Recently, one of our customers asked us to suggest the best FTP programmes for Windows and Mac during a discussion about using FTP to transfer files to WordPress.
You can view, modify, and move files using FTP clients without going through the WordPress dashboard or hosting cPanel.
We have carefully selected a few of the top FTP clients for WordPress novices in this post. Finding the most dependable, safe, and user-friendly FTP solution for all of your WordPress file editing and upload needs is the aim of our search.
Table of Contents
What Is an FTP Client and Why Do You Need It?
You can upload files to your WordPress website from your PC using FTP (File Transfer Protocol). An FTP client, a desktop application that links your computer to your WordPress hosting account, is required in order to use FTP.
You can carry out any FTP operations on your WordPress website, including copying, uploading, deleting, renaming, and editing files and directories, thanks to its user-friendly graphical user interface.
Here are some examples of when to utilise an FTP client.
*Direct installation of WordPress themes and plugins
*Modifying the files in your plugins and themes
*Deactivating plugins manually
*mass uploading of numerous files or huge media files
*Personalising essential WordPress files, such the.htaccess
*Resolving typical WordPress faults on your website, such as compatibility problems, internal server failures, and theme conflicts
Installing an FTP client is not required in order to use WordPress. Nonetheless, accessing files when your website is unavailable is the most frequent reason to use an FTP client.
How to Use an FTP Client
An FTP account and password are required in order to access your WordPress website.
The email you received when you first launched your blog and registered for a web hosting account contains this information.
This data can also be obtained via the cPanel panel on your web hosting account, or by contacting support, who will email it to you.
You can establish a connection to your website after you have this information.
Launching your FTP client is the first step. Next, input your host (often your website address, such as wpbeginner.com), password, and FTP username. Finally, click the connect button.
The URL of your website, such as wpbeginner.com, is typically the host.
Your FTP client will connect on port 21 using the standard FTP protocol if you leave the port field empty.
Information is encrypted before being sent to your web server via SFTP, which you can connect to your server using port 22. This lessens the possibility that hackers will sniff for information or steal your FTP password.
See our tutorial on using FTP to upload files to WordPress for further information.
Having said that, let’s examine some of the top File Transfer Programmes (FTP clients) for WordPress users across various operating systems.
Best FTP Clients for WordPress Users
1.WinScp
One of the most capable and user-friendly FTP clients available for Windows is WinSCP. Although the user interface appears to have too many features, learning it is not difficult at all.
The files on your computer are on the left, while the files on your server are on the right. To modify, upload, or download a file, simply click on it.
WinSCP is a robust FTP client that offers all the capabilities required for experienced users. In addition to standard FTP, it also supports SSH and SFTP. With WinSCP, managing files and designating default editors is quite simple.
Platform: Windows; Cost: Nothing
2.Cyberduck
CyberDuck is an incredibly user-friendly file transfer programme that can be used by both novices and experts.
Both Windows and Mac machines can use it. It truly blends wonderfully with your native Mac environment, unlike other cross-platform apps. Additionally, it works with Mac functions like finding files in the finder and storing login credentials in the keychain.
With a single click, you can open files for editing and choose your favourite code editor.
Platform: Mac and Windows
Cost: Nothing
3.Transmit
The most widely used FTP client on Mac is called Transmit, especially for web developers. It has a very strong feature set, including faster speeds, disc functionality, and folder synchronising.
Transmit effortlessly blends into your familiar Mac environment, making it incredibly simple for Mac users to pick things up quickly. Your send shortcuts can be easily accessed by adding them to the Finder’s favourites list.
SSH, SFTP, FTP, and FTP connections are supported. For easy file modifications, it also has a nice code editor.
Platform: Mac; Price: Free; $34 for the paid version
4.FreeFTP
One of the most widely used FTP clients for Windows users is Coffee House’s Free FTP. It is really simple to use and ideal for beginners.
It seamlessly blends into your operating system and supports FTPS, SFTP, and FTP. Its history feature lets you recall the location of files you’ve stored.
There’s also a version that costs money, called Direct FTP. Additional features include an image viewer, autocompletion, code editor, and more.
Operating System: Windows Cost: Free, or $39 for a paid version
5.FileZilla
It’s maybe the easiest FTP client to use. But the reason it’s ranked fifth is that there have been reports of Windows users finding spyware or adware included with FileZilla downloads.
Adware can be avoided by unchecking the box during installation, but since a large portion of our users are novices, we worry that they might overlook it and wind up installing adware on their PCs instead.
FileZilla can be installed from the official website by our knowledgeable users. Filezilla is accessible to Linux users through the official repository of their distribution.
Platform: Linux, Mac, and Windows
Cost: Nothing
6.WS FTP Professional
One well-known commercial FTP client for Windows is called WS_FTP Professional. With SSH, 256-bit AES, FIPS 140-2 verified cryptography, and OpenPGP file encryption for transfers, it provides enterprise-grade security.
In addition to many other cutting-edge capabilities, it has powerful file search, drag-and-drop transfers, faster speeds, and scheduled transfers.
Platform: Windows; starting at $49.95
Bonus: ForkLift (Mac)
A file manager and transfer programme made exclusively for Mac users is called ForkLift. It has two windows that you can use to compare and move files around your computer.
Additionally, it allows remote access to Google Drive and Amazon S3 services. Additionally, you have the ability to connect to numerous servers at once, giving you more flexibility while handling multiple transfers at once.
In addition, the main file manager uses a drag-and-drop interface that is augmented with aesthetically pleasing components to make file management simple while establishing a smooth connection between your local environment and remote servers.
The best part is that you can see and transfer files in a single window with the help of the side-by-side comparison tool, making for a more efficient experience.
What’s the Best FTP Client?
With support for FTP, SFTP, SCP, FTPS, S3, and WebDAV transfers, WinSCP is the greatest free FTP client available. It’s a decent choice for most novices because of its straightforward design and connection with text editors.
FileZilla is an additional useful choice for anyone wishing to transfer huge files larger than 4GB.
Finding the ideal FTP client to transfer files to WordPress should be made easier for you thanks to this article. Check out our selection of the best WordPress plugins & tools for business websites as well as our beginner’s guide to inserting code snippets in WordPress.
