I’m having issues with FileZilla constantly crashing on Windows and I’m looking for a more reliable FTP client that has similar features. Can anyone suggest a good alternative that’s easy to use and secure?
I’ll admit it: I was loyal to FileZilla for years—like, diehard loyal. It was my default answer to, “Hey, what’s a solid FTP client?” But curiosity (plus a few head-slapping moments with its clunky password management) finally pushed me to see what else is out there, especially on Mac. Spoiler: FileZilla’s crown? Up for grabs. There’s a bunch of slicker, safer, and just plain nicer options. Here’s my own greatest hits rundown.
CloudMounter
I stumbled across CloudMounter kind of by accident. Think of it like the Swiss Army knife for cloud storage, except surprisingly smooth on both macOS and Windows. What sold me? It makes your favorite cloud services—OneDrive, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and friends—show up in Finder or Explorer as if they were plugged-in drives. No awkward file copies, just drag, drop, done.
Connecting stuff from separate cloud silos? A breeze. No more hopping browser tabs or infamous copy/paste errors. If juggling work files between drive accounts drives you up the wall, this one’s a serious sanity-saver.
Cyberduck
I’ve seen some folks swear by Cyberduck like it’s the holy grail for cloud and FTP management—and honestly, it gets a lot right. Yes, Cyberduck is 100% open-source, no strings attached, which means bug fixes and features appear fast (thanks, global coders). You can hook up to tons of cloud providers—Dropbox, Backblaze, SFTP, you name it.
Here’s the thing, though: It keeps things simple. You don’t get a laundry list of advanced tools (compare it with, say, ForkLift below), but it nails the essentials. Want painless uploads/downloads, bookmarks, and encrypted transfers? It’s all in the duck.
ForkLift
If you like your tools powerful but not overwhelming, ForkLift is the Mac-only file commander you never knew you needed. It’s basically the James Bond of FTP/Mac file management: looks good, packs heat, and never forgets security. ForkLift shines with real-time file syncing, split-pane navigation, and the ability to tweak files on distant servers as if they lived on your desktop. No lag, no fuss.
Security-wise? Think full-on SSH, SSL/TLS, and encrypted passwords. (Take notes, FileZilla.) Bonus: macOS keychain integration means you’re not leaving your credentials floating in plain sight.
Kicking FileZilla to the curb wasn’t just about looks or cool features—it came down to trust, security, and feeling at home on my Mac. If you’re on the fence or feeling burned by old-school FTP quirks, I’ve test-driven these myself, so hit me up if you need details about use cases, quirks, or head-to-head comparisons. Happy to geek out further.
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Oh man, FileZilla on Windows—been there, tolerated that. When it crashes, it crashes hard, and don’t even get me started on the whole “store passwords in plain text” philosophy. Look, @mikeappsreviewer tossed out some great picks (Cyberduck’s not half bad), but I have to gently disagree about Cyberduck’s “simplicity” being a pure win. Tried it on Windows a while back, and the interface felt like it was allergic to intuitive design—way too many unlabeled buttons, weird lag sometimes, and when you’re in a hurry to connect to a sFTP, it’s not always snappy.
So, if you want to be done with crash-prone software and upgrade your FTP experience, here’s my real-talk shortlist:
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WinSCP
This is basically Windows’ answer to “I need a FileZilla that doesn’t drive me nuts.” It’s clean, actively developed, supports SFTP/SCP/FTP/WebDAV/Amazon S3, and lets you script or automate like a champ. Plus, it actually encrypts your stored credentials. A bit old-school visually, but super reliable—seriously, I’ve uploaded whole websites with zero drama. Only negative: not as “cloudy” as some of the modern picks. -
CloudMounter
I used to laugh at anything that tried to “mount the cloud,” but hear me out—the Windows version is surprisingly tight. It doesn’t just handle FTP/SFTP/FTPS, it also lets you treat your Google Drive, Dropbox, etc., like local disks. Drag-and-drop, copy-paste, no annoying “Moving files to the cloud…” popups. If you’re constantly bouncing between FTP servers and cloud buckets, this thing’s a genuine time-saver. Not totally free, but you get what you pay for—seriously, memory leaks and crashes are virtually nonexistent in my use. -
WinFTP Pro
Kind of a lesser-known one, but if you need a FileZilla clone with a little more polish, this is it—tabs, transfer queue, FXP, all that good stuff. Encryption’s decent, UI is clean, devs don’t disappear for months at a time.
