safest ftp free downloads 15 Best FTP Client Software for Windows 10 – Free and Paid (2021) For anyone who regularly works with websites, file servers, IT administration, networks etc, a bulletproof FTP client to transfer files is an absolute must-have piece of software. There are plenty of FTP clients out there, but some really do stand out from the crowd. Here are the best 15 FTP clients for the Windows 10 platform. Table of Contents. 1) FileZilla. FileZilla has been around for many years and is a solid and reputable FTP application that is also free and under the GNU Public License. It supports multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, and OSX, and even features a connection and configuration wizard for easy setup. In terms of features, Filezilla is definitely not lacking just because it is free. It supports IPv6 network addresses, as well as SSH, FTP, and FTPS. It’s a real go-to application for many users and has been in use for a long time. One of the most frustrating things is losing a connection when uploading a large file to a remote file server. FileZilla solves this issue by supporting auto resume on files over 4GB in size when a connection has been lost and then reconnects. 2) WinSCP. WinSCP may not be as old as some FTP software, but it has won awards for how comprehensive and easy to use it is. Featuring a convenient graphical interface, WinSCP supports drag and drop operation for file management as well as common protocols such as SFTP, SSH, WebDAV, and S3. In this way, it’s a thoroughly modern FTP application. WinSCP is a great piece of software for people who are looking for something a little bit more modern, but with enough power under the hood to ensure that all file transfers are done reliably. What more can really be asked of a file transfer client than this? 3) WS_FTP. When you want the best security available over FTP, WS_FTP is the best client you can get. It has been around for many years and has only become better and more bulletproof as an FTP client. Its history and longstanding user support means that the core codebase is efficient and reliable. Featuring 256bit AES encryption and support for OpenPGP, WS_FTP supports SSH/SFTP, FTPS, SSL, and OpenSSL, as well as other protocols. For the professional, WS_FTP can be fully automated to make file transfers a cinch. A full range of notification options, hot drop folder for the desktop, and file transfer resume functions round off this amazing client. 4) Cyberduck. Cyberduck is a completely modern and attractive FTP application that offers full support for cloud file transfer and cloud browsing. It supports the following platforms and protocols: FTP, WebDAV, SFTP, S3, Openstack Swift, Backblaze, Google Drive, Azure, Dropbox, and OneDrive. Such wide ranging support, combined with an attractive, modern, and easy to use interface, makes Cyberduck one of the most interesting FTP clients around. Of course, it can be used as a straight FTP client for file management duties, but it offers so much more. Cloud storage is the way of today and the way of the future, and Cyberduck is an elegant FTP solution. 5) Total Commander. Total Commander is an older application that has supported Windows platforms all the way back to Windows 95. Of course, it also supports everything up to Windows 10, so this is really one for the old-school FTP aficionados. This doesn’t mean that Total Commander is lacking in modern features though. On the contrary, Total Commander is a great FTP client that offers everything you’d expect. The interface is as simple as possible, with all information in a single screen that is split between the local files and the remote FTP server. It also has full support for Zip and other archive files, making it a no-fuss FTP program for people who just want to get the job done right without all of the bells and whistles. 6) FlashFXP. FlashFXP is a high performance and efficient FTP application that has an easy to use and intuitive drag and drop interface for file transfers. It has file resumption, and even has on-the-fly MODE Z compression built right in. FlashFXP focuses on reliability and efficiency and has been around for some years. It’s a mature and stable product that isn’t tough to use, but still offers plenty for the power daily user. For many users, FlashFXP is really all they’ll ever need. 7) GoodSync. How often have you lost data from a hard drive or SSD and have not had a backup in place? It happens to so many people despite the repeated advice about backing everything up. The last thing anyone wants to lose is files or precious photos that can’t be replaced. GoodSync solves this issue. It takes FTP one step further by offering a data backup solution that’s easy to use. It offers support for Google Drive, OneDrive, AWS, and Office365. This comprehensive FTP will save all of the files you need saved and will ensure that you never lose anything again. 8) CuteFTP. CuteFTP has been around since the 1990s and is a mature FTP solution with great support for all kinds of protocols. One of the best things about CuteFTP is that a user can program their own scripts that can use the file transfer engine from within CuteFTP to power file transfers. This means that CuteFTP doesn’t even need to fully execute to be working quietly in the background and backing files up to a remote server. For professionals and power users who have extensive knowledge of the FTP protocol and the COM language, CuteFTP is a fantastic tool for daily use. 9) FireFTP. FireFTP started life in the mid-2000s as a third-party FTP extension for the older Firefox browser. It had millions of downloads and satisfied customers in that time, but it has since been forked out to a new development path because Firefox changed the way that it supports extensions. If you’re looking for a free FTP solution that’s small and lightweight, FireFTP has a good pedigree. It works across all major OS platforms and is also completely open source, for those who like to support such things. 