Alternatives to FileZilla
The open source FTP standard
FileZilla ranks #8 of 11 in FTP clients, with an Alt Score of 75. It is licensed under GPL-2.0-or-later, free from Free and available on Windows, macOS and Linux. 9 of 9 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Anyone who needs to upload or download files to a remote server, from web developers deploying sites to system administrators managing files on FTP/SFTP hosts.
A free, open-source client with a dual-pane interface showing local and remote file systems side by side for drag-and-drop transfers. It supports FTP, FTPS (FTP over TLS/SSL), and SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), plus a site manager for saving server connections, a transfer queue, and directory comparison. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux. A separate FileZilla Server product is also available for hosting FTP/FTPS access on Windows.
You enter a host, username, password, and port (or select a saved site), and FileZilla connects using the chosen protocol to browse the remote directory tree alongside your local one. Files are transferred by dragging between panes or queuing them, with the queue tracking progress, retries, and failed transfers.
Where FileZilla stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave FileZilla
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
Sign in to add a reason — new reasons go through moderation before appearing.
Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
AeroFTP is a modern open-source desktop file transfer client for Windows, macOS, and Linux, built on Rust/Tauri, supporting FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV, S3-compatible storage, Azure Blob, and other cloud.
CrossFTP is a Java-based FTP/SFTP/FTPS and Amazon S3 client that runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, aimed at developers and webmasters who need to manage both traditional FTP servers and S3-compatible.
lftp is a free, open-source command-line file transfer program for Unix/Linux (and via ports, macOS/Windows) supporting FTP, FTPS, HTTP, HTTPS, SFTP, and FXP server-to-server transfers.
SmartFTP is a longstanding Windows file transfer client supporting FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and WebDAV alongside cloud services like Amazon S3, Google Drive, and OneDrive.
Xftp is a Windows SFTP and FTP client from NetSarang (maker of Xshell), built for IT teams managing transfers to Unix/Linux hosts.
Core FTP is a Windows file transfer client offered in a free edition and a one-time-purchase Pro edition, supporting FTP, FTPS, SFTP/SSH, and HTTP/HTTPS.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the FTP clients checklist (13 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| FTP clients checklist | FileZilla | Cyberduck | AeroFTP | CrossFTP | lftp | SmartFTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Protocols (FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3) | ||||||
| Sync / mirror mode | ||||||
| Editing remote files | ||||||
| Key-based auth | ||||||
| Speed limits & scheduling | ||||||
| Open source | ||||||
| One-time purchase option | ||||||
| Directory comparison | ||||||
| CLI |
Every fact and feature listed for FileZilla is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License GPL-2.0-or-later verified 2026-07-08
Both FileZilla and FileZilla Server are free open-source software distributed under the Terms and Conditions of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2 or (at your option) any later version.
https://filezilla-project.org/license.php -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-08
Free client; a paid FileZilla Pro adds protocols.
Free, open source FTP client
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/filezilla-product-comparisons/filezilla-and-filezilla-cli-ui-vs-cli/ -
Starts at Free verified 2026-07-08
Free, open source FTP client
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/filezilla-product-comparisons/filezilla-and-filezilla-cli-ui-vs-cli/ -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux verified 2026-07-08
Whether you need a powerful client for Windows, Mac, and Debian Linux
https://filezillapro.com/filezilla-pro/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-08
Download FileZilla Client 3.70.6 for macOS (Intel)
https://filezilla-project.org/download.php -
Protocols (FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3) Partial verified 2026-07-08
Free FileZilla = FTP/FTPS/SFTP; WebDAV and S3 require FileZilla Pro.
FTP, FTPS & SFTP only
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/filezilla-product-comparisons/filezilla-and-filezilla-cli-ui-vs-cli/ -
Sync / mirror mode Partial verified 2026-07-08
Synchronized browsing in free client; full file sync is Pro-only.
Advanced Sync (Site & File Sync)
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/basic-usage-instructions/filezilla-vs-pro/ -
Editing remote files Yes verified 2026-07-08
Edit remote files in place — open a remote file in your configured editor, save
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/features-v3/filezilla-pro-features/ -
Key-based auth Yes verified 2026-07-08
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) — password, keyboard-interactive, and public-key authentication
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/features-v3/filezilla-pro-features/ -
Speed limits & scheduling Partial verified 2026-07-08
Speed limits in free client; scheduled limit windows noted for Pro.
If you need to limit the amount of bandwidth that FileZilla/FileZilla Pro uses, you can set a speed limit.
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/advanced/speed-limits-set/ -
Open source Yes verified 2026-07-08
Both FileZilla and FileZilla Server are free open-source software distributed under the Terms and Conditions of the GNU General Public License (GPL) version 2
https://filezilla-project.org/license.php -
One-time purchase option Yes verified 2026-07-08
Applies to the paid FileZilla Pro edition.
The FileZilla Pro license is perpetual, meaning you can continue using it even if your subscription expires.
https://filezillapro.com/filezilla-pro/ -
Directory comparison Yes verified 2026-07-08
Directory comparison highlighting files that exist on only one side, are newer
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/features-v3/filezilla-pro-features/ -
CLI No verified 2026-07-08
FileZilla CLI is a separate paid product.
The free FileZilla GUI requires a person at the keyboard — it has no scheduler, no exit codes, and no scripting interface.
https://filezillapro.com/docs/v3/filezilla-product-comparisons/filezilla-and-filezilla-cli-ui-vs-cli/
FAQ
Yes. AeroFTP, CrossFTP and lftp have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Cyberduck, AeroFTP and lftp — every license claim links its source.