Recently while discussing how to use FTP to upload files to WordPress, one of our users asked us to recommended the FTP clients for Windows and Mac. There are plenty of free and paid FTP clients available. In this article, we have hand-picked some of the best FTP clients for WordPress beginners. The goal here is to find the most reliable, secure, and easy to use FTP tool for all your WordPress file editing and uploads.
The Best FTP Clients (Free and Paid) for Your Mac By Shujaa Imran – Posted on Sep 26, 2014 Oct 18, 2016 in Mac FTP, which stands for File Transfer Protocol, is the standard method used these days to easily transfer files between your PC/Mac and your server.
What is an FTP Client? Why You Need it?
Ftp For Mac
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) allows you to upload files from your computer to your WordPress site. In order to use FTP, you will need an FTP client which is a desktop app that connects your computer to your WordPress hosting account.
It provides an easy to use graphics user interface, so that you can perform all FTP functions such as copy, upload, delete, rename, and edit files / folders on your WordPress site.
It is not necessary to install an FTP client to use WordPress. However, an FTP client can help you quickly fix common WordPress errors when you are not able to access WordPress admin area.
How to Use an FTP Client?
You will need a FTP username and password in order to connect to your WordPress site.
This information can be found in the email you got when you first started your blog and signed up for a web hosting account.
You can also get this information from your web hosting cPanel dashboard or ask the support, and they will email it to you.
Once you have this information, you can connect to your website.
First, you will need to launch your FTP client and enter your FTP username, password, host (usually your website address e.g. wpbeginner.com), and then click on the connect button.
Host is usually your website’s URL (e.g. wpbeginner.com).
If you do not enter anything in the port field, then your FTP client will connect using the plain FTP protocol on port 21.
You can use port 22 to connect to your server using SFTP which encrypts information before sending it to your web server. This reduces the chances of hackers stealing your FTP password or sniffing on information.
Having said that, let’s take a look at some of the best FTP clients available for WordPress users on different platforms.
Best FTP Clients for WordPress Users
There are several paid and free FTP clients available for different platforms and operating systems. Each one of them comes with an easy to use interface and additional features that will make it easier for you to edit WordPress files.
1. WinSCP
WinSCP is one of the most powerful and easy to use FTP client for Windows users. It feels like there are too many things on the user interface, but it is actually quite easy to learn.
On your left, you have the files on your computer and on the right, you see the files on your server. Just click on a file to download, upload, or edit it.
For advanced users, WinSCP has all the features that you would need from a powerful FTP client. It supports SFTP, SSH, and of course the plain old FTP. Handling files and assigning default editors is quite easy with WinSCP.
Platform: Windows
Price: Free
2. Cyberduck
CyberDuck is an extremely easy to use FTP client suitable for beginners as well as advanced users.
It is available for Mac and Windows computers. Unlike other cross platform applications, it actually integrates beautifully with your native Mac environment. It also supports Mac features like storing your login credentials in keychain and locating files in finder.
You can select your preferred code editor and open files for editing with the click of a button.
Platform: Windows, Mac
Price: Free
3. Transmit
Transmit is the most popular FTP client for Mac, particularly among web developers. It comes with an extremely powerful set of features like folder syncing, disk feature, and higher speeds.
Transmit beautifully integrates into your native Mac environment which makes it super easy for Mac users to learn quickly. You can add your transmit shortcuts to Finder as favorites and quickly access them.
It supports SSH, SFTP, FTP, FTPs connections. It also comes with a neat code editor for quick file edits.
Platform: Mac
Price: Free, Paid version for $34
4. Free FTP
Free FTP by Coffee House is a popular FTP client among Windows users. It is very beginner friendly and quite easy to use.
It supports FTP, SFTP, FTPS, and beautifully integrates into your operating system. It has a history feature which allows you to remember where you stored a file.
There is a paid version available as well which is called Direct FTP. It has extra features like code editor, autocompletion, image viewer, etc.
Platform: Windows
Price: Free, Paid version for $39
5. FileZilla
FileZilla is a popular free FTP client for Windows, Mac, and Linux.
