Explorer-like FTP client for Windows, open source and well-maintained

Question

I need an FTP client for Windows

Requirements:

Graphical and user-friendly
Feels like a Windows Explorer window, supports drag and drop
No nags/ads/spyware
Open source
Supports FTPS, SFTP, and all modern authentication mechanisms
Well-maintained. While FTP is not bleeding-edge, I want to avoid programs that has not received a single commit in more than 6 months. The most recent commits the better.

The closed question is unclear, and has many highly-voted answers answers that are about a problem that only existed 5 years ago. I feel that a new question is more useful and fairer to answerers, but I am open to other opinions. — Nicolas Raoul, Commented Jan 7, 2020 at 11:02
for anyone who doesn't need sftp/ftps: windows explorer itself has an ftp client. just type ftp://server.com into the location bar. (as an answer to this question, though, i recommend the already-suggested winscp.) — Woodrow Barlow, Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 14:05
@WoodrowBarlow: +1. Even though it's not open-source, it works well and is easy to use. It's usually what I tell noobies to use when I send a link. It's possible to add login info so that they don't even need to type any password : ftp://username:[email protected] It needs to be clear that it's Windows Explorer, not Internet Explorer, though. — Eric Duminil, Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 18:43

Martin Prikryl · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-10 07:23:30Z

64

WinSCP matches all your requirements.

Graphical: Yes – There are two alternative interfaces:
1. Commander interface:
2. Explorer interface:
Feels like a Windows explorer window: Yes – One of the interfaces is explicitly designed after Windows File Explorer.
Supports drag and drop: Yes – Both between file panels and between other applications.
Uploading via drag&drop
Downloading via drag&drop
No nags/ads/spyware: Yes.
Open source: Yes – GPL license
Supports FTPS, SFTP: Yes
All modern authentication mechanisms: Yes – SSH (for SFTP and SCP) is based on the up-to-date version of PuTTY. TLS/SSL (for FTPS, WebDAVS and Amazon S3) is based on up-to-date version of OpenSSL.
Well-maintained: Yes – Over 1000 commits and 18 releases in the last year.

(I'm the author of WinSCP)

answered Jan 7, 2020 at 9:26

Martin Prikryl

9626 silver badges14 bronze badges

1

Supports FTP, FTPS, SCP, SFTP, WebDAV and Amazon S3 file transfer protocols.
– Petr
Commented Jan 7, 2020 at 10:05
6

@zero298 Why? WinSCP works fine in windows 10 does it not?
– James T
Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 13:30
9

thank you for creating winscp! it is still one of those must-have programs on a fresh installation of windows.
– Woodrow Barlow
Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 14:08
3

Bonus. there is also nuget libraries if you want to "code up" the functionality this provides. (even though i'm a long time user of FileZilla, I like this one too). nuget.org/packages/WinSCP
– granadaCoder
Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 15:49
2

@Trotski94 Yes, it works with Windows 10 (there is even a Windows Store-friendly install option). My guess is zero298 must be refusing to use/acknowledge Windows 10 for ideological reasons.
– TylerH
Commented Jan 8, 2020 at 18:27

| Show 2 more comments

Basj · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-08 21:30:59Z

I have used the 3 following FTP clients during the past years so here is my feedback:

WinSCP: the one that I currently use. There is a portable version, just one .exe file (and the .ini file for configuration). Don't forget to turn on the "Explorer" interface: View > Preferences > Environment > Interface > Explorer, which is (IMHO) handier.

Benchmark: it is super fast! 4.5 sec to be connected to the server (time measured from double-click on the WinSCP icon until the server's file list is displayed).
Cyberduck: I've used it during years, it is great (double-click on a file => edit locally, CTRL+S in the local text editor => automatically reuploads without any popup, like WinSCP). The only drawback is that it is ... a bit slow. (Is it because it uses .NET framework and not pure WinAPI?).

Benchmark: on my i5 laptop, it takes 5 sec. for the UI to show (after double-clicking on the Cyberduck icon), and a total of 19 sec to be connected to the server (time measured from double-click on the Cyberduck icon until the server's file list is displayed).
FileZilla: a well-known FTP client, which once was probably the most popular one. I don't use it anymore because of this, which totally ruins its user experience, from a developer prospective.

2 Answers 2