest FileZilla...", kernel.org: FAQ: I can't download a file with size greater than 2GB, is your website broken?, Comparison of file systems#Limits
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ a b Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
- ^ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2172: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).