Transferring files to and from your web host or server is best done with what’s commonly known an FTP client, though the term is a bit dated because there are more secure alternatives such as SFTP and FTPS.
If you’re looking for a free FTP software, though, this compilation of the best free FTP clients will help you narrow your choices. Keep reading to see the full list and learn why these free FTP clients made the cut!
CuteFTP (Windows and Mac) CuteFTP is one of the best premium FTP Client. So, if you are one of those who is looking for advanced functionality and premium support in an FTP Client, then CuteFTP comes as a perfect choice indeed. CuteFTP works on both Windows as well as Mac OS X. Transmit 5 has the best user interface among all the FTP clients on Mac. With a single click, you can quickly connect to multiple cloud storage services such as Box, Google Drive, Amazon Drive, etc., and start uploading files to the server. Transmit is packed with valuable features often missing from the free FTP clients. Let’s take a look at. Price: Free with limitations, starts from $29.95 (single-user license) Visit: Website 9. There are multiple reasons why Viper FTP deserves a close look if you are looking for the best FTP clients on Mac. First and foremost, the FTP client has struck a fine balance between ease of use and powerful features. FileZilla is an open-source and free FTP software and is the most popular client at the time of this writing. It was first released in 2001. It’s also the number one free FTP program that we recommend to our customers. FileZilla is the best free FTP client for Windows and Mac, including Windows 10.
What is an FTP?
An FTP, which stands for File Transfer Protocol, is a method for transferring files from one computer to another.
How we created this list of the best free FTP software applications
When I was putting together this list, this was my criteria:
- Supports secure file transfer protocols: FTP isn’t secure. Among its many flaws, plain FTP doesn’t encrypt the data you’re transferring. If your data is compromised en route to its destination, your credentials (username and password) and your data can easily be read. SFTP (which stands for SHH File Transfer Protocol) is a popular secure alternative, but there are many others.
- Has a GUI: There are some awesome FTP clients with a command-line interface, but for a great number of people, a graphical user interface is more approachable and easier to use.
5 best free FTP clients
The five free FTP clients that made our list include:
1. FileZilla
Best Free Ftp Mac
Topping the list is FileZilla, an open source FTP client. It’s fast, being able to handle simultaneous transmissions (multi-threaded transfers), and supports SFTP and FTPS (which stands for FTP over SSL). What’s more, it’s available on all operating systems, so if you work on multiple computers — like if you’re forced to use Windows at work but you have a Mac at home — you don’t need to use a different application for your file-transferring needs.
Available on Windows, Mac OS and Linux
2. Cyberduck
Cyberduck can take care of a ton of your file-transferring needs: SFTP, WebDav, Amazon S3, and more. It has a minimalist UI, which makes it super easy to use.
Available on Windows and Mac OS
3. FireFTP
This Mozilla Firefox add-on gives you a very capable FTP/SFTP client right within your browser. It’s available on all platforms that can run Firefox.
Available on Windows, Mac OS and Linux
Download here
4. Classic FTP
Classic FTP is a file transfer client that’s free for non-commercial use. It has a very simple interface, which is a good thing, because it makes it easy and intuitive to use. I like its “Compare Directories” feature that’s helpful for seeing differences between your local and remote files.
Available on Windows and Mac OS
5. WinSCP
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This popular FTP client has a very long list of features, and if you’re a Windows user, it’s certainly worth a look. WinSCP can deal with multiple file-transfer protocols (SFTP, SCP, FTP, and WebDav). It has a built-in text editor for making quick text edits more convenient, and has scripting support for power users.
Available on Windows
Best Ftp Tool Mac
Honorable Mention: Transmit
For this post, I decided to focus on free software. But it just doesn’t seem right to leave out Transmit (which costs $34) in a post about FTP clients because it’s a popular option used by web developers on Mac OS. It has a lot of innovative features and its user-friendliness is unmatched. If you’ve got the cash to spare and you’re on a Mac, this might be your best option.
Source: panic.com
Available on Mac OS
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Which FTP client do you use?
Best Free Ftp For Mac
There’s a great deal of FTP clients out there. If your favorite FTP client isn’t on the list, please mention it in the comments for the benefit of other readers. And if you’ve used any of the FTP clients mentioned here, please do share your thoughts about them too.
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