Link copied to clipboard # SmartFTP vs WinSCP Comparison - What are their main differences? Share [ Export ](/compare/smartftp/winscp/export.csv) SmartFTPWinSCP[+ Add Product](#) Reviews **SmartFTP** [ 4/5(21) ](https://www.g2.com/products/smartftp/reviews#reviews) **WinSCP** [ 4.6/5(230) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews#reviews) Pricing **SmartFTP** No pricing available **WinSCP** No pricing available **Pricing Insights** from reviews Time to Implement **SmartFTP** Not enough reviews yet **WinSCP** 1 month Based on 6 responses Return on Investment **SmartFTP** Not enough reviews yet **WinSCP** 14 months Based on 7 responses Perceived Cost **SmartFTP** $$$$$ **WinSCP** $$$$$ Average Discount **SmartFTP** Not enough reviews yet **WinSCP** Not enough reviews yet Pros & Cons **SmartFTP** Not enough data **WinSCP** [ Security (3) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1971570&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ User Interface (3) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1229515&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Outdated Interface (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2320852&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews)[ Unreliable Connectivity (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=1229389&qs=pros-and-cons#reviews) Integrations **SmartFTP** Not enough data **WinSCP** [ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_793034d14bb0f3fa12d97cf3cc0032c4/jira.jpg "Product Avatar Image") Jira ](https://www.g2.com/products/jira/reviews)[ ![Product Avatar Image](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/large_detail/large_detail_91ba385b963fa00bce23b532cca3ebba/putty.png "Product Avatar Image") PuTTY ](https://www.g2.com/products/putty/reviews)[ View all ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/integrations) Ratings Meets Requirements **SmartFTP** 8.5 8.518 **WinSCP** 9.3 9.3194 Ease of Use **SmartFTP** 8.4 8.418 **WinSCP** 9.2 9.2196 Ease of Setup **SmartFTP** 9.7 9.75 **WinSCP** 9.5 9.539 Ease of Admin **SmartFTP** 9.7 9.75 **WinSCP** 9.5 9.529 Quality of Support **SmartFTP** 7.1 7.117 **WinSCP** 8.5 8.5148 Has the product been a good partner in doing business? **SmartFTP** Not enough data **WinSCP** 8.8 8.823 Product Direction (% positive) **SmartFTP** 5.5 5.518 **WinSCP** 8.9 8.9189 Features File Transfer Protocol (FTP)[Hide 11 FeaturesShow 11 Features](javascript:void(0);) 8.5 5 8.8 74 Management File Management 9.7(won by 0.1) 5 9.6 69 Synchronization 7.7 5 9.1(won by 1.4) 66 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Scheduling 7.7 5 8.8(won by 1.1) 52 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Performance 8.0 5 8.9(won by 0.9) 69 (There is a greater than 0.5 difference between this product's rating and its competitors) Functionality File Transfer 9.3 5 9.5(won by 0.2) 72 Language Support 8.3 5 8.5(won by 0.2) 54 File Backup Not enough data 8.6(won by default) 56 Mobile Support Not enough data 7.2(won by default) 41 Security Encryption Not enough data 8.8(won by default) 60 Authentication Not enough data 9.1(won by default) 65 Access Control Not enough data 9.2(won by default) 65 User Insights Reviewers' Company Size [![SmartFTP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_42f24dd73da5e33d47dece80f685ffdf/smartftp.png "SmartFTP")](https://www.g2.com/products/smartftp/reviews) SmartFTP Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 71.4% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 19.0% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 9.5% [![WinSCP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_b61201ff6c77d6665ef360b523d06e47/winscp.gif "WinSCP")](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews) WinSCP Small-Business(50 or fewer emp.) 32.3% Mid-Market(51-1000 emp.) 29.1% Enterprise(\> 1000 emp.) 38.6% Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) 71.4% 32.3% Mid-Market (51-1000 emp.) 19.0% 29.1% Enterprise (\> 1000 emp.) 9.5% 38.6% Reviewers' Industry [![SmartFTP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_42f24dd73da5e33d47dece80f685ffdf/smartftp.png "SmartFTP")](https://www.g2.com/products/smartftp/reviews) SmartFTP Leisure, Travel & Tourism 14.3% Computer Networking 14.3% Renewables & Environment 9.5% Law Practice 9.5% Computer Software 9.5% Other 42.9% [![WinSCP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_b61201ff6c77d6665ef360b523d06e47/winscp.gif "WinSCP")](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews) WinSCP Information Technology and Services 36.3% Computer Software 13.9% Computer & Network Security 4.0% Telecommunications 3.1% Higher Education 2.7% Other 39.9% FAQs ## SmartFTP vs WinSCP FAQs Generated using AI Last updated: August 15, 2026 ### What is the difference between WinSCP vs SmartFTP? WinSCP stands out from SmartFTP with a higher G2 rating, stronger support scores, and a larger small-business user base. | [WinSCP](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews) | [SmartFTP](https://www.g2.com/products/smartftp/reviews) | | --- | --- | | 4.6/5 (231 reviews) | 4.0/5 (21 reviews) | | Small-Business | Enterprise | | 9.5 | 9.7 | | 8.5 | 7.1 | | Security | — | ### How do the pricing models of WinSCP and SmartFTP compare? WinSCP is considered the stronger value by reviewers, with higher satisfaction on price and cost-related dimensions. - **WinSCP:** Reviewers consistently highlight WinSCP's outstanding value, noting it delivers enterprise-level functionality without additional licensing costs and is free and open-source. - **SmartFTP:** Reviewers mention that SmartFTP is perceived as expensive for its feature set, with some expressing dissatisfaction with the cost relative to alternatives. - **Switching reasons:** Recent reviews recommend WinSCP over SmartFTP for those seeking regular releases and better value. ### What are the best alternatives to WinSCP and SmartFTP? The top three alternatives to WinSCP and SmartFTP are FileZilla, CuteFTP, and Progress MOVEit. | Product | G2 Rating (reviews) | Largest Segment | Pricing Insight | Top Reviewer-Cited Strength | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [WinSCP](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews) | 4.6/5 (231 reviews) | Small-Business | Free and open-source, outstanding value | Security | | [SmartFTP](https://www.g2.com/products/smartftp/reviews) | 4.0/5 (21 reviews) | Enterprise | Perceived as expensive for features | — | | [FileZilla](https://www.g2.com/products/filezilla/reviews) | 4.5/5 (766 reviews) | Small-Business | — | Efficient file transfers | | [CuteFTP](https://www.g2.com/products/cuteftp/reviews) | 4.6/5 (23 reviews) | Small-Business | — | User-friendly interface | | [Progress MOVEit](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-moveit/reviews) | 4.4/5 (529 reviews) | Enterprise | — | Enterprise-grade security | ### Which File Transfer Protocol (FTP) features should I prioritize when comparing WinSCP and SmartFTP? Buyers should prioritize security, ease of use, protocol support, reliability, and integration capabilities when comparing WinSCP and SmartFTP. - **Security:** WinSCP is cited for security in 3 all-time mentions; SmartFTP is noted for encryption in recent reviews. - **Ease of Use:** WinSCP scores 9.2; SmartFTP scores 8.4. - **Protocol Support:** Both products support SFTP, SCP, FTP, and Amazon S3, with reviewers highlighting protocol versatility for both. - **Reliability:** WinSCP has 2 all-time mentions for reliability; SmartFTP is described as stable and efficient in recent reviews. - **Integration Capabilities:** WinSCP integrates with PuTTY (25 all-time mentions); SmartFTP supports cloud integrations like Amazon and Google in recent reviews. ### What are the pros and cons of WinSCP vs SmartFTP? WinSCP's headline strength is security and ease of use, while SmartFTP is noted for protocol support and a Windows-native interface. - **WinSCP strengths:** Security (3 all-time mentions), user interface (3), ease of use (2), file transfer (2), reliability (2), customization, efficiency, encryption, features, file management, file sharing, integrations, pricing, secure file transfer. - **WinSCP trade-offs:** Outdated interface (2 all-time mentions), unreliable