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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.

FTP clients range from simple command-line utilities to sophisticated graphical applications with support for modern protocols like SFTP and FTPS. This comparison covers both traditional FTP-only clients and multi-protocol file transfer applications, organized by licensing model and feature set. The tables include information about platform support, protocol compatibility, and advanced features such as resume capability, compression, and automation support.

Free and open-source software

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Open-source FTP clients provide transparency, community-driven development, and freedom from licensing costs. These clients range from lightweight command-line tools to full-featured graphical applications, often matching or exceeding the capabilities of commercial alternatives. The following table presents mature open-source FTP clients with active development and broad platform support.


Client Developer Initial release Latest release License Copy files over 2 GB limit[1] Interface
Version Date
cURL Daniel Stenberg 1998 8.18.0[2] Edit this on Wikidata 2026-01-07 curl Yes CLI
Cyberduck David V. Kocher 2001 9.2.4[3] Edit this on Wikidata 2025-09-15 GPL-3.0-or-later Yes GUI and CLI
Far Manager Eugene Roshal / FAR Group 1996 3.0.6575[4] Edit this on Wikidata 2025-10-21 BSD-3-Clause Yes TUI
FileZilla Community 2001 (January) 3.69.5[5] Edit this on Wikidata 2025-11-12 GPL-2.0-or-later Yes GUI
FireFTP Mime Čuvalo 2004 (September) 2.0.32[6] Edit this on Wikidata 2019-02-01 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 1.2.0[7] Edit this on Wikidata 2005-05-02 Fugu[8] ? GUI
gFTP Brian Masney 1998 GPL-2.0-or-later Yes GTK+
lftp Alexander V. Lukyanov 1996 (August) 4.9.3[9] Edit this on Wikidata 2024-11-08 GPL-3.0-or-later Yes CLI
Macfusion Michael Gorbach 0 ? 2.0.4[10] Edit this on Wikidata 2010-12-03 Apache-2.0 ? GUI
NcFTP NcFTP Software Inc. 1991 3.3.0[11] Edit this on Wikidata 2025-04-23 ClArtistic Yes CLI
net2ftp David C. Gartner 2003 (January) 1.3[12] Edit this on Wikidata 2019-07-15 GPL-2.0-or-later ? Web application
Rclone Nick Craig-Wood 2015 (July) 1.72.1[13] Edit this on Wikidata 2025-12-10 MIT Yes CLI
tnftp Luke Mewburn 1999 20230507[14] Edit this on Wikidata 2023-05-07 BSD-4-Clause Yes CLI
WinSCP Martin Přikryl 2000 6.5.5[15] Edit this on Wikidata 2025-11-18 GPL-3.0-only Yes GUI and CLI

The open-source FTP client ecosystem includes both veteran projects like NcFTP (1991) and lftp (1996), and modern applications such as FileZilla and Cyberduck that provide polished graphical interfaces. Command-line tools like cURL and lftp excel in scripting and automation scenarios, while GUI applications like WinSCP and Cyberduck serve users who prefer visual file management. Cross-platform support is strong among open-source clients, with many available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. The GPL family of licenses dominates this category, though some projects use more permissive licenses like MIT or BSD.

Proprietary freeware

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Proprietary freeware FTP clients offer no-cost access to software that remains under restrictive licensing. These applications typically provide basic FTP functionality without the advanced features reserved for commercial versions. While free to use, the closed-source nature means users cannot inspect, modify, or redistribute the code.


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

The proprietary freeware category includes both discontinued projects like LeechFTP (which lacks support for files over 2GB) and actively maintained applications such as CrossFTP and FTP Voyager. Some freeware FTP clients serve as entry points to commercial product lines, offering basic functionality while reserving advanced features for paid versions. The limited number of actively developed freeware FTP clients reflects the maturation of both the open-source ecosystem and the shift toward commercial software-as-a-service models.

Freeware and commercial editions

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Some FTP client developers employ a dual-licensing strategy, offering both free versions for personal or limited use and commercial editions with enhanced capabilities. This model allows users to evaluate the software before committing to a purchase, while providing developers with a sustainable revenue stream for continued development.


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

The dual-licensing model represented here includes both completely free versions with limited features and evaluation periods for commercial software. Products like Core FTP and Fetch offer free editions alongside commercial versions with additional capabilities. This category demonstrates the commercial viability of FTP client software, with developers balancing accessibility against the need for sustainable business models. The Apache License used by Secure FTP represents a middle ground between proprietary licensing and full open-source release.

Trials of commercial

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Commercial FTP clients with trial periods allow users to evaluate full-featured software before purchase. These applications typically target professional users and enterprises requiring advanced features, comprehensive protocol support, and dedicated technical support. Trial versions provide time-limited or feature-limited access to commercial-grade functionality.


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: 3.50[16] Edit this on Wikidata
Windows: 11.56[17] Edit this on Wikidata 		2024-03-27
2025-08-19 		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 ?

