My point here is this: every IT professional and practitioner needs a good FTP client (and possibly server) in their corner. Whether you’re building a site or sharing files, FTP provides ease and capacity unavailable in simple computer-to-computer transfers. The popularity and long history of this protocol means there are lots of players in the game—FTP clients for Windows, FTP clients for macOS, FTP clients for mobile, free FTP clients and paid FTP clients—and the right one for you depends on the client’s features and your needs. We’re here to help you sort through the clutter with the following list. Don’t have time to read through top FTP programs? My top pick is the SolarWinds® Serv-U® Managed File Transfer Server solution if you need reliable, business-level capabilities.
Top 10 Best Free Open Source SSH Clients for Windows Linux and MacOS – HostNamaste. We get to hear about several types of cyber crimes these days. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to security if you are conducting any online business. To provide adequate security to clients, SSH protocol is included in the TCP/IP stack. I've also tried these.net class libraries: Winscp, SSH.NET, SharpSSH, and the commercial SecureBlackBox SFTP client. SecureBlackBox worked well, but it's very heavy-weight, can be quite expensive depending on the licensing, and I didn't agree so much with it's API. Hands down, the best free sftp client for.NET development is winscp. Commercial clients: Tectia SSH is a commercially supported SSH client for enterprises, with 24x7 support. More information on Tectia SSH. Together with our customers, our mission is to secure their digital business on on-premises, cloud, and hybrid ecosystems cost-efficiently, at scale, and without disruptions to their operations or business. Fortunately, most of the best FTP and SFTP Clients for Windows are 100% free. Clients like WinSCP and Filezilla are free, and their license is open source. Other tools like Solar-PuTTY and FTP Voyager, have a proprietary license but are 100% freeware.
Here you can jump ahead to FTP Client Software reviews:
SecureCRT is the best client. And it well should be @ $100 per user. If you havent tried Cisco's CLI Analyzer as an SSH client, you should totally give it a try. In all honesty though, Your SSH client just needs to support user-configurable fonts & colors, and the full array of encryption options and be reasonable on memory use, and thats about it.
What to Keep in Mind When Choosing FTP Client Software
File Transfer Protocol is necessary when you’re communicating with a server. It’s the FTP client software that initiates the request of the server. That’s typically relevant when you’re building or maintaining a website but could also matter when transferring large files that can’t be stored on RAM. (This latter use has become less popular with the rise of cloud computing.) For smaller data transfers, going machine-to-machine is still fine.
A note on security: FTP was developed before cybersecurity was the concern that it is today, so data is sent unencrypted. That might be fine if you’re just hosting whitepapers for download or transferring non-private information. But if you have any sensitive documents or your industry has privacy regulations, using an unsecured connection could be a PR headache at best and regulatory negligence charges at worst.
That’s why Secure FTP, or SFTP, was developed. (FTPS is another, less common, encrypted form of FTP.) In fact, FTP and SFTP are often used interchangeably now, though you shouldn’t assume this is the case when choosing your client; verify that you’re getting SFTP if you need it.
Why pay for a top FTP program when there are so many popular free versions? As we’ve noted previously in this blog, “Open-source is only free if your time is worthless.” That’s a bit harsh, but the message is important: open-source and free proprietary options aren’t going to provide the support and customization of a paid service and team. You’ll spend a lot of time learning, customizing, and maintaining the program yourself, and it still might fail sometimes. This should be foremost on your mind if regular, secure, and reliable data transfer is mission-critical for your business and not just tangential.
Best FTP Client Overall
With SolarWinds Serv-U Managed File Transfer (MFT) Server, you get all the business-level capabilities you need at the affordable price you’ve come to expect from other Serv-U product offerings like Serv-U File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Server.
Like FTP Server, Serv-U MFT provides total control over your file transfers—even 3GB+ files—within your organization, over both web and mobile devices. It simplifies file transfer for users with single drag-and-drop features. I’d say the real advantage here is the intuitive dashboard that allows central control and customizable automation abilities (and the ability to look over activity logs as needed).
And of course, you get the crucial security features you need and expect for business functions, like Active Directory integration and authentication features. Files can be transferred over FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and HTTP/S protocols, over both IPv4 and IPv6 networks. Designed to deliver reliable and secure file transfers, this file transfer tool focuses on helping you ensure regulatory compliance for PCI DSS, HIPAA, and other standards that require secure data transfers. Serv-U MFT can take loads off your plate and keep your system running smoothly.
Serv-U MFT Server is designed to be easy to install and supports deployment on Windows and Linux® platforms.
Best Free FTP Client for Windows
WinSCP is like the Honda Civic of FTP clients—ubiquitous, relatively reliable, and affordable (free, in fact, because it’s open-source), all-in-all a decent option for a variety of users. It supports the SFTP protocol for added security and supports SCP (as the name suggests), as well as WebDAV and Amazon S3. WinSCP has an integrated text editor and allows for remote editing, which is then uploaded to the server automatically when saving, making editing a snap. And there are three portable versions, including one for Linux.