connectivity (2), slow performance, slow transfers. - **SmartFTP strengths:** Protocol support (Amazon S3, WebDAV, SFTP), encryption, Windows-native interface, file preview, transfer queue tools, session management, automation features. - **SmartFTP trade-offs:** Perceived as expensive, inefficient workflow design for scheduled tasks, limited Linux/macOS support, extra charges for logging, support quality concerns in some reviews. ### Is WinSCP or SmartFTP better for small businesses? WinSCP is the better fit for small businesses, with a larger small-business segment and stronger reviewer sentiment. - **WinSCP:** Largest segment is Small-Business; reviewers highlight ease of use, value, and suitability for technical and non-technical users. - **SmartFTP:** Largest segment is Enterprise; reviewers note it is suitable for home users or very small businesses but cite cost and workflow limitations for broader small-business use. ### Which File Transfer Protocol (FTP) platform has better integrations? WinSCP is favored for integrations, with more reviewer-cited integration mentions than SmartFTP. - **WinSCP:** Integrates with PuTTY (25 all-time mentions), with reviewers noting smooth integration into server administration workflows. - **SmartFTP:** Reviewers mention integrations with Amazon and Google cloud services in recent reviews, but no all-time mention counts are supplied. ### How do WinSCP and SmartFTP compare on customer support? WinSCP outperforms SmartFTP on Quality of Support by a margin greater than 1.0 points, indicating a material difference. - **WinSCP:** Reviewers consistently rate support highly, with scores of 7.0 in most recent reviews and positive comments on documentation and community resources. - **SmartFTP:** Support experiences are mixed, with some reviewers noting poor support and others rating it as average or good; the overall Quality of Support score is 7.1. ### Which is easier to implement, WinSCP or SmartFTP? WinSCP and SmartFTP are at parity on Ease of Setup, both scoring above 9.5, with reviewers describing both as easy to implement. - **WinSCP:** Reviewers describe setup as straightforward, quick, and easy, with a score of 9.5. - **SmartFTP:** Reviewers also report quick and easy setup, with a score of 9.7. Alternatives **SmartFTP Alternatives** ![FileZilla](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_816854961e0fdefd2810e97e959c72f1/filezilla.png "FileZilla") [ FileZilla ](/products/filezilla/reviews) ![CuteFTP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/3035052d6bfeb5a52ef3d5aa9204586d/cuteftp.svg "CuteFTP") [ CuteFTP ](/products/cuteftp/reviews) ![Progress ShareFile](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/0f72809916b93e221e68872730635739/progress-sharefile.svg "Progress ShareFile") [ Progress ShareFile ](/products/progress-sharefile/reviews) ![Progress MOVEit](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5b00e6dcd9914c9bcd5d86a4aeac7af2/progress-moveit.svg "Progress MOVEit") [ Progress MOVEit ](/products/progress-moveit/reviews) **WinSCP Alternatives** ![FileZilla](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/image/thumb_square/thumb_square_816854961e0fdefd2810e97e959c72f1/filezilla.png "FileZilla") [ FileZilla ](/products/filezilla/reviews) ![CuteFTP](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/3035052d6bfeb5a52ef3d5aa9204586d/cuteftp.svg "CuteFTP") [ CuteFTP ](/products/cuteftp/reviews) ![Progress MOVEit](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/5b00e6dcd9914c9bcd5d86a4aeac7af2/progress-moveit.svg "Progress MOVEit") [ Progress MOVEit ](/products/progress-moveit/reviews) ![GoAnywhere MFT](https://images.g2crowd.com/uploads/product/hd_favicon/3035052d6bfeb5a52ef3d5aa9204586d/goanywhere-mft.svg "GoAnywhere MFT") [ GoAnywhere MFT ](/products/goanywhere-mft/reviews) ## SmartFTP vs WinSCP - Reviewers felt that WinSCP meets the needs of their business better than SmartFTP. - When comparing quality of ongoing product support, reviewers felt that WinSCP is the preferred option. - For feature updates and roadmaps, our reviewers preferred the direction of WinSCP over SmartFTP.