# Best File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software ## How Many File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software Products Does G2 Track? **Total Products under this Category:** 124 ### Category Stats (Jul 2026) - **Average Rating:** 4.33/5 The average rating of products in this category, based on all submitted ratings - **Top Trending Product:** Informatica Cloud B2B Gateway (+1.13%) - Among all products in this category, Informatica Cloud B2B Gateway recorded the largest rating increase compared to last month _Last updated: July 28, 2026_ ## How Does G2 Rank File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software Products? **Why You Can Trust G2's Software Rankings:** - 30 Analysts and Data Experts - 5,300+ Authentic Reviews - 124+ Products - Unbiased Rankings G2's software rankings are built on verified user reviews, rigorous moderation, and a consistent research methodology maintained by a team of analysts and data experts. Each product is measured using the same transparent criteria, with no paid placement or vendor influence. While reviews reflect real user experiences, which can be subjective, they offer valuable insight into how software performs in the hands of professionals. Together, these inputs power the G2 Score, a standardized way to compare tools within every category. ## G2 Grid® for File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software ![G2 Grid® for File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software plotting products by satisfaction and market presence](https://www.g2.com/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp/grids.png?focus%5B%5D=16087&focus%5B%5D=27316&focus%5B%5D=61142&focus%5B%5D=15375&focus%5B%5D=116040&focus%5B%5D=4868&focus%5B%5D=16097&focus%5B%5D=1461) Highlighted products: Progress MOVEit, GoAnywhere MFT, Files.com, FileZilla, SFTP To Go, Globalscape, WinSCP, and Progress ShareFile. Underlying data: [Grid® JSON](https://www.g2.com/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp/grids.json?focus%5B%5D=progress-moveit&focus%5B%5D=goanywhere-mft&focus%5B%5D=files-com&focus%5B%5D=filezilla&focus%5B%5D=sftp-to-go&focus%5B%5D=globalscape&focus%5B%5D=winscp&focus%5B%5D=progress-sharefile) [ Progress MOVEit ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-moveit/reviews) By [Progress Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/progress-software) [ 4.4/5(529) ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-moveit/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the ease of use and robust security features of Progress MOVEit, highlighting its intuitive interface that simplifies file transfers and automation. The platform's strong cus Pros and Cons [ Ease of Use (62) ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-moveit/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (34) ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-moveit/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ GoAnywhere MFT ](https://www.g2.com/products/goanywhere-mft/reviews) By [Fortra](https://www.g2.com/sellers/fortra) [ 4.6/5(437) ](https://www.g2.com/products/goanywhere-mft/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise GoAnywhere MFT for its secure file transfers and automation capabilities, which significantly reduce manual effort and enhance operational efficiency. The centralized dashboa Pros and Cons [ Features (101) ](https://www.g2.com/products/goanywhere-mft/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (77) ](https://www.g2.com/products/goanywhere-mft/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Files.com ](https://www.g2.com/products/files-com/reviews) By [Files.com](https://www.g2.com/sellers/files-com) [ 4.6/5(302) ](https://www.g2.com/products/files-com/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the ease of use and reliability of Files.com, highlighting its intuitive interface that simplifies file sharing and management. Many appreciate the platform's strong security Pros and Cons [ Ease of Use (91) ](https://www.g2.com/products/files-com/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (19) ](https://www.g2.com/products/files-com/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ SFTP To Go ](https://www.g2.com/products/sftp-to-go/reviews) By [Crazy Ant Labs](https://www.g2.com/sellers/crazy-ant-labs) [ 4.7/5(168) ](https://www.g2.com/products/sftp-to-go/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the ease of use and reliable performance of SFTP To Go, highlighting its straightforward setup and seamless integration with existing workflows. The platform's automation fea Pros and Cons [ Ease of Use (67) ](https://www.g2.com/products/sftp-to-go/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Poor Interface Design (13) ](https://www.g2.com/products/sftp-to-go/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ FileZilla ](https://www.g2.com/products/filezilla/reviews) By [FileZilla](https://www.g2.com/sellers/filezilla) [ 4.5/5(766) ](https://www.g2.com/products/filezilla/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise FileZilla for its ease of use and fast file transfers, making it a reliable choice