A few drawbacks: it’s built on Windows, so Mac users are out of luck. And if you use UNC to organize files on a LAN, WinSCP isn’t compatible with that either. Plus, some users criticize WinSCP’s odd keyboard command layout and the inability to customize shortcuts. (A minor gripe, but I bet it will annoy you after a while.)
Runner-Up, Best Free FTP Client for Windows
FileZilla might be the undisputed champ of open-source FTP clients if not for some unfortunate moves and PR. It works for Windows, macOS, and Linux, has drag-and-drop, tabbed interface, bookmarks, and remote editing as well as file search. Out since the early 2000s, FileZilla has racked up thousands of happy users and supporters.
But the program’s host, SourceForge, earned some ill will when it started bundling FileZilla downloads with adware or using deceiving tactics to get users to download unwanted programs. Some users even claimed malware was loaded onto their computers. Current versions still contain ads on update pages, so be careful. And in 2014, it was revealed that fake versions of FileZilla were loaded with malware that was stealing login credentials, so you should make sure you are downloading a legit version.
Best Free FTP Client for macOS
At first glance, Transmit might not seem like a standout. Like other competitive FTP clients, it supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, Amazon S3, or WebDAV protocols, and integrates easily with Amazon Drive, Backblaze B2, DreamObjects, Dropbox, Google Drive, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft OneDrive, Microsoft OneDrive for Business, OpenStack Swift, and Rackspace Cloud Files cloud storage accounts. Transmit is also great for automated syncing.
What makes Transmit special? It does all this for macOS. In a field dominated by Windows FTP clients, this is easily the best FTP client for macOS. And as proprietary freeware, you get the updates and guidance of a paid service without spending a dime.
Runner-Up, Best Free FTP Client for macOS
Cyberduck is another big name among the best free FTP clients, especially among FTP clients for macOS. (There is also a Windows version, but because Cyberduck was built on macOS, its features are macOS-leaning.) It supports FTP and SFTP, WebDAV, OpenStack Swift, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, and Microsoft Azure. Users love its simple and friendly graphic interface with drag-and-drop (for bookmarks too) and its support of dozens of languages. Cyberduck doesn’t have a built-in text editor but integrates with whichever your favorite is. And it allows for remote previewing of some files without downloading them.
However, that simple and easy user interface might not be sufficient for some power users. And though this is a free open-source program, it will prompt you for donations until you donate, which can get irritating.
Honorable Mentions
FireFTP is unique in that it’s not a standalone desktop program, but an add-on for the Mozilla Firefox browser (although the creators now recommend using Waterfox). This adds a lot of convenience for Firefox power users, but not much advantage for everyone else. If you prefer trees of directories and lists of files to a more dressed-up user interface, FireFTP’s two-pane display is for you.
CuteFTP is one of the most popular paid FTP clients on the web. Reviews tout its ease of use and simplicity. Standouts include the automation of file transfers and the built-in editor (Scintilla). Thanks to a feature called Tappin, you can easily share files between desktop and mobile devices. Available for Windows, CuteFTP is free to try and costs $59.99 standalone, with an additional $30 for a year of maintenance and support.
CloudMounter works a little differently because it’s not exactly an FTP client. It’s more like a direct connection to your FTP server as if the server were a removable drive. So instead of complicated software and interfaces, all you have to do is open up Finder. Few other FTP clients can say that they make it as easy as plugging in a thumbnail drive. CloudMounter is free to try and costs $29.99 (or an additional $10 for a “lifetime upgrades guarantee”). It’s primarily known for its macOS version but is also available for Windows and Linux according to its website.
One More Time: The Best FTP Client
The best FTP software depends all on your needs and budget, but I highly recommend looking at paid services to ensure regulatory compliance, security, and reliability. Check out SolarWinds Serv-U MFT for the most reliable option—and with all the security issues that can arise with transfers, you shouldn’t take that reliability lightly.
Related Articles
Best SIEM Tools – the best FTP Client software can support sending server logs to SIEM tools for help with deeper security analysis and compliance reporting. Check the list of best SIEM software.
Best Website Monitoring Tools – If you’re reading this article, you likely have a website to run. Monitoring is another important part of that and has a similar cost/benefit analysis between free and paid software.
Best Log Management Software – Time to update your strategy for log management? Here’s our list of tools with suggestions for every budget.
PuTTY is a free terminal emulation tool that’s been available for 20 years. Originally released for Microsoft Windows, this versatile remote administration tool can be used to access workstations, servers, network devices etc using various protocols such as secure shell connection (SSH), Telnet, Rlogin etc.
While it continues to be popular for accessing network devices and Linux servers mainly with SSH, PuTTY does have its limitations because it’s designed to handle one session at a time.
Many other SSH clients and terminal emulators are available today that have been developed to improve on PuTTY.
In this guide, we’ll cover the 10 best alternatives to PuTTY available online and how they set themselves apart from this venerable app.
Table of Contents
1. Bitvise SSH Client
Bitvise’s SSH Client is a free Windows tool that complements the Bitvise SSH Server, but it also functions as a standalone application.
The Bitvise SSH Server is free for up to 30 days. The SSH client works on Windows OS and is free for ever.
