Comparison of FTP client software
The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of FTP clients and related clients that use other file transfer protocols. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. Unless otherwise specified in footnotes, comparisons are based on the stable versions without any add-ons, extensions or external programs.
Client |
Creator |
First public release date |
Latest stable version |
Software license |
Copy files over 2 GB limit[1] |
Interface |
cURL |
Daniel Stenberg |
1998 |
7.47.0 (January 27, 2016 (2016-01-27)[2]) [±] |
MIT |
Yes |
CLI |
Cyberduck |
David V. Kocher |
2001 |
4.6.1 December 18, 2014 (2014-12-18) |
GPL |
Yes |
GUI |
FileZilla |
Community |
2001 (January) |
3.15.0.1 (2 February 2016 (2016-02-02)) [±][3]
|
GPL |
Yes |
GUI |
FireFTP |
Mime Čuvalo |
2004 (September) |
2.0.24.1-signed (May 18, 2015 (2015-05-18)) [±] |
MPL 1.1, Charityware |
Yes (since version 2.0.5) |
Firefox addon |
Fugu |
University of Michigan Research Systems Unix Group |
2003 |
1.2.0 May 2, 2005 (2005-05-02) |
BSD |
? |
GUI |
gFTP |
Brian Masney |
1998 |
2.0.19 November 30, 2008 (2008-11-30) |
GPL |
Yes |
GTK+ |
lftp |
Alexander V. Lukyanov |
1996 (August) |
4.6.5 (December 10, 2015 (2015-12-10) [4]) [±] |
GPL |
Yes |
CLI |
Macfusion |
Michael Gorbach |
0 ? |
2.0.4 |
BSD |
? |
GUI |
NcFTP |
NcFTP Software Inc. |
1991 |
3.2.5 January 17, 2011 (2011-01-17) |
Clarified Artistic License |
Yes |
CLI |
net2ftp |
David C. Gartner |
2003 (January) |
0.98 March 1, 2013 (2013-03-01) |
GPL |
? |
Web application |
Swish |
Alexander Lamaison |
2007 |
0.7.0 July 30, 2012 (2012-07-30) |
GPL |
Yes |
Windows Explorer shell extension |
tnftp |
Luke Mewburn |
1999 |
20130505 May 5, 2013 (2013-05-05) |
BSD |
? |
CLI |
WinSCP |
Martin Přikryl |
2000 |
5.7.6 (November 4, 2015 (2015-11-04)[5]) [±] |
GPL |
Yes |
GUI and CLI |
Yafc |
Sebastian Ramacher |
1999 |
1.2.5 (June 15, 2013 (2013-06-15)) [±] |
GPL |
Yes |
CLI |
Client |
Creator |
First public release date |
Latest stable version |
Software license |
Copy files over 2 GB[1] |
Interface |
Admin Hands |
ARPAplus |
2015 |
2016.02.01.01 (May 1, 2015 (2015-05-01)) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Android |
Ali's FTP Interface |
S. Ali Tokmen |
2003 |
2013.01.20.01 (January 20, 2013 (2013-01-20)) |
No license mentioned, but source is available |
? |
Web application |
AnyClient |
JSCAPE |
2008 |
6.0 November 14, 2013 (2013-11-14) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Web Interface and GUI |
BitKinex |
Barad-Dur, LLC. |
2003 |
3.2.2 July 11, 2010 (2010-07-11) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
GUI + command line |
Classic FTP |
NCH Software |
2007 |
2.52 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
GUI |
Fling FTP (free version contains adware) |
NCH Software |
2007 |
1.0.7 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Windows Explorer shell extension |
FTP! |
syncplify.me |
2014 (January) |
1.0.6.26 January 14, 2014 (2014-01-14) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
GUI |
FTP Rush |
Wing FTP Software |
2011 |
2.1.8 |
Freeware |
Yes |
GUI |
LeechFTP |
Jan Debis |
1998 |
1.3 (Discontinued) |
Proprietary |
No |
GUI |
Mosaic |
NCSA |
1993 |
3.0 (Discontinued) |
Proprietary |
? |
? |
pbFtpClient |
Level5Software |
2007 |
6.1 |
Proprietary |
? |
Windows GUI |
UploadFTP Free |
Brightek Software |
2011 |
2.0 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
GUI |
FTP Voyager |
Rhino Software, Inc |
January, 1997 |
16.1.0.0 (August 20, 2013; 8 months ago) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
GUI |
Freeware and commercial editions
Trials of commercial
Client |
Creator |
First public release date |
Latest stable version |
Software license |
Copy files over 2 GB[1] |
3D-FTP |
SiteDesigner Technologies, Inc. |
1999 |
9.01 July 6, 2010 (2010-07-06) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
AbsoluteTelnet |
Celestial Software |
1996 |
9.49 July 2, 2012 (2012-07-02) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
AutoFTP |
PrimaSoft PC |
1998 |
4.9 |
Proprietary |
? |
BatchFTP |
ENSware LLC. |
2000 |
9.0.0.1 February 12, 2009 (2009-02-12) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Beyond Compare |
Scooter Software |
1996 |
4.1.3 December 17, 2015 (2015-12-17) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Beyond FTP |
Automated Programming Technologies |
1997 |
3.3.01 (build 009) July 11, 2014 (2014-07-11) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
BulletProof FTP aka BPFTP |
BulletProof Software LLC |
1997 |
2.63 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
ClassicFTP |
NCH Software. |
2007 |
2.52 December 29, 2014 (2014-12-29) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Commander One |
