Cyberduck vs WinSCP
Cyberduck
cyberduck.ioWinSCP
winscp.netSide by side
| Figure | Cyberduck | WinSCP |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $10/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 3 | 1 |
| Spec score · FTP and SFTP clients | 9.1 (#1) | 8.7 (#4) |
| Spec score · SFTP Client Software | 9.0 (#4) | 7.9 (#15) |
| Authentication | SFTP supports strong ciphers, public-key authentication and two-factor authentication. | Documented authentication methods include password, keyboard-interactive, public key and Kerberos; WinSCP also integrates with Pageant for SSH public-key authentication. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Cyberduck is licensed under the GPL and its source code is available on GitHub. | A user review describes WinSCP as great Open Source software. |
| Protocols | It supports FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, SMB, OpenStack Swift, Google Cloud Storage, Amazon S3, Azure, Backblaze B2, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox and other services. | It supports SFTP, SCP, FTP, FTPS, WebDAV and S3 file transfer protocols. |
| Support | Support is provided through community help, documentation, a public bug tracker and [email protected]. | WinSCP provides troubleshooting documentation and a support forum monitored by its development team, with sensible guideline-following posts answered within two business days on average. |
Plans
Cyberduck
- Registration key$10 a month
- Free softwareFree
- Registration key contribution$10, paid once
In their own words
Cyberduck
Cyberduck is a libre server and cloud-storage browser for macOS and Windows. It connects to FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, SMB, OpenStack Swift, Google Cloud Storage, Amazon S3, Azure, Backblaze B2, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox, and other services. Transfers include drag-and-drop uploads and downloads, recursive directory transfers, resumable transfers, and direct copying between servers. It can synchronize local and remote directories and preview the files affected before acting. Users can edit server-side text or binary files with an external editor, and copy or open HTTP URLs; S3 support includes CDN and pre-signed URLs. Cryptomator integration provides client-side encryption, including encrypted filenames and files. SFTP supports strong ciphers, public-key authentication, and two-factor authentication. Passwords are kept in the system Keychain, and certificates are checked against its trust settings. The free software is GPL-licensed and does not require registration or an account. A personal registration key is listed at $10 a month, billed as a minimum contribution shown by the vendor; a separate registration key contribution is $10, paid once. Retaining modification dates is not supported for all protocols.
WinSCP
WinSCP is an open-source file manager and transfer client for Microsoft Windows. It copies files between a local computer and remote computers over FTP, FTPS, SCP, SFTP, WebDAV, WebDAVS and S3, with SSH also listed as supported. Explorer and Commander interfaces provide two ways to manage transfers; Commander is focused on keyboard control. Alongside common file operations, WinSCP includes directory synchronization and an integrated text editor. For repeat tasks or programmatic workflows, it offers scripting, command-line options and a.NET assembly. The client integrates with Windows and PuTTY, including sharing site settings with PuTTY. Authentication methods include password, keyboard-interactive, public key and Kerberos, and stored site information can optionally be protected by a master password. A portable version and workspace-based session management are available. WinSCP is free, with a listed price of free. Its security guidance warns that malware on the computer running it can steal credentials stored or entered there.