Free FTP client for Windows: the FTPShell Personal edition

The FTPShell Client Personal edition is a free FTP, FTPS and SFTP client for Windows. It has no time limit, no advertising and no nag screens, and it is the same program as the paid editions with the automation features switched off. It is licensed for non-commercial use: home users, students, hobby sites and personal projects. There is one download for all editions; every installation starts with 30 days of the full Enterprise feature set and then becomes the Personal edition.

What the free edition includes

Every protocol. FTP, FTPS explicit and implicit, and SFTP over SSH-2, each in its own tab with the right port pre-filled, modern SSH algorithms and automatic FTPS negotiation. Details on the SFTP and FTPS pages.

The transfer queue. Collect files and folders from several places and run them as one batch: recursive folders, resume for interrupted files, duplicate-file rules by size or date, automatic retry and reconnect, keep-alive, transfer on connect, zip before upload and unzip after download, and a summary of what was transferred, skipped and failed.

Favorites and tabs. Saved sites in nested folders that remember protocol, options, last folders and sort order; several servers open side by side; export and import of the site list.

The FTPShell Editor. Open a file on the server, edit it with syntax highlighting, find and replace, and save it straight back.

Logs, progress and sounds. A colour-coded session log with passwords hidden, optional per-site log files with timestamps, live progress with speed and time remaining, and notification sounds.

Explorer-style browsing. Dual panes with folder trees, editable path boxes, click-to-sort columns, rename, delete, create folder, change permissions, zip and unzip, and raw FTP commands when you need them.

What the paid editions add

Professional ($59.95): scheduled tasks, folder compare and sync with View Differences, remote search, upload to all sessions, manual transfers, server-to-server (FXP) transfers and free e-mail support. Enterprise ($199.95): FTPShell Script, the ftpshellc console client, OpenPGP and key-based logins in scripts. Licenses are perpetual with about a year of updates; see the edition comparison.

Free edition or trial?

You do not have to choose. Install once: for 30 days you have the Enterprise edition, so you can try the scheduler, sync, search, scripting and the console; on day 31 the program continues as the Personal edition with everything above and your favorites, queues and tasks kept. Paid features show a "(pro/ent license)" hint, and a license key file unlocks them again without reinstalling.

Questions people ask

Is FTPShell Client really free, or is it a trial?

The Personal edition is free with no expiry. The 30-day trial of the Enterprise features runs first, then the free edition continues indefinitely.

Can I use the free edition at work?

No. The Personal edition is for non-commercial use. Business use needs a Professional or Enterprise license, which also includes e-mail support.

Does the free FTP client support SFTP and FTPS?

Yes, both, with the same encryption and algorithms as the paid editions. Secure sessions are not a paid extra.

Does the free edition have a scheduler or folder sync?

No. Scheduled tasks, Compare/Synchronize, remote search and FXP are Professional features; scripts and the console are Enterprise. You can try all of them during the 30-day trial.

Does it install adware or toolbars?

No. The MSI installs FTPShell Client, its editor, diff viewer, scheduler helper, console client and manuals, and nothing else.

Which Windows versions does the free edition run on?

The same as the paid editions: Windows Vista, 7, 8, 10 and 11 and Windows Server 2003 through 2025, 32- and 64-bit. See Windows 11 and 10. Download it here.

Is there a portable FTP client, or one with no install, without installation, for Windows?

FTPShell Client installs from an MSI and keeps its settings in ProgramData, so there is no portable or install-free build. The install is small, about 5 MB, needs no reboot, and the exported site list makes moving to another PC a one-file job. If a strictly portable client is a requirement, FTPShell is not the right pick; if an installer is acceptable, the free Personal edition is.

Free FTP client download for Windows 10 and Windows 11, 64 bit, with free SFTP and secure SSH file transfer client download

One download covers everything: the FTPShell Client installer runs on 32- and 64-bit Windows 10 and 11, includes FTP, FTPS and SFTP, the secure SSH file transfer client, in the free Personal edition, and starts with 30 days of the Enterprise features. There is no separate free SFTP client download and no separate 64-bit package.

Is FTPShell open source, the best open source FTP client, or an open source secure SFTP client for Windows?

No. FTPShell Client is proprietary software with a free Personal edition; the source is not published. Well-known open source FTP and SFTP clients exist and this site does not rank them. What the free edition gives you that open source clients often do not is a single vendor to e-mail, a product that is maintained for Windows first, and a paid upgrade path to scheduling, sync and scripting without changing programs.

Is there free FTP backup software or free FTP file upload in the Personal edition?

Free FTP file upload, yes: the Personal edition uploads and downloads without limits, and Zip and upload compresses a folder before it goes. As free FTP backup software it covers manual backups; running the same backup every night needs the scheduler in the Professional edition, and verified, encrypted backups with e-mail reports need FTPShell Script in Enterprise.