5 Best Free SFTP Clients in 2024

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If you often need to upload files to web servers, work with large files and download them from remote servers, or want to find a reliable file-sharing solution for your company, you need to use the best free SFTP client.

Cloud storage platforms have become more popular over the past few years. It has changed the IT industry, including FTP clients.

Top 5 Free SFTP Clients

  1. WinSCP - Graphical user interface
  2. Filezilla - Open source software
  3. CoreFTP LE - Drag and drop support
  4. BitKinex - Server-to-server file transfer
  5. CyberDuck - With advanced bookmarker

Now, most of the best free SFTP clients transfer data to local or global networks. Besides, they allow transferring data to certain cloud storage services, such as S3, Azure, Dropbox, etc. In this review, you can find more information about the best FTP and SFTP clients for Windows and iOS devices.

1. WinSCP - Our Choice

Graphical user interface
  • All common operations with files
  • Integrated text editor
  • Scripting and task automation
  • Drag and drop features
  • Slow transfer speed

Verdict: WinSCP is a free SFTP client for Outlook, which has some nice features and benefits. The program is very easy to install and run and provides good functionality for all of your standard Outlook activities.

winscp interface

2. Filezilla

Open source software
  • Easy to use
  • Allows users to edit a text file
  • Supports FTP
  • Some features locked behind Pro

Verdict: Filezilla is probably the most popular free FTP client available online and it allows you to share your files with anyone, anywhere. The best thing about Filezilla is that it comes included with a free scanner.

Filezilla scanner can find all types of problems and corruptions in your files and will fix them right away as the best free data recovery software.

filezilla interface

3. CoreFTP LE

Drag and drop support
  • Manages the files remotely
  • Great for tricky sites
  • Supports for most popular protocols
  • Lack of simultaneous connections

Verdict: CoreFTP LE has a number of features that make it the best free SFTP client available for Outlook Express. With this latest release of the free software from Microsoft, you can access your email and all of your Outlook Express email addresses from any PC with a compatible operating system.

When combined with the new and improved Powerpacked feature set for your email, CoreFTP LE is a must-have program for anyone using Outlook Express.

coreftp le free sftp client interface

4. BitKinex

Server-to-server file transfer
  • Command line interface to transfer files
  • High performance
  • Space-saving user interface
  • No pro features

Verdict: BitKinex is among the top three SFTP clients and free WinZip alternatives available on the internet today. This company offers a free 14 day trial to their subscribers and also offers a free virtual private server (VPS) for their free account. They also have a website where people can learn more about BitKinex and their products.

Their email system is also quite good, their web support is prompt and helpful, their customer service is good, etc. But if you are interested in setting up your own BitKinex you'll probably be looking at two options: either connecting to a VPS, or using the reseller hosting plan that comes with a pre-configured server and the software needed to access the BitKinex server.

bitkinex free sftp client interface

5. CyberDuck

With advanced bookmarker
  • A built-in text editor
  • Available in multiple languages
  • Easy to use interface
  • Browse with ease
  • Loads slowly

Verdict: Cyber Duck is one of the best free SFTP clients out there and has been rated as the best free SFTP client for a long time.Well, what is important to know is that unlike FTP, which allows you to transfer files very fast, SFTP allows you to do so much faster. This is because the SFTP protocol allows you to establish a TCP connection between two computers. Also, this tool can works as free Zip program.

When you connect to the Cyber Duck server you will be prompted to enter the IP address of the server you would like to connect to. Once you have done so, you will be prompted to enter the FTP password and make your connection. This is all that is required to connect to the server and once you are connected you can then access any of the files you want to transfer to your computer.

cyberduck free sftp client interface
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