I’ve used FileZilla for years without any real problems, but over the last couple weeks my download speeds have dropped a lot. It’s not my connection, I ran several speed tests and everything comes back fast and stable, no drops at all.
I use a Mac at home and a Windows laptop for work, so I’d like a replacement that works well on both, or at least has a solid version for each. If anyone has actually switched to a different app, I’d love to hear what you use now
I dealt with this a while ago too. If you need one option that works on both Mac and Windows, I'd try Cyberduck first. It’s free, open source, and supports FTP, SFTP, FTPS, and WebDAV. It also connects to services like Google Drive and S3. The interface is simpler than FileZilla’s, and plenty of users find the transfers more consistent.
A few other options are worth considering:
Cyberduck is probably the easiest place to start since it’s free and covers both operating systems. If you’d rather have remote files appear like normal folders on your computer, CloudMounter may fit your workflow better.
Don’t replace FileZilla and keep using plain FTP if the server supports SFTP. A different interface will not fix FTP’s security limitations. Before settling on a client, test SSH key login, interrupted-transfer recovery, timestamp handling, and a large folder upload. Those are usually where the real annoyances appear.
Cyberduck is a reasonable choice for occasional transfers, though its single-pane interface may feel limiting if you prefer FileZilla’s side-by-side local and remote views. CrossFTP is another cross-platform option with a more traditional layout, but the interface is fairly dated.
CloudMounter fits a different workflow. It is convenient when you want remote storage to behave like a normal drive, especially for opening or editing individual files. For bulk website uploads or jobs where you need a visible queue and detailed retry information, I would stick with a dedicated transfer client instead.
Set up the same SFTP bookmark on both machines and run a test folder through Cyberduck before moving your whole workflow. Include hidden files, nested directories, a large file, and a file you plan to edit and upload again. That quick test will expose permission, overwrite, resume, and timestamp problems that a basic connection test misses.
Cyberduck is probably the most sensible starting point when you genuinely want the same client on macOS and Windows. Its interface is cleaner than FileZilla, but the lack of a permanent dual-pane layout can become annoying if you constantly compare local and remote folders. CrossFTP is closer to the traditional FileZilla workflow, though it feels less polished.
A detail people often overlook is bookmark and credential management. If you switch between two computers regularly, check whether you can reproduce your connection profiles without copying passwords around in a text file. Save the server’s SSH host-key fingerprint too. Otherwise, a warning after a server rebuild or DNS change is easy to dismiss without knowing whether the key actually should have changed.
I agree with @stackfox4658prime that SFTP matters more than changing the client’s appearance. Still, some “connection issues” are server-side limits, idle timeouts, passive-mode problems, or a host that closes too many simultaneous connections. If several clients fail in roughly the same place, replacing FileZilla will not solve that.
CloudMounter makes sense when you mostly open, rename, or edit individual remote files and want them visible in Finder or File Explorer. I would be cautious using any mounted-drive approach for large site deployments, thousands of small files, or anything where you need a clear transfer queue. The convenience can hide whether a file is cached locally, still uploading, or has failed.
If matching software on both platforms is mandatory, start with Cyberduck and try CrossFTP only if you miss the two-pane layout. If matching software is less important than getting the best tool on each OS, WinSCP on Windows and Transmit on Mac is the stronger setup. Keep the connection settings consistent and use SFTP keys on both.
If these transfers are repetitive, such as publishing the same site folder every day, replacing FileZilla with another GUI may only replace the annoyance. Rclone works on both macOS and Windows, supports SFTP, and can turn a repeat upload or sync into a saved command. The tradeoff is obvious: setup is less friendly, and a bad sync command can remove files you meant to keep, so start with copy operations and dry runs.
For ordinary drag-and-drop use, Cyberduck is still the safer general recommendation. I would keep CloudMounter for browsing and editing a few remote files rather than deployment work. Mounted storage feels convenient until an application saves temporary files, renames them, or assumes the remote folder behaves exactly like a local disk.
So my split would be Cyberduck for manual transfers and rclone for repeatable jobs. That setup gives you the same basic workflow on both operating systems without forcing every transfer through a mounted drive.
The hidden cost of insisting on the same GUI on both systems is that you can end up choosing a mediocre client twice. Connection profiles matter more than matching buttons. If both machines use the same SFTP host, port, username, key type, and verified host-key fingerprint, the actual applications can be different without creating much extra work.
Cyberduck is the reasonable compromise when identical software is mandatory. I would check its behavior with Unix permissions and symbolic links before committing, especially if this is for website maintenance. A client can upload every file successfully while quietly skipping a symlink, changing executable bits on scripts, or failing to preserve modification times. Those problems often appear later as an application or deployment failure rather than an obvious transfer error.
For frequent file management, I would lean toward WinSCP on Windows and either Transmit or Cyberduck on macOS instead of forcing a cross-platform choice. WinSCP has stronger tools for comparing directories, controlling transfer rules, and inspecting what happened during a failed operation. Cyberduck is easier to approach, but its browser-style layout becomes slower when you are sorting out differences across a large directory tree. CrossFTP provides the familiar two-pane arrangement, though I would choose it for that layout rather than because it is technically stronger.
Whatever client you pick, avoid treating the remote server as the only copy of your work. Keep the editable files locally, preferably under version control, then upload from that known state. Remote editing features are convenient, but they usually work through temporary local files and automatic re-uploads. If the editor performs an atomic save or the connection drops at the wrong moment, it may not be obvious which version reached the server.
So the practical answer is Cyberduck for occasional cross-platform transfers. For heavier administration, use the best client available on each OS and standardize the connection details rather than the interface. That gives up visual consistency, but usually produces fewer compromises where transfers, permissions, and troubleshooting are concerned.
Switching clients won’t fix a flaky server, so don’t expect miracles from any name here. Cyberduck is a fine starting point, and CloudMounter is genuinely handy when you just need to poke at a couple of remote files in Finder. For anything resembling a real deployment though, I’d keep a proper queue-based client around.
The hidden downside of switching is that each client uses different defaults for simultaneous transfers, timeouts, and retries, so a “faster” replacement may only be opening more connections. Compare one large file over SFTP with the same server account before judging. Cyberduck is simpler, while CrossFTP is closer to FileZilla’s two-pane layout, but if both slow down equally, the bottleneck is probably the host or its connection limits rather than the client.
Speed tests prove nothing about thousands of small FTP transfers. Zip the folder on the server and download one archive; if that runs fast, FileZilla probably isn’t the problem, and changing clients won’t help.
Switching clients first can hide a bad setting rather than fix it. Check FileZilla’s speed limits and simultaneous-transfer count, then test one large file over SFTP. If that file is still slow, try Cyberduck with the same account and compare.