10) CrossFTP. Such as other FTP clients, CrossFTP offers excellent support for cloud storage services, such as Amazon Glacier, S3, and Google Drive. It’s aimed at the professional who needs a reliable and durable FTP client that also supports command line operation. CrossFTP does everything that most people need in a file transfer client, and does so with a minimum of fuss. For many people who work with hundreds of file transfers every single day, CrossFTP is likely all they’ll ever need. 11) Classic FTP. The one thing you want as a power user of file transfer clients is stability and reliability. Often, file transfers are done on a schedule, and this means that the FTP software needs to execute without fail. Classic FTP prioritizes complete stability and reliability of performance. All of the comprehensive code bullet-proofing doesn’t mean that Classic FTP is hard to use. It’s actually pretty intuitive and features an easy interface that places file transfers at the heart of everything. There are also set-up wizards for new users so that connections can be made and stored for later use. 12) Free FTP. Based on the idea of fast and efficient transfers, Free FTP from the long-lived Coffeecup software has what most would call a rudimentary, but completely functional and informative interface. There are certainly no aesthetic flourishes here, but what you do get is an FTP program that’s fast to boot up and fast to use. One great feature is Bookmarks. If you use file transfer programs a lot and you need to remember complex file structure trees, being able to bookmark wherever you are, either locally or remotely, in a file tree will be a life saver. Apart from being free, Free FTP works for you and not against you. If you need to go back into your history and see what you uploaded last week and where, Free FTP has your back. If you need to archive your website to a ZIP archive at the click of a button, Free FTP can do that for you too. 13) SmartFTP. SmartFTP might not be free, but what you get is an up-to-date file transfer client that can even connect to Amazon S3, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and other major cloud services. This extends the typical role of a file transfer program and makes it something that many people can use on a daily or even weekly basis. Sporting a modern and user friendly interface SmartFTP can connect to multiple servers simultaneously and will even auto-reconnect and continue broken file transfers. This is great if you’re on a poor or slow web connection. Support for IPv6, on the fly compression mode, file transfer scheduling, and file verification tops off this excellent FTP program. 14) Core FTP. Core FTP comes in two versions: the free LE edition, and Pro. While both versions would not win awards for beautiful interfaces, they also prioritize function over form, which is never a bad thing. You’ll find all of the usual features across both editions, including multiple file transfer queuing, auto-reconnection, and a super light resource footprint. In the Pro edition, you get extra features, Including compression and decompression of files on the fly, file encryption for added security, multi-part downloading to make file transfers quicker, and notifications by email to tell you the status of file transfers. 15) FTP Voyager. If you’re looking for a completely free FTP program that has been around for a long time and provides everything you normally need, FTP Voyager might just be the piece of software you’ve been looking for. FTP Voyager supports multiple protocols and can even connect to multiple servers simultaneously. Drag and drop from anywhere makes this an easy program to use, even for the relative novice. You can even auto-synchronize folders, which is not a feature you’d always expect at the price of completely free. Like some other FTP programs, FTP Voyager has a functional, rather than a beautiful interface, but the wealth of features and easy to use philosophy makes this an outstanding piece of free software. Related Posts. Comparison of Cryptomator vs Boxcryptor for Cloud Data Encryption 15 Internet Download Manager (IDM) Alternatives (free&paid) 21 Best Alternatives to Microsoft Visio (Free&Paid) for Diagram Creation 18 Best SSH Client Software Tools for Windows/MAC/Linux 10 Best Free & Paid Operating Systems (OS) for a Home Server. About Harris Andrea. Harris Andrea is an IT professional with more than 2 decades of experience in the technology field. He has worked in a diverse range of companies including software and systems integrators, computer networking firms etc. Currently he is employed in a large Internet Service Provider. He holds several professional certifications including Cisco CCNA, CCNP and EC-Council's CEH and ECSA security certifications. Harris is also the author of 2 technology books which are available at Amazon here. Comments. Onika Biel says. In this list GS RichCopy 360 should be added. some of it’s features are ….. • GS RichCopy 360 – is a quite fast when it comes to copying multiple files, and hence, it can be considered as the fastest file copy utility on Windows drives, NAS, WebDav. • The file copy tool offers a Wizard interface, which allows the users to check all the copy tasks. • Along with copying files, GS RichCopy 360 also offers various other features to its users such as synchronization of data and transferring the data across the network. • It handles long file path and locked file without any user interaction. • This one of the best file utility is not free as you have to purchase the complete suite. • Refer complete feature list supported by this application. Leave a Reply Cancel reply. