Content is king, and if your website suddenly goes haywire, you better be able to access all your hard work. And that’s where FTP client software comes in. Simply put, a FTP client allows you to retain control over your files that are located on your server, thus if there’s a problem with your platform, such as WordPress, you can still manage your files through your Mac or PC. The ability to do this is a real lifesaver when things go wrong, and in this post we will give you a breakdown of the top – and some of them free – FTP clients available.
1. Transmit – Mac (Visit Site)
Designed for the Mac OS, Panic’s super fast Transmit is considered one of the most reliable FTP clients and is loaded with features such as:
- Bandwidth limiting
- Transmit Twin-Turbo Engine (Up to 25x faster for small files)
- FXP Support (For direct server-to-server xfer)
- Image Thumbnail View
- Compact Minimum Size
- Advanced Server Preferences
Along with many more features, Transmit’s focus on speed, performance, and reliability, make it top-level FTP client for your Mac. Learn more on how to setup FTP account for WordPress site.
2. WinSCP – Windows (Visit Site)
A simple, easy-to-operate FTP client, WinSCP lacks the exhaustive features of some of the other top clients, but is perfect for those who don’t have particularly extraordinary demands from their file transfer software.
So let’s check out some of WinSCP’s top features:
- Greater transfer speed for SFTP and SCP protocols
- Open multiple files at once using their paths
- Enhanced font appearance with high DPI environments
- Customizable commands
With many more features offered, WinSCP is an affordable FTP client that that will give your average Windows user plenty of bang for their buck.
3. Cyberduck – Windows, Mac (Visit Site)
If you’re interested in a free client with premium features, then Cyberduck is for you. With an easy-to-use interface, Cyberduck is an open-source client that supports the standard transfer protocols along with Amazon S3 and WebDAV as well. In addition, the free-to-use client supports Growl, Quick Look, and the ability to remote edit.
Some more features offered by Cyberduck:
- Can be configured with both Akami and Amazon CloudFront
- Can be browsed with ease
- WebDav Interoperability
- An excellent client to use to connect to OpenStack Swift deployments
- Integrates with system technologies
With its numerous advanced features, Cyberduck is a go-to choice who require elite FTP clients without having to break the bank.
4. CuteFTP – Windows, Mac (Visit Site)
One of the best for advanced functionality and support, CuteFTP is a premium client with an abundance of security and power. With a variety of features, CuteFTP is well worth the $59 in professional client software.
Here’s a look at some of the features:
- UNICODE Character Support
- Supports WebDAV
- Tappin
- Automation to schedule script transfers
- Step-by-step wizard makes it easy-to-use
- Top-notch customer support
In particular, Tappin allows users to share and access files between your computer to any mobile device which can be essential for those who need file access anytime from anywhere.
5. FileZilla – Windows, Mac (Visit Site)
Free to download, FileZilla is a high popular, user-friendly FTP client that comes with full-throated documentation that provides all the answers to every question a beginning use could thing of regarding FTP software.
Here are some features FileZilla offers:
- Easy-to-use
- Runs on Linux, Mac OS X, Windows and more
- Directory comparison
- Supports drag & drop
- File editing by remote
With FileZilla’s speed and full load of features, this free program will definitely meet your sites FTP client needs. Learn more on how to connect FileZilla to Bluehost server.
6. Classic FTP – Windows, Mac (Visit Site)
Easy-to-use and reliable, Classic FTP is a great solution for your file transfers. Security is a high priority of Classic FTP and its intuitive controls make it simple for synchronization of your files to make sure that their contents are fully up-to-date.
Some of Classic FTP’s features include:
- Intuitive interface
- Compatibility with all commonly used FTP servers
- Drag-and-drop capability
- Meets FTP security protocol
With these features and many more, Classic FTP is the right choice for anyone who requires limited client interaction.
7. OneButton FTP – Mac (Visit Site)
If you’re looking for a skeletal FTP client to use with a smaller website, OneButton is a simple-to-use, fast to set up, client that almost immediately out-of-the-box will enable you to start transferring files.
With a simple and intuitive drop and drag interface, OneButton provides a variety of features that includes the ability for users to store files within a queue until they wish to download them at another time – a highly useful ability for those without high-speed internet or have to spend a lot of time online.
Some of OneButton’s features include:
- File queue ability
- Simple out-of-the-box setup
- Ability to drag-and-drop
If you’re looking for feature-heavy software, OneButton might not be the way to go, however, if you simply need something that nails the fundamentals then this is a FTP client you can’t go wrong with.
Note: FTP app is one of the important tools when using self-hosted WordPress platform. Whether you have a hosting account on SiteGround, HostGator, WPEngine or Kinsta, you can use FTP app from your computer to remotely access the files (like theme and plugin files) stored on your hosting server. This includes the images, PDFs and video content on your site. But all text content and interlinking structure are stored in database tables which can’t be accessed through FTP. You need to separately access the database files using the tools like phpMyAdmin from your hosting account.
So There You Have It
In the end, with the abundance of choices and software features on the market, the FTP client you select will most likely be based on the needs for your system and what you’re willing to spend. Just remember that companies are always updating what their FTP clients offer and it’s worth the time to keep an eye on the various software out there even after you’ve chosen the one you’re going to go with for now.
4 Comments
Leave your reply.