FTP means “File Transfer Protocol”. Usually FTP is used to transmit files between a server and a home or work PC. In order to just download a file, all you need is a browser — Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge or Opera. For other operations, you’ll have to install a special FTP-client.
In this article, we’ll tell you which FTP-clients are the best and how to install them
FileZilla
FileZilla — free client for Windows, Linux, BSD, Mac OS X and other OS, which has become a standard in the industry. It is rather friendly to new users and has translations for pretty much every language. All settings are done through the graphical interface. FTP, FTPS and SFTP are supported. You can create bookmarks for various resources.
FileZilla has two panels. On the left you can see the contents of your PC, on the right — the contents of the server. On the top you can enable the status bar, on the bottom — file transfer queue./span>
FileZilla’s advantages:
- Simplicity
- Multiple language support
- Availability on Windows, Linux, BSD, Mac OS X and other OS’s
- Large file transfer support
FileZilla disadvantages
- Lack of command line support
How to install FileZilla
In Linux-based OS, FileZilla is best installed from a repository. In order to do this:
- Open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T (or in any other way).
- Enter in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install filezilla
- Press Enter.
- Enter you admin password.
- Press Enter again.
- Wait until the installation is over.
- Launch the app through the menu.
In Windows and MacOS, download and install the program.
FOFF (Free Open FTP Face)
FOFF (Free Open FTP Face) — free FTP-client for Windows, Linux and BSD. FOFF’s interface is more simple and intuitive, but functionally it is behind FileZilla.
FOFF has instruments to open text, audio and images directly from the server. FOFF can open archives and add bookmarks.
FOFF’s advantages:
- Internal text editor and image viewer.
- Simple interface and small client size.
- Multiple language support.
FOFF’s disadvantages:
- Lack of drag-and-drop.
Как установить FOFF
In Linux-based OS, FileZilla is best installed from a repository. In order to do this:
- Open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T (or in any other way).
- Enter in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install filezilla
- Press Enter.
- Enter you admin password.
- Press Enter again.
- Wait until the installation is over.
- Launch the app through the menu.
In Windows, download and install the program.
gFTP
gFTP — free FTP-client for Linux-based OS. Supports simultaneous download and upload. Can work through the proxy server.
gFTP interface has two panels. To the left you can see the contents of your PC, to the right — the contents of the server. To the top there is an app menu, to the bottom — status bar. Also, gFTP supports a command line UI.
gFTP’s advantages:
- Command line mode
- Interface simplicity
- Mulitithreading
gFTP’s disadvantages:
- Unstable workflow (client tends to lag, rarely)
Как установить gFTP
In Linux-based OS, gFTP is best installed from a repository. In order to do this:
- Open the terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T (or in any other way).
- Enter in the terminal:
sudo apt-get install gFTP
- Press Enter.
- Enter you admin password.
- Press Enter again.
- Wait until the installation is over.
- Launch the app through the menu.
You can also download an installation file from the developer’s website.
FTPRush
FTPRush — free FTP-client for Windows. FTPRush’s interface is styled after MS Office and is overall highly agile, allowing to customize every element.
The most important feature of FTPRush is FXP, that allows transferring files from one website to another “on the fly”. There are many settings, as well as support for SFTP, SSH, FTP and TFTP. You can set the time-zone, go to local and remote catalogues, add bookmarks and use listing features. Proxy, SOCKS and z-compression are also available.
FTPRush’s advantages
- Functionality
- Agile settings
- Support for security cryptoprotocols
FTPRush’s disadvantages
- Mediocre support for non-English languages
How to install gFTP
Download and install the program.
Unihost recommends using FileZilla on any platform. If you are facing some issue while using another client — please, check if it is present in FileZilla before you request support.