for managing FTP connections. The drag-and-drop functionality and support for multiple prot Pros and Cons [ Ease of Use (8) ](https://www.g2.com/products/filezilla/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Outdated Interface (6) ](https://www.g2.com/products/filezilla/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ WinSCP ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews) By [WinSCP](https://www.g2.com/sellers/winscp) [ 4.6/5(233) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise WinSCP for its ease of use and robust security features, making file transfers between local and remote systems straightforward. The intuitive drag-and-drop functionality and Pros and Cons [ Security (3) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Outdated Interface (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/winscp/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Globalscape ](https://www.g2.com/products/globalscape/reviews) By [Fortra](https://www.g2.com/sellers/fortra) [ 4.6/5(85) ](https://www.g2.com/products/globalscape/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the product for its ease of use and responsive support, highlighting how quickly they can set up and manage file transfers. The robust security features and automation capabi Pros and Cons [ Customer Support (10) ](https://www.g2.com/products/globalscape/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (4) ](https://www.g2.com/products/globalscape/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Progress ShareFile ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-sharefile/reviews) By [Progress Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/progress-software) [ 4.2/5(1,538) ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-sharefile/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the strong security and ease of use of Progress ShareFile, highlighting its ability to securely share sensitive documents while maintaining control over permissions. The plat Pros and Cons [ Ease of Use (28) ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-sharefile/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ File Management (11) ](https://www.g2.com/products/progress-sharefile/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Thru ](https://www.g2.com/products/thru/reviews) By [Thru](https://www.g2.com/sellers/thru) [ 4.6/5(97) ](https://www.g2.com/products/thru/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the ease of use and fast file transfers provided by Thru, highlighting its intuitive interface and reliable performance for sharing large files securely. The responsive custo Pros and Cons [ Customer Support (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/thru/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ JSCAPE MFT Server ](https://www.g2.com/products/jscape-mft-server/reviews) By [Redwood Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/redwood-software) [ 4.5/5(98) ](https://www.g2.com/products/jscape-mft-server/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the security features and ease of use of JSCAPE MFT Server, highlighting its ability to facilitate secure file transfers with minimal technical knowledge. Many appreciate the Pros and Cons [ Features (5) ](https://www.g2.com/products/jscape-mft-server/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/jscape-mft-server/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Cerberus FTP Server ](https://www.g2.com/products/cerberus-ftp-server/reviews) By [Redwood Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/redwood-software) [ 4.7/5(43) ](https://www.g2.com/products/cerberus-ftp-server/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the ease of use and strong security features of Cerberus FTP Server, highlighting its intuitive interface and reliable performance for file transfers. Many appreciate the res Pros and Cons [ Easy Setup (1) ](https://www.g2.com/products/cerberus-ftp-server/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Poor Interface Design (1) ](https://www.g2.com/products/cerberus-ftp-server/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Kiteworks ](https://www.g2.com/products/kiteworks/reviews) By [Kiteworks](https://www.g2.com/sellers/kiteworks) [ 4.4/5(120) ](https://www.g2.com/products/kiteworks/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise Kiteworks for its strong security features and compliance controls, which provide peace of mind when sharing sensitive data. The platform's ability to integrate seamlessly wi Pros and Cons [ Security (97) ](https://www.g2.com/products/kiteworks/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complex Usability (59) ](https://www.g2.com/products/kiteworks/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Thorn Technologies SFTP... ](https://www.g2.com/products/thorn-technologies-sftp-gateway/reviews) By [Thorn Technologies](https://www.g2.com/sellers/thorn-technologies) [ 4.9/5(31) ](https://www.g2.com/products/thorn-technologies-sftp-gateway/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the product for its ease of use and excellent customer support, highlighting how quickly they can set it up