WinSCP vs SmartFTP

WinSCP9.3Visit SmartFTP8.6Visit

Higher score WinSCP #1 in FTP Clients 9.3/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 4 features Visit WinSCP

vs

SmartFTP #6 in FTP Clients 8.6/10 30-day trial Free trial✓ 3 of 4 features Visit SmartFTP

• WinSCP fits best

  Free Windows FTP with strong SSH tooling

• SmartFTP fits best

  Windows professionals needing automation

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Side by side

Feature	WinSCP 9.3/10 Visit ↗	SmartFTP 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score	9.3	8.6
Ranking	#1 in FTP Clients	#6 in FTP Clients
Best for	Free Windows FTP with strong SSH tooling	Windows professionals needing automation
Pricing model	Free	Paid
Starting price	Free plan	—
Free plan	✓ (best)	—
Free trial	—	30 days
Deployment	Desktop	Desktop
Platforms	Windows	Windows
Support	Community, Docs	Docs
Integrations	3 integrations	12 integrations
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market	Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features WinSCP 0/4 · SmartFTP 3/4
File synchronization	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Scheduled transfers	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Transfer automation	Not checked yet	✓ (best)
Portable version	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Specs
Protocol coverage	Not checked yet	Multi-protocol
Supported platforms	Not checked yet	Windows
Concurrent transfers	Not checked yet	Not checked yet
Our review
Pros	Supports SFTP, SCP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, and related protocols Combines synchronization, scripting, workspaces, and SSH tunneling Open source, free to use, and protected by master-password support	Supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV and cloud-storage connections Combines synchronization, queues, integrity checks and resume support Enterprise adds scheduled transfers and command-line automation
Cons	Windows-only support excludes macOS and Linux workflows The broad feature set may exceed simple file-transfer needs It does not include AI-assisted file operations	Windows is the only listed platform There is no permanent free plan Scheduled transfers are limited to the Enterprise edition
Our verdict	WinSCP is a free, open-source Windows application for transferring files between local and remote computers. It suits developers, system administrators, and technical teams that need more than a basic FTP client, particularly when SFTP,… Read the review →	SmartFTP is a Windows desktop client for moving files between local computers and servers. It supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV and cloud-storage connections, with features for website maintenance, managed file transfers, backups and… Read the review →

Strengths and trade-offs

• WinSCP — where it wins

  • Supports SFTP, SCP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, and related protocols
  • Combines synchronization, scripting, workspaces, and SSH tunneling
  • Open source, free to use, and protected by master-password support

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows-only support excludes macOS and Linux workflows
  • The broad feature set may exceed simple file-transfer needs
  • It does not include AI-assisted file operations

• SmartFTP — where it wins

  • Supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV and cloud-storage connections
  • Combines synchronization, queues, integrity checks and resume support
  • Enterprise adds scheduled transfers and command-line automation

  Where it doesn't

  • Windows is the only listed platform
  • There is no permanent free plan
  • Scheduled transfers are limited to the Enterprise edition

• WinSCP9.3/10 · Free plan

  A capable free Windows client for multi-protocol transfers, scripting, and SSH workflows.

  Visit WinSCPFull verdict →
• SmartFTP8.6/10 · 30-day trial

  A Windows-focused FTP client with synchronization, automation and multi-protocol support.

  Visit SmartFTPFull verdict →