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Pure-FTPd

Free#15 of 33 in FTP Server Software

Pure-FTPd: A free, flexible FTP server for teams comfortable managing their own infrastructure. Ranked #15 of 33 in FTP Server Software by our editors (7.7/10); pricing: Free plan; best for free open-source FTP on multiple systems.

7.7/10Editor score

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Pure-FTPd7.7 Visit Pure-FTPd

At a glance

Editor score
7.7 / 10
Pricing
Free plan
Best for
Free open-source FTP on multiple systems
Free plan
Yes
Paid from
None
Protocols supported
Ftp_ftps
Facts checked
20 Sep 2026

Where it wins
- Free, BSD-licensed, and open source for self-hosted deployments
- Supports LDAP, SQL, PAM, PureDB, and external authentication
- Includes TLS, quotas, throttling, restrictions, and transfer reporting
Where it doesn't
- Self-hosted deployment requires infrastructure and administration
- Windows support is experimental and unsupported through Cygwin
- No stated web administration or automation API support

Our verdict on Pure-FTPd

Pure-FTPd is a free, BSD-licensed FTP server for self-hosted file transfer. It is aimed at personal users, hosting providers, and production environments that need control over deployment and authentication. Standard FTP operations are extended with optional SSL/TLS encryption for control and data channels, virtual users, directory restrictions, bandwidth controls, quotas, connection limits, logging, and real-time session reporting. It runs across Linux, macOS, Windows, and self-hosted environments, with Windows support documented as an experimental Cygwin port.

Authentication and access control are the strongest reasons to consider Pure-FTPd. Virtual users can be stored in a local PureDB database, while LDAP, MySQL, PostgreSQL, PAM, and external authentication modules support different account-management models. Chroot and virtual-chroot restrictions help limit home-directory access, and configurable throttling, quotas, upload/download ratios, and concurrent connection limits provide practical controls for shared or hosted environments. Syslog, CLF, and other transfer logging formats add operational visibility, while pure-ftpwho provides real-time session and transfer reports.

The trade-off is its self-hosted, administration-focused design. Teams must manage the server environment and configuration themselves, and the Windows port is experimental and unsupported. Its stated feature set emphasizes protocol handling, authentication, access restrictions, transfer controls, and reporting rather than a web administration layer or automation APIs. Pure-FTPd fits organizations that want a free open-source FTP server with broad authentication choices and detailed controls across multiple systems. Those seeking a managed service, a supported Windows-first deployment, or browser-based administration should consider a different FTP server option.

Pure-FTPd pricing

Plans Free planFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.

See plans on pureftpd.org

Pure-FTPd fact sheet

Free plan	Yes
Paid from	None
Protocols supported	Ftp_ftps
User account limit	Not verified
Connection limit	Not verified
Virtual folders	Yes
Web administration	Not verified
Automation API	Not verified
Audit logging	Yes
Deployment	Self-hosted
Platforms	Linux, macOS, Windows
Support	Email, Community, Docs
Built for	Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
Integrations	6 integrations: LDAP, MySQL, PostgreSQL, PAM, PureDB, External authentication modules
Pricing	Free plan
Website	pureftpd.org
Facts checked	20 Sep 2026

Pure-FTPd integrations

Pure-FTPd lists 6 integrations on its own site.

LDAP
MySQL
PostgreSQL
PAM
PureDB
External authentication modules

Alternatives to Pure-FTPd

See all Pure-FTPd alternatives →

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Featured on iTechGuides

Pure-FTPd is listed in our FTP Server Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

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Last updated 7 Oct 2026 · How we research and update