and resolve issues with assistance from the support team. Many app Pros and Cons [ Customer Support (12) ](https://www.g2.com/products/thorn-technologies-sftp-gateway/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (1) ](https://www.g2.com/products/thorn-technologies-sftp-gateway/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) [ Informatica Cloud B2B Gateway ](https://www.g2.com/products/informatica-cloud-b2b-gateway/reviews) By [Informatica](https://www.g2.com/sellers/informatica) [ 3.9/5(14) ](https://www.g2.com/products/informatica-cloud-b2b-gateway/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the product for its ease of use and real-time data integration, which significantly reduces manual effort in B2B processes. The platform's multifunctionality and ability to h [ Diplomat Managed File Transfer ](https://www.g2.com/products/diplomat-managed-file-transfer/reviews) By [Coviant Software](https://www.g2.com/sellers/coviant-software) [ 4.7/5(40) ](https://www.g2.com/products/diplomat-managed-file-transfer/reviews) What do users say? Users consistently praise the software for its ease of use and reliable support, highlighting how quickly they can set up and automate file transfers. The intuitive interface and robust features make Pros and Cons [ Ease of Use (11) ](https://www.g2.com/products/diplomat-managed-file-transfer/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons)[ Complexity (2) ](https://www.g2.com/products/diplomat-managed-file-transfer/reviews?qs=pros-and-cons) - ‹ Prev‹ Prev - 1 - [2](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=2#product-list) - [3](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=3#product-list) - [4](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=4#product-list) - [5](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=5#product-list) - … - [8](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=8#product-list) - [9](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=9#product-list) - [Next ›Next ›](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp?order=g2_score&page=2#product-list) Spotlight Categories [Mobile Device Management (MDM) Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/mobile-device-management-mdm) [Employee Engagement Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/employee-engagement) [Help Desk Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/help-desk) [Webinar Platforms](https://www.g2.com/categories/webinar) [Fleet Management Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/fleet-management) Similar Categories - [Cloud Data Integration](/categories/cloud-data-integration) - [E-Commerce Data Integration](/categories/e-commerce-data-integration) - [Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)](/categories/electronic-data-interchange-edi) - [Integration Brokerage](/categories/integration-brokerage) - [On-Premise Data Integration](/categories/on-premise-data-integration) [Browse File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Themes](/categories/file-transfer-protocol-ftp/themes) ![Shalaka Joshi](/assets/transparent-ad5be28fbcd25b7b08d2cebe1d957125437fb5407d75ee717965ad22c8808791.gif "Shalaka Joshi") SJ Researched and written by [Shalaka Joshi](https://research.g2.com/insights/author/shalaka-joshi) Updated October 3, 2024 FTP (File Transfer Protocol) software transfers files between a computer and a server over the internet. It is built on a client-server model architecture, in which one computer acts as the server to store information and the other acts as the client to send or request files from the server. Companies leverage these tools to transfer large files or large amounts of data between multiple stakeholders. In particular, webmaster teams use FTP to transfer web pages, web application files, and images to their web server; additionally, IT teams utilize FTP solutions to transfer data back to disaster recovery, or DR, sites. FTP solutions are similar to [managed file transfer (MFT) software](https://www.g2.com/categories/managed-file-transfer-mft) in that both types of tools facilitate the transfer of files and data. However, they do not utilize the same server. Furthermore, while FTP is a traditional File Transfer Protocol, SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) is an alternative which adds a security layer in the file transfer process through encryption and authentication features. To qualify for inclusion in the FTP category, a product must: - Allow file sharing between remote machines over a network - Use the TCP/IP protocol to transfer files - Allow the transfer of files over an established data connection between client and server Top Tools at a Glance | | Automated secure MFT with compliance-grade audit trails | User Review "Effortless File Transfers, Needs Better Support" | | | Automated secure FTP workflow orchestration | User Review "Secure, Scalable File Transfers with Powerful Azure ADLS Integration" | | | Managed SFTP with automated partner file routing | User Review "Essential Security and Compliance Tool with Solid Support" | | | Managed SFTP hosting with webhook-driven automation | User Review "Effortless and Reliable Data