Best SFTP Clients in 2026
The best SFTP clients for moving files to and from your servers on Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android. From free favorites like WinSCP and FileZilla to polished paid apps like Transmit, here’s what to use.
WindowsmacOSLinuxiPhone & iPadAndroid
Quick picks
Our top SFTP clients at a glance
WinSCP
Best for Windows. Free, open source and built specifically for SFTP and SCP, with folder sync and scripting.
Cyberduck
Best free for Mac. A simple, free SFTP and cloud storage browser for macOS and Windows.
Transmit 5
Best paid for Mac. Panic’s fast, beautifully designed file transfer app for serious Mac users.
FileZilla
Best cross-platform. The same free client on Windows, Mac and Linux. Just pick the installer without bundled offers.
Compare
SFTP client comparison
| SFTP client | Platforms | Price | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WinSCP | Windows | Free, open source | SFTP, SCP and folder sync on Windows |
| FileZilla | Windows, macOS, Linux | Free; paid Pro version | The same app on every desktop OS |
| Cyberduck | macOS, Windows | Free (donations welcome) | SFTP plus cloud storage |
| Transmit 5 | macOS | Paid | A polished, fast Mac app |
| ForkLift 4 | macOS | Paid | A Finder replacement with SFTP built in |
| MobaXterm | Windows | Free Home edition; paid Pro | SSH and SFTP side by side |
| Bitvise SSH Client | Windows | Free, including at work | SFTP with strong tunneling |
| Termius | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Free plan; paid plans add sync | SFTP on every device |
| Secure ShellFish | iPhone, iPad | Free; one-time Pro upgrade | Servers inside the iOS Files app |
| Material Files | Android | Free, open source | A clean Android file manager with SFTP |
| sftp, scp, rsync | Windows 10/11, macOS, Linux | Free, built in | Scripts and quick transfers |
Windows
Best SFTP clients for Windows
Windows users have the most choice. WinSCP is the safe default, but if you already use an SSH client like MobaXterm or Bitvise (see our best SSH clients), its built-in file browser may be all you need.
WinSCP
A dedicated SFTP, SCP, FTP and WebDAV client with a choice of a two-pane Commander layout or an Explorer-style view. It can keep a local and remote folder in sync, edit remote files in your favorite editor, and automate transfers with scripts and .NET. It’s actively maintained and imports your saved PuTTY sessions.
Best for: Most Windows users, from beginners to sysadmins
FileZilla
The best-known free FTP and SFTP client, with a familiar two-pane layout and a transfer queue. One warning: the main download button can include bundled third-party offers. Use the “Show additional download options” link and pick the installer without “bundled” in its name.
Best for: Using the same client on every desktop OS
MobaXterm
When you open an SSH session, MobaXterm automatically shows an SFTP sidebar for the same server, so you can drag files in and out without a second app. It also includes an X11 server, RDP and network tools.
Best for: Working in SSH and SFTP at the same time
Bitvise SSH Client
Bitvise pairs its SSH terminal with a capable graphical SFTP window and a command-line sftpc tool for scripts. It’s free for personal and business use.
Best for: SFTP alongside SSH tunnels and port forwarding
macOS
Best SFTP clients for Mac
The Mac has some of the best-designed file transfer apps around. Cyberduck is the free pick; Transmit and ForkLift are worth paying for if you move files every day.
Cyberduck
A friendly, single-window browser for SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and cloud storage like Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive and Dropbox. It’s free to download from its website, with an optional paid version in the Mac App Store.
Best for: A free, simple Mac client that also handles cloud storage
Transmit 5
Panic’s file transfer app is fast, polished and full of thoughtful details: a two-pane browser, folder sync, Panic Sync for your saved servers, and support for SFTP, FTP, WebDAV and many cloud services.
Best for: Mac users who transfer files every day
ForkLift 4
A dual-pane file manager that can replace Finder, with SFTP, FTP, SMB and cloud connections built in. Handy if you want local and remote files in one place.