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Best FTP & SFTP Clients for Windows & Linux. FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol. It has been around for years and years, used to transfer files between computers on a network. For these file transfers, you need to use an FTP client that will connect to an FTP server that runs on a remote device. Some vendors provide software for both – FTP client and FTP server in the same package. But many DO NOT. Besides, with emerging security concerns of FTP, another protocol, SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), was soon introduced to address these issues and perform secure file transfers. It is an entirely different protocol that uses different ports and it also adds great file management and file transfer abilities to SSH. All file transfers in SFTP are encrypted using SSH protocol and you can move, transfer, upload, download or copy files using SFTP or SSH Clients that have the capabilities of allowing different protocols. Now since myriads of FTP and SFTP clients are flooding the market, it can get quite overwhelming to understand which one is the best. So, here we have curated a list of Top 8 FTP and SFTP clients for Windows and Linux in 2020. Many are free and some are paid after the trials expire. Here’s a List of the Best FTP & SFTP. 1. SolarWinds Solar-PuTTY. SolarWinds is one of the prominent software companies that has developed a FREE SFTP client- which is Solar-PuTTY. The program in itself is user-friendly. It allows you to remotely connect to any server or device in a network through Windows systems. As it features a tabbed interface, you get to conveniently manage multiple sessions from a single console. Not just that, it also lets you save private keys or credentials of any session for quicker login the next time. For quick recognition, just use the color coding feature for every session. There’s also an efficient ‘Windows Search’ tool integration, using which you can search your tags, IP addresses, saved sessions, usernames, etc. within seconds. And as connection establishes, you can even automate all scripts. Not only does it support graphical SFTP file transfer, but Solar-PuTTY also supports SSH, SCP and Telnet protocols. Lastly there’s no need for installation, you can simply run the executable file. Solar-PuTTY Features. Tabbed interface with one console to manage multiple sessions simultaneously Integrated ‘Windows Search’ tool to easily search IP addresses, saved sessions, tags or usernames Supports graphical SFTP file transfer Also doubles as a SSH Client, SCP Client and Telnet NO need for installation Can save credentials or private keys for Auto-login Script automation Auto Re-connection Color Codes for each PuTTY session File encryption. Editor’s Choice. Solar-PuTTY is the best SFTP client and also a great choice for script automation. Apart from this, the tabbed interface, Windows Search integration and feature to save credentials or private keys are some of its best highlights! Download for 100% Free: 2. FTP Voyager. SolarWinds is a leading developer when it comes to designing free FTP clients. It has deployed myriads of free tools in the market featuring intuitiveness and user-friendliness. Here’s another powerful FTP Client, Serv-U Managed FTP Voyager. It is a free tool that is packed with features, is fast and quite responsive altogether. FTP Voyager can handle FTP, SFTP and FTPS file transfers. Its enhanced security is proven by its FIPS 140-2 validation and U.S. Army Certificate of Networthiness (CoN). It is deliberately made for Windows and Linux systems, and includes various advanced features such as synchronization of folders, scheduling of file transfers and more. FTP Voyager Features. Connection to multiple servers simultaneously Establish multiple file transfers Secure file transfers using FTP, FTPS and SFTP protocols Drag and drop feature for quick file transfers from Windows desktop Automatic synchronization of folders Scheduling of file transfers at a predetermined time Allows transfer of larger files. Download for Free: 3. WinSCP. As the name suggests, the WinSCP file manager only runs on Windows systems. It is an extremely popular, free SFTP and FTP client that lets you connect your local and remote servers seamlessly. It has a very unique dual-pane module for file transfers. Here you can manage multiple sessions at a time, and also personalize your main page with different sessions, commands and tabs. WinSCP is quite user-friendly, as it has a nice graphical user interface to make it more visually appealing. Not just that, you can even automate scripts and tasks by setting the rules. WinSCP Features. Open-source, Free Supports SFTP for enhanced security Supports SCP, Amazon S3, WebDAV, FTP and FTPS protocols Integrated text editor allows remote editing Offers GUI as well as a command line interface