Transfers with SFTP To Go" | | | Cross-platform FTP/SFTP server file transfers | User Review "FileZilla, the FREE Monster FTP Client!" | | | Secure cross-OS file transfer with protocol flexibility | User Review "Clean, Beginner-Friendly WinSCP That Speeds Up FTP Work" | | | Automated secure MFT with compliance-grade controls | User Review "Automates File Transfers with a User-Friendly GUI and Helpful Alerts" | | | Encrypted large-file transfer with audit trails | User Review "Citrix" | | | Encrypted MFT with audit-trail compliance | User Review "Comprehensive and Intuitive" | | | Automated secure MFT with multi-protocol orchestration | User Review "JSCAPE: Solid, Secure, Feature-Rich File Transfers in One Platform" | * * * Show More * * * ## How Do You Choose the Right File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software? ### What You Should Know About File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software ### What is File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software? Organizations have a perennial need to constantly share files or data among employees as well as with external partners, customers, or suppliers. File transfer protocol (FTP) was the standard internet protocol to share files for many years. Secure file transfer protocol (SFTP) and file transfer protocol with support (FTPS) or transport layer security (SSL/TLS) were introduced later as an alternative to FTP software to combat security issues. SFTP, also known as secure shell (SSH) file transfer protocol and FTPS are both secure protocols that provide encrypted file transfers. SFTP is an extension of the SSH protocol, while FTPS simply adds a security layer to the existing FTP protocol. Companies use FTP software primarily to transfer multiple files or data between a client and server over an established internet connection or transmission control protocol (TCP) network. FTP software is built on a client-server architecture model consisting of an FTP client and an FTP server. Key Benefits of File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software - Enables the transfer of multiple directories at one time with no size limitations - Offers automatic data backup and disaster recovery features - Allows file transfers to be scheduled and resumed - Availability of multiple free open-source FTP software ### Why Use File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software? **Large file transfers —** FTP software is one of the easiest and quickest ways to transfer large and multiple files at one go as it is able to handle simultaneous transmissions (multi-threaded transfers) with ease. **Ease of use —** The software has a user-friendly interface design which it easy and intuitive to use, making file transfer operations efficient. **Operating system (OS) support —** FTP software is available on multiple OS. This allows organizations to standardize on a single file transfer client. ### Who Uses File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software? Companies that require to perform multiple or large file sharing on a daily basis use FTP software. In particular, industries like architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), transcription services and printing, manufacturing, retail and wholesale distribution, IT consulting, media and marketing, and many more use FTP software. FTP software is typically used by: **AEC industry —** The AEC industry uses FTP to share large files in the form of computer-aided design (CAD) and architecture components. **Graphic designers and transcription services —** The graphic design industry leverages the offerings of FTP software to facilitate the sharing of large print jobs as there are no file restrictions. **Website designers —** Webmasters employ FTP to facilitate the uploading and downloading of files between their computer and their web-hosting servers. **Educational institutions —** FTP software helps in the file or data sharing processes for educational institutions who offer various data-oriented internal services for their students and employees. **Medical industry —** The automatic backup feature of an FTP software is widely used in the medical industry where patients' information is considered very crucial. ### File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software Features Listed below are the main features of File Transfer Protocol (FTP) software: **Synchronize utility —** With real-time sync feature, FTP software monitors files and synchronizes them as soon as they are created, updated, or deleted. It works in the background with no user interaction. **Queuing utility —** FTP software offers the ability to add items to a queue to be either uploaded or downloaded. **Drag and drop —** Drag and drop method within FTP enables users to copy or move files and folders to a new location or even copy a file or an entire folder within the directory in which it resides. **Scheduling —** FTP schedulers help in automating file transfers, taking the manual file exchange burden off of individual team members. It helps businesses streamline their file transfer workflows by scheduling a file or directory transfer and allowing file