Best for: A Finder replacement with SFTP built in
Termius
Termius includes an SFTP browser next to its SSH terminal, so you can switch between commands and file transfers in the same app on any device.
Best for: SSH and SFTP in one app across devices
Linux & mobile
Best SFTP clients for Linux, iPhone and Android
On Linux you may not need an app at all: most file managers can open sftp://user@server directly in the address bar. For phones and tablets, these apps work best.
FileZilla on Linux
Available in almost every distribution’s package manager, so you get a clean install without any bundled offers. A good choice if you want a dedicated two-pane client.
Best for: A familiar two-pane client on Linux
Your file manager
GNOME Files (Nautilus) and KDE Dolphin both connect to SFTP servers. In Files, choose Other Locations and type sftp://user@server. In Dolphin, type the same address in the location bar.
Best for: Quick drag-and-drop without installing anything
Secure ShellFish
Adds your SSH servers to Apple’s Files app, so you can open, edit and save remote files from any iOS app, just like iCloud Drive. It also includes an SSH terminal.
Best for: Working with server files on iPhone and iPad
Material Files
A clean, open-source file manager that can browse SFTP, FTP, SMB and WebDAV servers alongside your phone’s own storage. No ads and no account.
Best for: A free Android file manager with SFTP
Command line
Transfer files with sftp, scp and rsync
Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux all include these tools. They use the same SSH login and keys as your regular SSH connection.
Interactive SFTP session
sftp user@serverCopy one file with SCP
scp report.pdf user@server:~/Sync a folder with rsync
rsync -avz site/ user@server:~/site/Inside an sftp session, use put to upload, get to download, ls and cd to look around, and exit when you’re done. rsync only sends files that changed, which makes it ideal for backups and deployments. It’s built into macOS and Linux; on Windows, run it from WSL.
Protocols
SFTP vs FTP vs SCP
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) runs over an encrypted SSH connection, so your password and files are protected. It supports browsing, renaming, deleting and resuming transfers, which is why it’s the standard for managing server files.
FTP is much older and sends everything, including your password, unencrypted. Avoid it unless the server offers FTPS (FTP over TLS).
SCP also runs over SSH and is great for quickly copying a file from the command line, but it can’t list or manage remote files. Recent versions of OpenSSH actually use SFTP behind the scenes when you run scp. Read the full SFTP vs SCP comparison.
A bit of CodeBrowser history
Back in the mid-2000s, codebrowser.org was the home of zaSFTP, one of the first SFTP clients for Windows Mobile phones and Pocket PCs, alongside the zaTelnet SSH client. Today, CodeBrowser is back with free SSH tools and honest guides to the apps that replaced them.
FAQ
SFTP client questions, answered
What is an SFTP client?
An SFTP client is an app that connects to a server over SSH so you can upload, download, rename and delete files securely. Most show your computer’s files on one side and the server’s files on the other, so you can drag files between them.
What is the best free SFTP client?
WinSCP is the best free SFTP client for Windows, and Cyberduck is the best free option for Mac. FileZilla is free on Windows, Mac and Linux. You can also use the sftp and scp commands built into Windows 10 and 11, macOS and Linux.
Is FileZilla safe to use?
FileZilla itself is safe and widely used. The concern is the main Windows download, which can include bundled third-party offers. Choose the download without bundled offers from the additional download options, or install it from your Linux package manager.
What port does SFTP use?
SFTP uses the same port as SSH, which is port 22 by default. If your server runs SSH on a different port, use that port in your SFTP client too.
Can I use my SSH key with an SFTP client?
Yes. SFTP uses SSH for login, so the same key works. WinSCP and FileZilla accept PuTTY .ppk files and can convert OpenSSH keys, while Mac and Linux apps usually use OpenSSH keys directly.
Is SFTP the same as FTPS?
No. SFTP runs over SSH on port 22. FTPS is the old FTP protocol wrapped in TLS encryption and uses different ports. Both are encrypted, but SFTP is simpler to set up and work with through firewalls.
Log in to SFTP with an SSH key
Keys are safer than passwords and work with every client on this list. Create one in seconds, right in your browser.