for file transfers Stores session information such as username, IP address, etc. Scripting and task automation Port forwarding File encryption and Master Password. If you are looking for a very basic file manager, and SFTP/FTP client for Windows computers- WinSCP is a great choice. Download for Free: 4. FileZilla. FileZilla is again a very popular FTP client, which also supports SFTP and FTPS (FTP over SSL) protocols. The best thing about FileZilla is that it is cross-platform and available for Windows, Mac OS X, *BSD and Linux systems as well. It is an open-source, free software featuring intuitive graphical user interface along with a bunch of impressive features. Along with IPv6 support, FileZilla client also includes a tabbed user interface, so you can manage multiple sessions over a single window. Apart from this, it offers a flexible drag and drop interface, so you seamlessly upload or download files. It also supports resume and transfer of larger files, greater than 4 GB- which is a huge bonus! FileZilla has a powerful site manager and transfer queue for effortless management and transfer of entire websites. Moreover, the directory comparison feature lets you compare files, their sizes, dates, etc. on a local and remote directory. The only drawback is that many Windows users have witnessed adware in FileZilla’s downloadable program. But that can be resolved by simply unchecking the box to opt-out from the adware while you are installing the program. FileZilla Features. Open-source, Free Multi-threaded transfers: Supports FTP, SFTP and FTPS (FTP over SSL) protocols Cross-platform: Available for Windows, Linux and Mac OX S Uses tabbed graphical interface Complete support documentation with FAQs, forum and support page Available in many languages Remote file search tool Remote file editing Filename filters Bookmarking feature Supports resume and transfer of larger files, more than 4GB Drag and drop support Supports IPv6 Great Site Manager and transfer queue Directory comparison. Download for Free: 5. CyberDuck. CyberDuck is another potential FTP and SFTP client that is compatible with Mac and Windows computers. It also supports WebDAV, Amazon S3, and more. Its interface is perfect for newbies and advanced users as it is easy to use. One thing that makes CyberDuck stand out is how seamlessly it integrates with your Mac environment. With just a click of a button, you can open files and edit them. Plus, you can even choose your preferred code editor. For enhanced security of your data, this program uses Cryptomator interoperable vaults that perform client side data encryption. Plus, it also connects your website to cloud storage such as Dropbox or Google Drive and lets you share files quickly via web URLs. As compared to other FTP clients, CyberDuck’s user interface looks quite modern and intuitive. CyberDuck Features. Cryptomator: Client side data encryption for better security Supports FTP, SFTP or WebDAV Supports transfer to cloud platforms such as Google Drive, Microsoft Azure and Dropbox Filename encryption Open-source, free Does not require account or registration Preferred code editor Bookmarking Drag and Drop feature Filter Field for quick search Quick Look allows a quick preview of files Resume and Transfer files Synchronize local directories with remote directories Supports multiple languages URL generator allows easy file sharing Includes integrations such as Keychain password protector and Bonjour auto-discovery platform. Though it is free software, if you want to get a registration key or don’t want to see any donation prompts, you need to donate $10 to the developers. Download for Free: 6. MonstaFTP. Developed in PHP and AJAX, MonstaFTP is a web-based FTP and SFTP client, unlike other clients which are desktop software. MonstaFTP also boasts a modern interface for user-friendliness, making it a perfect choice for beginners and pro users. You can use it to manage your website via browser, upload/download files, edit code, and much more. The biggest benefit of MonstaFTP is that it is a file manager in the cloud. You can access your install from anywhere, through any device, which is not the case with other desktop software. MonstaFTP comes in Lite Edition and Business Edition. Lite Edition is free and has basic FTP functionality such as file transfers, folders or file uploads or downloads. Whereas, Business Edition is a paid version where you can customize your UI, restrict access to certain IP addresses and much more. MonstaFTP Features. Supports FTP, SFTP and SCP protocols Code-friendly editor lets you edit your remote files on-screen Allows uploading of zip archives and extract on your server Intuitive interface: works seamlessly on all devices and screen sizes. Download: 7. CoffeeCup Free FTP. CoffeeCup is an impressive, free FTP client, recognized by the name ‘Free FTP’. The program is intuitive, fast and user-friendly. With just a click of a button, you can connect to a server and simply use drag and drop feature to seamlessly download or upload files to your server or computer. ‘FTP Activity Pane’ shows you a clear status of your file downloads and uploads. Plus, you can even pause or cancel the file transfers. Not just FTP, but CoffeeCup Free FTP can handle SFTP, FTPS and HTTP protocols as well! At the bottom, you’ll see a Status Bar filled with critical information about what’s exactly happening in your FTP session. It also encompasses amazing file management features for both local as well as remote environments. Besides, the