Eltima Software |
2015 |
1.1 September 29, 2015 (2015-09-29) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
CuteFTP |
Alex Kunadze/Globalscape |
1994 |
9.0.5 (Windows) July 22, 2013 (2013-07-22) / 3.1.3 (Mac) May 2, 2014 (2014-05-02) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Directory Opus |
GPSoftware |
1990 |
11.10 December 19, 2014 (2014-12-19) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
FlashFXP |
OpenSight Software, LLC |
1999 |
4.3.0 February 20, 2013 (2013-02-20) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
FTP Client |
Vicomsoft |
1997 |
5.0.1 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Global Downloader |
Actysoft Inc |
2005 |
1.8.1.1 November 20, 2011 (2011-11-20) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
LeapFTP |
LeapWare |
1996 |
3.1.0 October 31, 2010 (2010-10-31) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
GoAnywhere Director |
Linoma Software |
2002 |
4.5.1 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Robo-FTP |
Serengeti Systems Incorporated |
2001 |
3.8.3 July 30, 2012 (2012-07-30) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
rwBackup |
Stack-Its |
2014 |
1.0 April 16, 2014 (2014-04-16) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
SFTPPlus |
Pro:Atria Ltd |
2005 |
3 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
SmartFTP |
SmartSoft Ltd |
1998 |
6.0.2155.0 July 23, 2015 (2015-07-23) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Total Commander |
Christian Ghisler |
1993 |
8.52a September 17, 2015 (2015-09-17) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
UploadFTP |
Brightek Software |
2011 |
2.0.1 August 14, 2011 (2011-08-14) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
WebDrive |
South River Technologies, Inc. |
1998 |
11.0 February 1, 2013 (2013-02-01) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
WS_FTP |
Ipswitch, Inc. |
1996 |
12.4 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Yummy FTP |
Yummy Software |
2004 |
1.9.0 May 10, 2011 (2011-05-10) |
Proprietary |
? |
LexiCom |
Cleo |
2003 |
5.2 July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Commercial
Client |
Creator |
First public release date |
Latest stable version |
Software license |
Copy files over 2 GB[1] |
ALFTP |
ESTsoft |
2000 |
5.31 February 1, 2012 (2012-02-01) |
Proprietary |
? |
BitKinex FTP |
Barad-Dur, LLC. |
2003 |
3.2.3 November 7, 2010 (2010-11-07) |
Proprietary |
? |
Captain FTP |
Xnet |
2001 |
6.5 |
Proprietary |
? |
ExpanDrive (Mac) |
ExpanDrive, Inc |
2008 |
5.1.4 (November 4, 2015 (2015-11-04)) [±] |
Proprietary |
Yes |
ExpanDrive (Windows) (formerly SftpDrive) |
ExpanDrive, Inc |
2005 |
5.1.4 (November 4, 2015 (2015-11-04)) [±] |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Flow |
Five Details |
2008 |
1.6.5 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
FTP Client |
Hankinsoft Development, Inc |
2011 |
1.10 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
FTP Commander |
Internetsoft Corporation |
1997 |
9.21 November 8, 2010 (2010-11-08) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
FTP Explorer |
FTPx Corp. |
October, 1996 |
1.0.1.53 |
Proprietary |
? |
GoAnywhere Director |
Linoma Software |
2002 |
4.5.1 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Interarchy |
Nolobe Software Pty Ltd |
1993 (as Anarchie) |
10.0.2 August 18, 2010 (2010-08-18) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
rwBackup |
Stack-Its |
2014 |
1.0 April 16, 2014 (2014-04-16) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
SFTPPlus |
Pro:Atria Ltd |
2005 |
3 |
Proprietary |
Yes |
SecureFX |
VanDyke Software |
1998 |
7.0 July 3, 2012 (2012-07-03) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Steed |
French Fry, SAS |
2012 |
1.1.1.1014 March 17, 2015 (2015-03-17) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Transmit |
Panic, Inc. |
1998 |
4.4.8 September 19, 2014 (2014-09-19) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
WISE-FTP |
AceBIT |
1998 |
7.0 (Build 7.0.4) March 16, 2012 (2012-03-16) |
Proprietary |
? |
edtFTPj |
Bruce P. Blackshaw |
2000 |
2.3.0 August 26, 2011 (2011-08-26) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Java JAR file |
edtFTPnet |
Bruce P. Blackshaw |
2003 |
2.2.1 August 26, 2011 (2011-08-26) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Windows DLL |
VLTrader |
Cleo |
2005 |
5.2 July 1, 2015 (2015-07-01) |
Proprietary |
Yes |
Operating system support
The operating systems the clients can run on.
(CL) Command-Line interface only – no GUI
Protocol support
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 |
Remote Compression |
API / Commandline available |
Resume Download |
Passive mode |
