Alternatives to WinSCP
Windows SFTP with scripting
WinSCP ranks #6 of 11 in FTP clients, with an Alt Score of 85. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, free from Free and available on Windows. 8 of 9 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
Windows users, sysadmins, and developers who need to transfer files between local machines and remote servers, or automate those transfers as part of a workflow.
A free, open-source file transfer client for Windows supporting SFTP, FTP, FTPS, SCP, WebDAV, and S3. It provides a dual-pane (Commander) or single-pane (Explorer) interface, an integrated text editor, and full file/directory management including permissions and synchronization. Scripting is supported via a command-line interface and a .NET/COM library for automating transfers.
You connect to a remote server using one of the supported protocols, then drag-and-drop or copy files between the local and remote panes, similar to a file manager. Repetitive or unattended transfers can instead be driven by WinSCP scripts or its .NET/COM assembly, without opening the GUI.
Where WinSCP stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave WinSCP
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 | WinSCP | 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 WinSCP is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License GPL-3.0 verified 2026-07-08
you can use it, redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) as published by the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your opti
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/license -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-08
WinSCP Free SFTP, SCP, S3 and FTP client for Windows
https://winscp.net/eng/download.php -
Starts at Free verified 2026-07-08
WinSCP Free SFTP, SCP, S3 and FTP client for Windows
https://winscp.net/eng/download.php -
Platforms Windows verified 2026-07-08
WinSCP Free SFTP, SCP, S3 and FTP client for Windows
https://winscp.net/eng/download.php -
Status active verified 2026-07-08
Support for SFTP and SCP protocols over SSH and FTP and WebDAV and S3 protocols
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/introduction -
Protocols (FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3) Yes verified 2026-07-08
Support for SFTP and SCP protocols over SSH and FTP and WebDAV and S3 protocols
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/introduction -
Sync / mirror mode Yes verified 2026-07-08
With Mirror files mode, different (both newer and older) files in the source directory are transferred to the target directory.
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/task_synchronize_full -
Editing remote files Yes verified 2026-07-08
Integrated text editor
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/introduction -
Key-based auth Yes verified 2026-07-08
Public key authentication is an alternative means of identifying yourself to a login server ... WinSCP can use PuTTY's authentication agent, called Pageant
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/public_key -
Speed limits & scheduling Partial verified 2026-07-08
Speed limits built in; scheduling via external Windows Task Scheduler.
Use Speed to limit transfer speed. The limit is in KB/s.
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/ui_transfer -
Open source Yes verified 2026-07-08
you can use it, redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL) ... version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/license -
Directory comparison Yes verified 2026-07-08
You can make WinSCP select (highlight) files that are new or different than in the opposite panel using Compare directories function.
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/task_compare_directories -
CLI Yes verified 2026-07-08
In addition to graphical interface, WinSCP offers scripting/console interface with many commands.
https://winscp.net/eng/docs/scripting
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.