use of Bookmarks is the most impressive thing about this Free FTP client. Using this feature, you can save your place in a folder on the remote server, or your local device or both. In just one click, you can even archive the entire remote directory in a local zip file. Such a feature comes most handy while backing up your website. CoffeeCup Free FTP Features. Supports FTP, SFTP, FTPS and HTTP protocols Easy File Management ZIP Archive feature Drag and Drop Feature Allows you to set permissions for files and folders on your server Statusbar shows important information regarding your session Combo Bookmarks. As the name implies, Free FTP is a free FTP client. But CoffeeCup also offers Direct FTP which is a paid FTP client packed with high-end features. Download for Free: 8. IPswitch. Last but definitely not the least, the IPswitch WS_FTP Professional is a paid FTP client packed with myriads of advanced features. Thus, it is more suitable for advanced users. It is a safe and easy FTP client that allows secure uploads and downloads of files with OpenPGP file encryption, 256-bit AES and FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography. Not just SFTP, but it also supports other protocols such as SSH, HTTP and SSL. Apart from this, the IPswitch client has an easy drag and drop feature, customizable display, integrated desktop search engines and schedule feature for post-transfer actions. IPswitch WS_FTP Professional Features. Secure file transfers with 256-bit AES, OpenPGP file encryption and FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography Customizable display Powerful Integrated File Encryption Drag and Drop feature Integrated Google™, Windows® or Copernic™ desktop search engines to easily search and transfer files Scheduling of post-transfer actions such as renaming, moving or deleting files File and folder Archives Schedule recurring transfers Synchronization to any drive, device, location or server. Download for Free: Conclusion. Most users just need a basic free FTP client with simple functionalities, but there are some advanced users who might need the premium offerings of paid versions. It all comes down to your personal preference. If you like dual-pane view in the interface for your local and remote files, the WinSCP and FileZilla are two impressive, free FTP clients. Whereas, if you would just like to see remote files on your server, without any local files or folders, you can opt for CyberDuck- it is clean, free and fast. For high-grade security, reliability and regulatory compliance, you can try Serv-U Managed FTP Voyager. The 5 Best Free FTP Clients. Transferring files to and from your web host or server is best done with what’s commonly known an FTP client, though the term is a bit dated because there are more secure alternatives such as SFTP and FTPS. If you’re looking for a free FTP software, though, this compilation of the best free FTP clients will help you narrow your choices. Keep reading to see the full list and learn why these free FTP clients made the cut! What is an FTP? An FTP, which stands for File Transfer Protocol, is a method for transferring files from one computer to another. How we created this list of the best free FTP software applications. When I was putting together this list, this was my criteria: Supports secure file transfer protocols: FTP isn’t secure. Among its many flaws, plain FTP doesn’t encrypt the data you’re transferring. If your data is compromised en route to its destination, your credentials (username and password) and your data can easily be read. SFTP (which stands for SHH File Transfer Protocol ) is a popular secure alternative, but there are many others. Has a GUI: There are some awesome FTP clients with a command-line interface, but for a great number of people, a graphical user interface is more approachable and easier to use. 5 best free FTP clients. The five free FTP clients that made our list include: 1. FileZilla. Topping the list is FileZilla, an open source FTP client. It’s fast, being able to handle simultaneous transmissions (multi-threaded transfers), and supports SFTP and FTPS (which stands for FTP over SSL ). What’s more, it’s available on all operating systems, so if you work on multiple computers — like if you’re forced to use Windows at work but you have a Mac at home — you don’t need to use a different application for your file-transferring needs. Available on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. 2. Cyberduck. Cyberduck can take care of a ton of your file-transferring needs: SFTP, WebDav, Amazon S3, and more. It has a minimalist UI, which makes it super easy to use. Available on Windows and Mac OS. 3. FireFTP. This Mozilla Firefox add-on gives you a very capable FTP/SFTP client right within your browser. It’s available on all platforms that can run Firefox. Available on Windows, Mac OS and Linux. 