It’s a modern terminal emulator that provides a GUI as well as command-line interface to support SFTP, SSH, SCP and tunnelling connections.
It also implements sophisticated tunnelling features. If you’re looking for features like dynamic port forwarding and support for proxy servers, Bitvise SSH Client includes them along with the security of encryption technology.
Bitvise also build common tasks like Remote Desktop forwarding into the GUI to streamline the connection process.
2. Xshell
Xshell is a tool developed by Netsarang as part of their suite of PC X apps designed to streamline the interface between UNIX, Linux, and Windows computers.
Xshell is the SSH client portion of that suite, and it’s designed with complex management tasks in mind.
A session manager helps you handle multiple connections, and Xshell’s tabbed GUI interface makes it easy to switch between them.
Xshell’s draft & send interface makes writing complex scripts more convenient, too. If security is important, Xshell supports state-of-the-art encryption schemes like GSSAPI and PKCS#11.
This is a commercial SSH client tool and a single-user license costs $99.
3. KiTTY
If you think PuTTY is a great emulator that’s lacking modern automation features, KiTTY may be an alternative to consider.
KiTTY is a fork of PuTTY that adds features to make it more efficient for handling multiple sessions and logging into accounts with saved credentials.
It helps with managing multiple sessions by adding a filter interface that saves them in folders.
A session launcher is added that can launch one or more sessions using the details you’ve saved.
KiTTY also saves time with automated commands, providing an interface for saving common commands with a User Command menu.
4. Solar-PuTTY
Solar-PuTTY is Solarwinds’s answer to the need for an SSH client that automates today’s complex network admin tasks.
It’s one of their free tools that adds a better interface and productivity features compared to PuTTY.
A tabbed interface makes multiple sessions more practical, and logging into accounts is automated with saved credentials.
Solar-PuTTY makes finding a particular session from dozens of session profiles simpler by integrating with Windows Search.
Finally, if you reuse the same command scripts, Solar-PuTTY can save and invoke them for you.
5. MobaXterm
MobaTek is another company that has developed a free tool to replace PuTTY with modern interface and management features.
The free edition supports up to 12 sessions and two SSH tunnels at a time. It has a tabbed interface that makes multiple sessions easier to manage like other modern terminal emulators.
MobaXterm supports X server, remote desktop protocols like RDP and Xdmcp, and popular remote terminal protocols like SSH, telnet, and Mosh. If you need to handle more sessions or want to store over four macros at a time, you can opt for the professional edition.
What I like also in this tool is that it contains all utilities in a single portable executable file which does not require installation. You will have all tools such as SSH client, RDP client, VNC, FTP/SFTP client etc all in one unified environment.
6. mRemoteNG
PuTTY isn’t the only terminal emulator out there in the wild: mRemoteNG is a modern fork of another older SSH client called mRemote.
mRemoteNG, which stands for Multi-Remote Next Generation, makes multiple remote sessions manageable with a tabbed interface.
It’s also flexible, supporting most types of remote sessions you might need like RDP, VNC, SSH, HTTPS, telnet, and more. It’s also an open source project that anyone can fork and contribute new features.
7. SmarTTY
SmarTTY is another free SSH client offered by SysProgs that includes better session management features than PuTTY.
SmarTTY supports many of the multi-session features you can find with other clients like a tabbed interface and support for the most common session protocols.
This client excels at adding advanced features like auto-completion and package management to its interface. This focus makes it a good option for developers and administrators who need to compose and send complex scripts over remote connections.
8. SuperPuTTY
SuperPuTTY is a window manager developed by Jim Radford to make it possible to embed PuTTY terminals into Windows forms and applications.
As such, it’s not an SSH client but a tool for quickly and effectively create multiple tabbed windows and use an already installed PuTTY terminal emulator. You must have PuTTY present on the system before using SuperPuTTY.
With SuperPuTTY, you can quickly develop an in-house multi-tabbed PuTTY-based client. You can also build an interface for local terminal sessions using MinTTY.
The package includes pre-built file, view, tools, and help menus ready to be included in a multi-session PuTTY Windows app.
9. ExtraPuTTY
ExtraPuTTY is another fork of PuTTY that adds more advanced features to support multiple sessions and automated scripting.
ExtraPuTTY adds menu bar and status bar to the classic PuTTY window to create a more functional graphical interface, and it provides keyboard shortcuts to common commands.
If you need to create command scripts, this app allows you to define macros that string commands together.
ExtraPuTTY also supports automatic logon scripts with saved credentials. The PuTTY Session Manager is helpful if you need to juggle dozens of different sessions as a network administrator.
With this tool you can integrate and use the most common remote administration protocols such as SSH, FTP, SFTP SCP etc.
10. ZOC Terminal
Best Sftp Client For Windows
If you’re looking for a terminal emulator that supports both Windows and MacOS, Emtec has a client that provides modern terminal session features for both platforms.
Best Scp Client Windows 10
It’s a terminal emulator that can handle SSH, telnet, and serial cable connections to network devices and mainframes. With a host of supported protocols, Emtec bills ZOC as the Swiss Army Knife of terminal clients for good reason.