sharing without having to alter work patterns. **File backup and disaster recovery —** Disaster recovery ensures files are regularly and automatically backed up to combat the threat of losing data or files due to a natural calamity or power outage. **Data representation —** FTP handles three sorts of data representations: ASCII (7 bit), EBCDIC (8-bit), and 8-binary data. The ASCII record is the default position for moving content documents. Each character is encoded using 7-piece ASCII. The sender changes the record from its own representation into ASCII characters and the collector changes the ASCII character to its own representation. Additionally, SFTP offers some of the following features along with FTP: **File management —** SFTP provides a remote file management functionality, allowing applications to resume interrupted file transfers, list the contents of remote directories, and delete remote files. **Encryption —** Encryption protects data from eavesdroppers while in transit over the network, while data integrity checks ensure that the transferred data has not been tampered with. **Authentication —** An SFTP server requires trading partners to authenticate in two different ways. They may either prove their identity with a user ID and password (this information is encrypted over the SFTP connection and not in plain text) or validate with an SSH key or SSH key and password combination. **Access control —** SFTP allows limited user access. It gives select users control over transfer, access, or uploads of new files or dictionaries. ### Trends Related to File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software FTP is a very old-school set of rules for transferring files between computers. While basic FTP has been enhanced with SSH and SSL along the way, for organizations that routinely transfer sensitive documents containing proprietary or regulated data, FTP servers have become a compliance liability. Auditors are highly skeptical of companies that still use FTP to move sensitive data, especially after the FBI has warned of the inherent security flaws with anonymous FTP servers. Managed file transfer (MFT) solutions came into the market recently to overcome many of the shortfalls of FTP. As the name implies, MFT adds management features required as the need for file transfers grows from occasional and non critical to high volume and mission critical. Additionally, MFT solutions also provide a large number of security and compliance features that are either unavailable or just too hard to add on to off-the-shelf FTP products. Setting up something similar on FTP servers leads to maintenance issues for IT teams and they also result in FTP sprawl. ### Potential Issues with File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software **Security —** FTP was not built to be secure. It is commonly viewed as an insecure protocol because it relies on clear-text usernames and passwords for authentication and does not use encryption. Files sent via FTP are vulnerable to sniffing, spoofing, and brute force attacks, among other basic attack methods. **Compliance —** FTP on its own or using an FTP vendor with inadequate security could leave businesses at risk of noncompliance fines. If compliance regulations like Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA ), California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and others apply to a company, it is difficult to find an FTP solution that helps to stay compliant. **Lack of logging and limited reporting —** A lot of FTP solutions have an inability to track or are inconsistent in tracking what has been uploaded on the remote system. So, if files are mishandled or a data breach occurs, the sender may struggle to track the source of the problem. **Restricted access —** Closely connected to file security is file access. Using old FTP methods make it impossible to know who was accessing files and for what purpose. **Loss of data control —** Sharing files via FTP allows little control over the data, files, or both. Once the file is sent, the sender has no control over the file, both in terms of how it is used and who is using it. The sender also loses control over how long the downloaded copy will be kept by the recipient. ### Software and Services Related to File Transfer Protocol (FTP) Software The primary function of FTP is to upload or download files for archival or for sharing files that are too large for email. Some of the other tools which provide the same are: [**Managed file transfer (MFT) software**](https://www.g2.com/categories/managed-file-transfer-mft) **—** MFT tools are software-based services that manage the secure exchange and delivery of data across a network. MFT technology is built on FTP technology. MFT solutions are designed to add management and security features to protect data and scale the delivery of data and files. [**Cloud content collaboration software**](https://www.g2.com/categories/cloud-content-collaboration) **—** Cloud content collaboration software serve as dedicated cloud storage and offer file sharing solutions for documents, images, videos, spreadsheets, and other files created and used by a business.