It is perhaps, the most easy to use FTP client. However, the reason we have placed it on the fifth position is because Windows users have reportedly found adware or spyware packaged into FileZilla downloads.
You can uncheck the box during the installation to opt-out from adware, but since many of our users are beginners, we are afraid that they may miss it and eventually end up with an adware on their computer.
Our experienced users can install FileZilla from official website. Linux users will find Filezilla available in their distro’s official repositories.
Platform: Windows, Mac, Linux
Price: Free
6. WS_FTP Professional
WS_FTP Professional is a popular commercial FTP client for Windows. It offers enterprise grade security with SSH, and 256-bit AES, FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography and OpenPGP file encryption for transfers.
It comes with powerful file search, drag and drop transfers, faster speeds, scheduled transfers, and many more advanced features.
Platform: Windows
Price: From $49.95
We hope this article helped you find the best FTP client for uploading files to WordPress. You may also want to take a look at our beginner’s guide to pasting code snippets in WordPress.
If you liked this article, then please subscribe to our YouTube Channel for WordPress video tutorials. You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook.
With FTP i.e. File Transfer Protocol, you can exchange data over a defined network namely IP/TCP protocol. FTP demands two PCs as client and server for transferring data. FTP server manages incoming network connection requests from other computers and FTP client software establishes connection between computer and client. In short, FTP client software in a computer handles uploading and downloading of files on a defined server.
Every computer virtually supports FTP transfer after they are connected to the IP/TCP based network. After the connection is set up between computers, you can adjust or modify the files as per the requirement. There are various FTP client and server software currently available in the market. In this blog, we are covering the best FTP client for Windows 10. But do you know, how to use an FTP client?
How to use an FTP client?
To use FTP client, you must collect FTP login details of server, username, password, and remote directory to access the program. You must have received this information on your email during registration of your hosting account.
Best Windows 10 FTP clients Of 2019
Now, if you want to share your files with friends and family, take a backup of your data on web server or transfer a folder to the client, you can use FTP client. In this blog, we are covering 10 best free FTP Client for Windows 10.
1. SmartFTP
Designed especially for Windows, SmartFTP is one of the best FTP software equipped with high-quality features. This FTP client is smart and multi-functional as it is an FTP, FTPS, SFTP, Google Drive, Amazon S3, SSH, OneDrive, SSH, WebDAV, Backblaze B2, Terminal Client.
SmartFTP is a fast and consistent source for transferring and sharing files between server and local computer. Also, the software is competent and secure for website development, for uploading and downloading files and securing private files on the server. Also, it works well with Windows 10 and successfully used for synchronizing remote and local files for backup.
Read Also:How To Setup And Manage An FTP Server On Windows 10?
2. Total Commander
Next in line is Total Commander, which is oozing with tons of features like side by side supports two file windows along with various languages and Unicode, and augmented search function. Also, the software allows you to compare files and meanwhile manage directories. You can also quickly View panel with the help of bitmap display, use multi-rename tool and parallel port link.
The software has in-built FTP client with HTTP and FXP proxy support. Also, it has custom columns, friendly interface, and thumbnail view. With Total Commander, you can compare editor, isolate trees, and logging, and manage password for plugins and FTP. You can purchase the software by clicking on the link below.
3. WS_FTP Professional
The popularity of WS_FTP Professional can be attributed to its amazing features and security. This FTP client is the securest and simplest means to transfer sensitive data as the software has the best encryption levels and world-class security features. Moreover, it is easy to use and diminishes administrative responsibilities. Also, you can compress files into .zip format automatically.
Its OpenPGP file encryption and authenticated cryptography along with strong file search options makes this software one of the best FTP client 2018. Other features include transfer via drag and drop, greater speed and programmed transfers. The backup feature of this software allows you to save all your significant data.
4. CuteFTP
If you are looking for an influential FTP client but in the premium class, then you can switch to CuteFTP software. Its power-packed performance can be attributed to its powerful features and secure and reliable base. Also, it offers premium backing to FTP clients making it the best FTP client. The software is available for both Mac and Windows.