4. Classic FTP. Classic FTP is a file transfer client that’s free for non-commercial use. It has a very simple interface, which is a good thing, because it makes it easy and intuitive to use. I like its “Compare Directories” feature that’s helpful for seeing differences between your local and remote files. Available on Windows and Mac OS. 5. WinSCP. This popular FTP client has a very long list of features, and if you’re a Windows user, it’s certainly worth a look. WinSCP can deal with multiple file-transfer protocols (SFTP, SCP, FTP, and WebDav). It has a built-in text editor for making quick text edits more convenient, and has scripting support for power users. Available on Windows. Honorable Mention: Transmit. For this post, I decided to focus on free software. But it just doesn’t seem right to leave out Transmit (which costs $34) in a post about FTP clients because it’s a popular option used by web developers on Mac OS. It has a lot of innovative features and its user-friendliness is unmatched. If you’ve got the cash to spare and you’re on a Mac, this might be your best option. Available on Mac OS. For even more digital marketing advice, sign up for the email that more than 190,000 other marketers trust: Revenue Weekly! Which FTP client do you use? There’s a great deal of FTP clients out there. If your favorite FTP client isn’t on the list, please mention it in the comments for the benefit of other readers. And if you’ve used any of the FTP clients mentioned here, please do share your thoughts about them too. Jacob Gube is the founder of Six Revisions. He’s a front-end developer. Connect with him on Twitter. Related Content. WebFX Careers. Join our mission to provide industry-leading digital marketing services to businesses around the globe - all while building your personal knowledge and growing as an individual. How to Connect to FTP Servers in Windows (Without Extra Software) Chris Hoffman is Editor-in-Chief of How-To Geek. He's written about technology for over a decade and was a PCWorld columnist for two years. Chris has written for The New York Times, been interviewed as a technology expert on TV stations like Miami's NBC 6, and had his work covered by news outlets like the BBC. Since 2011, Chris has written over 2,000 articles that have been read nearly one billion times---and that's just here at How-To Geek. Read more. If you need to access an FTP server, you can install dedicated FTP clients with lots of features –but you don’t necessarily have to. Windows itself offers several ways for connecting to an FTP server, allowing you to download and upload files in a pinch. How to Access FTP Servers in Windows’ File Explorer. The Windows file manager–known as File Explorer on Windows 10 and 8, and Windows Explorer on Windows 7–allows you to connect to FTP servers. To connect to an FTP server, open a File Explorer or Windows Explorer window, click the “This PC” or “Computer”. Right-click in the right pane and select “Add a network location”. Go through the wizard that appears and select “Choose a custom network location”. In the “Specify the location of your website” dialog, enter the address of the ftp server in the form ftp://server.com . For example, Microsoft’s FTP server is ftp.microsoft.com, so we’d enter ftp://ftp.microsoft.com here if we wanted to connect to that particular server. If you don’t have a username and password, you can often check the “Log on anonymously” box and sign into the server without a username and password. This gives you limited access to the server–you can generally download publicly available files but not upload files, for example. If you do have a username and password, enter your username here. The first time you connect to the FTP server, you’ll be prompted to enter your password. You’ll now be asked to enter a name for the network location. Enter whatever name you like–the FTP site will appear with this name so you can easily remember which is which. When you’re done, the FTP site will appear under “Network locations” in the This PC or Computer pane. Download files and upload files by copying and pasting them to and from this folder. How to Access FTP Servers in the Command Prompt. You can also do this with the ftp command in a Command Prompt window. This command is comes built into Windows. To do this, open a Command Prompt window. On Windows 10 or 8, right-click the Start button or press Windows+X on your keyboard and select “Command Prompt”. On Windows 7, search the Start menu for “Command Prompt”. Type ftp at the prompt and press Enter. The prompt will change to an ftp> prompt. To connect to a server, type open followed by the address of the FTP server. For example, to connect to Microsoft’s FTP server, you’d type: You’ll then be prompted for a username. Enter the username and password to connect to the site. If you don’t have one, you can enter “Anonymous” followed by a blank password to see if the FTP server allows anonymous access. Once you’re connected, you can navigate the FTP server with the dir and cd commands. To view the contents of the current directory, type: To change to another directory, type the cd command followed by the name of the directory. For example, you’d type the following command to change to a directory named “example”: To upload or download files, use the get and push commands. For example, to download a file named example.txt in the current FTP folder, you’d type: To upload a file stored on your desktop named example.txt to the FTP server, you’d type: When you’re done, just type the following command and press Enter to close the connection: While apps like Cyberduck or FileZilla offer plenty of advanced features that Windows’ built-in options don’t, both of the above are great options for basic FTP browsing, uploading, and downloading. 