There’s always SmartFTP if you want a paid client, but honestly, unless you’re running a file transfer empire, it’s overkill.
Bottom line: My main gripe with @mikeappsreviewer’s lineup is the lack of love for tried-and-true WinSCP and the over-focus on Mac stuff (ForkLift, seriously?). On the Windows side, CloudMounter and WinSCP are the real MVPs: easy, relatively secure, zero-nonsense. If you can’t pick, just install WinSCP and throw CloudMounter on top for your cloud drives. Problem solved—no more bashing your head on the FileZilla wall.
Not to pile on poor FileZilla, but it’s almost legendary at this point for the crash-a-thons and that whole “security optional” vibe. I saw @mikeappsreviewer and @espritlibre pretty much direct the parade for WinSCP and CloudMounter—both rockstars, with different moods—but honestly, neither mentioned the one Windows FTP combo that never gets enough love: Total Commander with the FTP plugin.
Hear me out before you laugh: sure, it looks like a time machine back to Windows XP, but this thing is stubbornly stable. Connects to FTP, SFTP, FTPS, WebDAV, even throws in some cloud support with the right add-ons. Folder syncing is a breeze, transfer logging, checksum verifications—if you’re doing more than just drag-and-drop, seriously, the efficiency is wild.
But, if you want an FTP experience that doesn’t feel like operating a nuclear reactor, CloudMounter is stupid simple. It mounts remote storage as a drive letter, so you can skip those clunky dual-pane nightmares. One interface for all your FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, GDrive—the works. I know @espritlibre mentioned this, but I’m doubling down because it really is low-drama, rarely crashes, and actually integrates nice with Windows Explorer (point for the lazy like me).
WinSCP? Yeah, it’s reliable AF, I won’t argue, but that interface could use a glow-up. Wish they’d take a hint from cloud tools and make it, you know, pretty as well as functional.
If you think Cyberduck is the solution, like @mikeappsreviewer, well…I can’t be the only human who finds that interface about as friendly as a 404 error (sorry duck fans).
So, tl;dr:
- Want pure stability and are cool with retro looks? Total Commander + FTP plugin.
- Want everything as local drives? CloudMounter, hands down.
- Need scripts, schedules, and bulletproof security? WinSCP’s your guy, just squint past its ‘90s vibes.
Whatever you do, don’t let nostalgia for FileZilla keep you chained to constant crashes. We all deserve better.
CloudMounter honestly feels like the crossover hit nobody expected—think of it as the Spotify of file transfer: it brings all your “playlists” (FTP, SFTP, Dropbox, Google Drive, S3, and more) into a single place, but as real drive letters in Windows Explorer. It’s way less clunky than the constant tab flipping in most traditional FTP clients.
Pros:
- Seamlessly mounts remote and cloud storage as local drives.
- Seriously stable—rarely see crashing.
- Drag and drop straight in Windows Explorer; feels native.
- Supports a laundry list of protocols, including SFTP/FTP/FTPS, WebDAV, and cloud stuff.
- No fuss with file copy dialogs or janky syncing plugins.
Cons:
- It’s not free (after trial, needs a license). Some may find that off-putting when FileZilla/WinSCP are free.
- Lacks some “power user” scripting features—if you live for automations or scheduled scripts, WinSCP/Total Commander edge it out.
- Can’t claim it’s super fast with massive file transfers compared to tools like Total Commander.
- Not as customizable as die-hard FTPers might like.
But let’s not sleep on the other crowd favorites mentioned before. WinSCP is script-killer but has all the style of Windows 98 and a steeper learning curve. Total Commander? That’s the cockroach of FTP clients—refuses to die and is pure stability, though it’s not exactly “pretty.” Cyberduck does what it says but frankly feels clumsy if you want to do more than basic uploads/downloads.
If you’re burned out on FileZilla’s crash drama and want something smooth, especially if you love working inside regular Windows Explorer, CloudMounter easily earns a top spot. But yeah, if you’re a command-line wizard or want endless tweakability, maybe go with WinSCP or Total Commander. For anyone in the “just let me move files without stress” camp, CloudMounter is a great FileZilla alternative for Windows.