You can transfer your important files with ease via CuteFTP as it uses SSL and SFTP protocol for file transfer. Similarly, you can send multiple folders or divide the files while transferring. This is the best free FTP client software, reliable and feature-rich and hence, highly recommended.
Read Also:How To Turn Windows File Explorer Into An FTP Client
5. WinSCP
What is better than an award-winning FTP client software? In most probability, an open source and free source for file transfer. Well, WinSCP is everything you need as it is available for free of cost, is open source and has won award for its excellent performance. It is more than a secure FTP Client r as it is an open source FTPS, SCP and SFTP server.
With WinSCP, you can script and manage basic files and folders. Also, it is dependable, quick, and lightweight and it allows remote text editing. Some of its advanced features includes graphical user interface, Windows integration, language translation, command line interface, integrated text editor, batch file scripting and explorer and Commander Interfaces.
6. Cyberduck
The USP of this FTP client is user-friendly interface that makes this software easy to use. It is popular among beginners as the software is simple and delivers high-quality features. The most significant of all is bookmarking and SSH functionality that makes this FTP client the best choice for first-timers. It is available for free but offers every advanced feature that you search in a secure FTP software.
It supports FTP, Amazon S3, WebDAV, SFTP, and OpenStack Swift. Once you download this free FTP Client, you are eligible for getting aid for using Rackspace Cloud Files and Google Cloud Storage. Its amazing graphical interface makes it user-friendly and allow users to browse files easily.
7. FileZilla
Available for Windows, Linux and mac, FileZilla is one of the most admired FTP Client. The software is available for free and is highly reliable and quick. Also, it is an open source FTP, FTPS and SFTP clients and offers graphical interface making it easy and user-friendly. It gives all-inclusive documentation and hence delivers quick solutions to your problems.
Some of its advanced features are tabbed user interface, supports IPv6, can transfer huge files and folders, allow bookmarks, has drag and drop choice along with filename filters, remote file editing, network configuration wizard and synchronized directory browsing.
8. CrossFTP
Unlike other FTP Client software, CrossFTP has various features that defines its unique identity. For instance, it allows password encryption, quick searches, web searches and has sound and event notifier. Also, it allows you to bookmark your favorites, batch transfer, internalization, zoom preview, tabbing interface and ability to compress, browse and extract archives.
It is a free FTP client software with user-friendly interface and offers various noteworthy features. Thanks to all its features, the software let file transfer easy and fast. And you can also pre-program schedules for uploading files.
Filezilla For Mac
Read Also:10 Best Context Menu Editors for Windows 10
9. Classic FTP
Again, this software is free and open source and is highly dependable, safe, and easy to use. It is available for both Mac and Windows. It ensures file security via FTP SSL connection and is go well together with all key FTP servers. Its drag and drop option makes file transfer easy and convenient.
It is cross-platform and is equipped several notable features that you can admire after downloading it for free. It is one of the most underrated FTP Client software in the market but has every significant feature required for proper functionality.
10. FireFTP
A Firefox plugin used as FTP software to the web browser of Mozilla, FireFTP is a free and cross-platform software. However, this application is not isolated in nature and demands some support to work. But then it offers the best tools that are difficult to find in other applications. It works on Windows, Linux and Mac OS and delivers high-quality performance after installation.
Some of the noteworthy features that cannot be ignored in this power-packed FTP software includes file compression, drag and drop options, proxy support, IPv6 support, timestamp synchronization, and File Hashing. Also, it supports different protocols and has user-friendly interface. This free FTP software is available in more than 20 languages.
Free Ftp Client For Mac Os X
Conclusion
Whether you are working professionally or pursuing a course, you have deal with large files to deal with. It is important that we keep them safe and secure and transfer files with the utmost reliability. A decent FTP client allows you to administer, save and send files with extreme caution. You can upload and download huge data online with the help of FTP clients.
So, this was all about the best FTP client for Windows 10 that are currently dominating the market. Make sure to download them and share your experience in the comment section below.