28 Best Free FTP Client Software For Windows. Here are 28 best free FTP client software . These best FTP software let you browse FTP sites easily. All these software are completely free and can be downloaded to Windows PC. These FTP client software offer various features, like: browse FTP sites, transfer files to and from FTP servers , upload and download various files simultaneously, drag & drop support, resume interrupted transfer, transfer queues, bookmarks or favorites, support for FTP, SSH FTP, SCP etc. protocols , caching remote directories locally, can synchronize, edit, and delete files from a website or network, and more. You can also check out best free registry backup software and best free VoIP software reviewed by us earlier. Here are the Best Free FTP Client Software for Windows: WinSCP. WinSCP is a free, small, and open source file transfer client for Windows. It uses Secure Shell (SSH) technology for safe copying of files between a local and a remote computer using the FTP, SSH FTP, or SCP protocols. It transfers files quickly and easily. This file transfer software has an Explorer like interface and is easy to use. It also comes in a portable version. FileZilla. FileZilla is one of the free and powerful best free FTP client. It has an Explorer like interface and is easy to use. You can upload and download to and from your FTP site, server, or host easily. You can easily upload various files simultaneously. You can set the speed limit of the transfer. This ftp program supports various features like drag & drop, resume transfer, transfer queues, bookmarks etc. BitKinex. BitKinex is a free FTP client for Windows. You can browse any FTP site with it easily. You can download files from FTP sites. It transfers files at high speed. It has an Explorer like interface. You can add or edit bookmarks. You can apply file filters also. You can set the transparency of its main window. Core FTP Lite. Core FTP Lite is a free FTP client. It has a user friendly interface. It has various features. It supports drag & drop operation. It can retry automatically for incomplete files. It has browser integration ability. You can transfer multiple files simultaneously. It has a site manager for managing various FTP sites easily. DeluxeFTP. DeluxeFTP is a very small FTP client. You can download and upload multiple files simultaneously by using it. This free ftp software has various predefined favorites and you can add your own too. To add or browse new FTP site, it has a helpful wizard. It can resume interrupted transfers. It has three transfer modes: Auto, ASCII, and Binary. It has a user friendly interface and is easy to use. Fastream NetFile FTP Client. Fastream NetFile FTP Client is a free multi threaded FTP client. You can browse multiple FTP sites in multiple tabs. It has various predefined list of FTP sites, and you can add more to it. You can download files or folders from various FTP sites simultaneously. It automatically caches the directories so you can browse FTP site at high speed. CoffeeCup Free FTP. CoffeeCup Free FTP is a free ftp software available free for Windows. You can access FTP sites by using it. It has two browser windows; one for local directories and other one for remote directories of FTP sites or servers. It supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP and other variations. You can create Zip archives from files on the server. You can bookmark any FTP site for easy access. You can upload and download multiple files simultaneously. Classic FTP. Classic FTP is a free and easy to use FTP client for Windows. It lets you view, upload, download, synchronize, edit, and delete files from a website or network. It has two browser panes. The left pane is for local computer and the right pane is for remote FTP site or server. It also shows the log window. This file transfer software also has an option for local and remote bookmarks. Leech FTP. Leech FTP is small and easy to use FTP software. You can connect to any FTP site easily with it. You can download files from FTP servers easily. You can load or save download queue. You can enable or disable download resuming. It can download files by using anyone of the Binary, Text, or Auto transfer mode. It has a bookmark list and you can add more to it. Fresh FTP. Fresh FTP is a small and free FTP client for Windows. It lets you download and upload files from FTP servers or sites. It is a useful tool for site owners and web masters. It supports resume of broken uploads. This program uses low system resources. It supports clipboard monitoring. You can save and load download queue. It has a clean interface. MicroFTP 2000. MicroFTP is a small, simple, and free FTP software for Windows. It lets you download and upload files from a remote server. It has a dual pane interface; the left pane is for local folders and right pane is for FTP sites or servers. You can double click any file and it will open the file with associated application. You can save your connection details and your user account information easily. You can customize this application easily. It supports drag and drop option. FTP Surfer. FTP Surfer is a free FTP program for Windows. It has user interface similar to Internet Explorer. It has address bar, favorites, and history. It supports drag and drop file transfer. You can execute FTP commands directly. You can download and upload multiple files simultaneously. It is easy to use software. Glub Tech Secure FTP. Glub Tech Secure FTP is a java based FTP client. It supports 256 bit encrypted secure connection. It has a simple and easy to use interface. It has two panes; the left pane is for local PC and the right pane is for remote sites. You can download and upload files easily by using it. It has four transfer modes: Auto, Text, Binary, and EBCDIC. You can bookmark any FTP site. AnyClient. AnyClient is a platform independent file transfer application