The commercial trial category spans from established products like Beyond Compare (1996) and Total Commander (1993) to more recent entrants like Commander One (2015). These applications typically offer 30-day trial periods, allowing users to evaluate comprehensive feature sets including advanced protocol support, scripting capabilities, and enterprise integration options. The consistent support for files over 2GB across this category reflects the professional focus of these tools. Many of these products have evolved beyond simple FTP clients to become comprehensive file management and synchronization solutions.

Commercial

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Fully commercial FTP clients require purchase or subscription without free alternatives. These applications target professional users, enterprises, and specialized use cases where advanced features, reliability, and vendor support justify the cost. Commercial-only products often emphasize stability, comprehensive documentation, and integration with enterprise workflows.


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 4.0.7[18] Edit this on Wikidata 2024-01-30 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 2.5.0[19] Edit this on Wikidata 2016-07-06 Proprietary Yes
edtFTPnet Bruce P. Blackshaw 2003 2.2.1 2011-08-26 Proprietary Yes

The commercial-only category includes specialized tools targeting specific platforms (such as Transmit and ForkLift for macOS) and multi-platform solutions like ExpanDrive available on Windows, macOS, and Linux. Some products like ALFTP and FTP Explorer appear to have ceased active development, reflecting the competitive nature of the FTP client market. The emergence of subscription-based models and cloud storage integration has reshaped this category, with many developers pivoting toward broader file transfer solutions beyond traditional FTP.

Operating system support

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Platform compatibility determines the accessibility and utility of FTP clients across different computing environments. This section examines which operating systems each client supports, revealing patterns in cross-platform development and platform-specific optimization. Cross-platform support has become increasingly important for teams working in heterogeneous environments, though some specialized tools remain tied to specific platforms.

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)

Platform support reveals distinct patterns across the FTP client landscape. Windows dominates with near-universal coverage, while macOS and Linux support is more selective, often correlating with licensing models—open-source clients like FileZilla, gFTP, and cURL tend toward broad multi-platform support, while commercial products frequently target specific operating systems. Command-line tools like cURL, lftp, and NcFTP demonstrate the strongest cross-platform compatibility, running on BSD, Unix, and even AmigaOS in some cases. Web-based clients like Codeanywhere and net2ftp offer platform independence through browser access. The limited ChromeOS support reflects that platform's recent emergence and its cloud-centric design philosophy.

Protocol support

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Protocol compatibility defines the versatility and security posture of FTP clients. Modern clients increasingly support secure alternatives to plain FTP, including SFTP (FTP over SSH) and FTPS (FTP over SSL/TLS). Additional protocols like WebDAV and cloud storage APIs extend functionality beyond traditional file transfer. This section examines which protocols each client supports, along with features like compression, resume capability, and advanced transfer modes.

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[20] Segmented Downloads[20]
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[21]
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

Protocol support analysis reveals the evolution of FTP client capabilities over time. While traditional FTP remains nearly universal, secure alternatives have become standard—SFTP and FTPS (FTP over SSL) are supported by the majority of actively maintained clients, reflecting increased security awareness. Advanced features like WebDAV support, compression, and segmented downloads distinguish professional-grade tools from basic clients. Command-line and API availability enable automation and scripting, critical for enterprise workflows and DevOps practices. The inclusion of clients like Beyond Compare demonstrates the convergence of file transfer and file comparison capabilities, as users increasingly demand integrated solutions. Resume download and passive mode support are nearly universal among modern clients, addressing common connectivity challenges. The sparse data for parallel transfer and segmented downloads suggests these remain specialized features not yet standardized across the category.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ 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
  2. ^ Daniel Stenberg (January 7, 2026). "curl 8.18.0". Retrieved January 7, 2026.
  3. ^ "Release 9.2.4". September 15, 2025. Retrieved October 13, 2025.
  4. ^ https://www.farmanager.com/download.php. Retrieved November 20, 2025. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  5. ^ "3.69.5 (2025-11-12)". November 12, 2025. Retrieved November 13, 2025.
  6. ^ "Release 2.0.32". February 1, 2019. Retrieved June 19, 2019.
  7. ^ "Research Systems Unix Group: Fugu". May 2, 2005. Archived from the original on February 19, 2019.
  8. ^ "Fugu license". Archived from the original on February 19, 2019.
  9. ^ "Release 4.9.3". November 8, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
  10. ^ "Macfusion2.0.4".
  11. ^ "ncftp at NcFTP Software Inc".
  12. ^ https://www.net2ftp.com/index.php?state=homepage&state2=3. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  13. ^ "Release 1.72.1". December 10, 2025. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
  14. ^ "Index of pub/NetBSD/misc/tnftp/".
  15. ^ "6.5.5: Merge remote-tracking branch 'origin/translations'". November 18, 2025. Retrieved November 20, 2025.
  16. ^ "history2.txt". Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  17. ^ "Total Commander 11.56 is available now!". Retrieved August 19, 2025.
  18. ^ "ForkLift 4.0.7 is available". January 30, 2024.
  19. ^ "edtFTPj/Free revision history".
  20. ^ a b "Multi-threaded and Segmented FTP · Whatbox". whatbox.ca. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
  21. ^ "Core FTP - SFTP client features". coreftp.com. Retrieved July 15, 2020.
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