3D-FTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
? |
AbsoluteTelnet |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
? |
? |
ALFTP |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Ali's FTP Interface |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
AnyClient |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Beyond Compare |
Yes |
No |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes (Pro only) |
No |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Beyond FTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
BitKinex |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Captain FTP |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Classic FTP |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Commander One |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
CoreFTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
? |
? |
CrossFTP |
Yes |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes (Pro only) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
cURL |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes (Only) |
Yes |
Yes |
CurlFtpFS |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
CuteFTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (HTTP(S) |
Yes |
No |
? |
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 (with WinSCP plugin) |
Yes (with Far Navigator plugin) |
? |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Fetch |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
? |
? |
FileZilla |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (basic) |
Yes |
Yes |
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 |
? |
? |
FTP! |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
FTP Client |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
? |
FTP Commander |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
? |
? |
? |
FTP Explorer |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
FTP Script! |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
FTP Voyager |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Fugu |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
FTP Rush |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (windows rushmirc.dll) |
Yes |
Yes |
gFTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (control connection only) |
Yes |
? |
No |
? |
Yes |
? |
? |
GoAnywhere Director |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Interarchy |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
? |
? |
Yes |
? |
LeechFTP |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
lftp |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (Partial) |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Macfusion |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
? |
Mosaic |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
? |
NcFTP |
Yes |
No |
No |
? |
? |
? |
No |
? |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
pbFtpClient |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
? |
? |
? |
PSFTP (PuTTY) |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Robo-FTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
rwBackup |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
? |
No |
Yes |
? |
SFTPPlus |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Secure FTP |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
? |
? |
SmartFTP |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Steed |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
No |
? |
? |
No |
? |
Yes |
Swish |
No |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
? |
No |
? |
? |
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 |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
? |
Yes (AppleScript) |
Yes |
Yes |
UploadFTP |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (Pro Only) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
? |
WebDrive |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
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 |
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) |
? |
Xftp |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yummy FTP |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
? |
? |
Client |
FTP |
FTP over SSH |
SFTP |
FTPS (FTP over SSL) |
FXP (Site2site transfer) |
DAV / HTTP(S) |
Compression |
Remote Compression |
API / Commandline available |
Resume Download |
Passive mode |
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 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
- ↑ "cURL - Changes". 2016-01-27. Retrieved 2016-01-27.
- ↑ codesquid (2 February 2016). "Bump to 3.15.0.1". FileZilla SVN. FileZilla. Retrieved 4 February 2016.
- ↑ "LFTP events". 2015-12-10. Retrieved 2015-12-10.
- ↑ "Recent Version History :: WinSCP". Retrieved 2015-11-04.
See also