available free. All the major file transfer protocols are supported including FTP/S, SFTP, WebDAV/S etc. You can use it as a FTP client. It has a simple dual pane interface; the left side is for local folders and right side is for remote server. It has a site manager where you can add or delete FTP site addresses. You can save passwords also. Free FTP Manager. Free FTP Manager is a free FTP client for Windows. It works fast and is a reliable FTP and SFTP client. It lets you view, download, and upload files to FTP servers. It supports advanced authentication for security purpose. You can limit download and upload speed. It is available in various languages. Easy FTP. Easy FTP is a small and user friendly FTP client software. It lets you download and upload files from FTP servers. You can transfer files in Binary or ASCII mode. It has a Commands menu which is divided in two parts; Computer and Server, and you can do various tasks by selecting desired commands from them. You can publish your web sites easily and quickly by using it. FTP! is an interactive graphical FTP client for Windows. It supports FTP, FTPS, and SFTP protocols. You can download and upload multiple files simultaneously. You can use wildcards in file transfer. You can edit remote files easily. This ftp program has a multi tab interface. It supports large files (greater than 2 GB) for file transfer. FTP Manager Lite. FTP Manager Lite is a free FTP client software for Windows. To connect to a FTP server for transferring files you have to create a connection profile. It has a simple dual pane interface; the left pane is for local directories and the right pane is for remote FTP server. You can transfer files between PC and remote server easily. You can download large files with automatic resuming if your files transfer is interrupted. FTP Wanderer. FTP Wanderer is a free FTP client for Windows. It has an Explorer like interface. It is a multi threaded FTP client. You can upload and download multiple files simultaneously. It has full drag and drop support. You can add remote folders to your favorites list. You can customize its user interface according to your requirements. It doesn’t require installation. BlazeFtp. BlazeFtp is a FTP client for Windows available free with various features. It has a built-in offline search engine for finding any particular file. You can connect to multiple sites simultaneously. It has a site manager for managing various FTP sites. It has a dual pane interface. It can cache remote directories locally. It is easy to install and uninstall. FTP Rush. FTP Rush is a FTP client for Windows available free and is easy to use. You can download and upload files quickly and easily. It supports secure transfers including FTPS and SFTP. It can synchronize local and remote folders. You can drag and drop files like Windows Explorer. Also supports site to site transfer. It also has a built-in Script Designer and Command Designer for advance users. ICFTP Client. ICFTP Client is a free FTP client for Windows. You can download, upload, and delete files from FTP servers. You can connect to any FTP site for transferring files. It has a file management tool for managing files locally and remotely. This ftp program has various FTP settings to use. It installs and uninstalls easily. AutoFTP. AutoFTP is a free FTP software. It has a user friendly interface. It supports FTP and FTP/S protocols. You can transfer files automatically. It has a connection wizard, quick connect, site manager, and properties manager. You can schedule your transfers too. It supports Unicode character set. You can view the thumbnails of the remote images. You can download more than 66 languages. Sherrod FTP. Sherrod FTP is a free FTP client for Windows. It has various features like: open multiple connections, schedule your transfer jobs, quick history feature, log viewer, automatic backup, secure FTP connections and many more. It has an attractive user interface with ribbon bar and dockable panes. You can download and upload multiple files simultaneously. Home Ftp Client. Home Ftp Client is a free and easy to use FTP software. You can copy your files in a centralized server. It remembers the connection settings and last session view for the next startup. You can also type new location in its address bar. You can download and upload files easily. It has a simple user interface and it installs and uninstalls easily. Roadkil's FTP Client. Roadkil’s FTP Client is a tiny FTP client for Windows. You can open multiple connections in multiple tabs. It has an address book where you can add and manage various FTP sites. You can download and upload multiple files simultaneously. You can create, delete, rename etc. with files and directories. You can delay downloads, save download queues and do many more with it. GogoFTP. GogoFTP is a free and easy to use FTP client for Windows. You can connect to FTP sites by entering any FTP address. It also has a wizard to connect to any FTP site. It has an Explorer type interface. You can transfer files easily to or from remote servers. It has a quick connection toolbar which lets you connect to any FTP server easily and speedily. It can remember the username and password. BladeFTP. BladeFTP is a free FTP client available free for Windows. It has a dual pane interface and is easy to use. It lets you browse various FTP sites simultaneously. It has various tabs in both the panes that let you manage history, tasks, local folders etc. easily. It installs and uninstalls easily.