Best FTP Alternatives
There’s no need to mess around with FTP when Smash can share your large files fast, free, and securely.
More than half a century ago the precursor to the modern internet was born. Known then as ARPANET, two network nodes at UCLA and Stanford University were connected for the very first time in October 1969. Other labs and research institutes followed suit and by the end of 1971 a total of 15 sites were connected to ARPANET, laying the foundation for the internet of 5.5 billion people and 30 billion devices we know today.
Also invented in those early days was the File Transfer Protocol, or FTP. Introduced in April 1971, this protocol allowed users to move files from a client to a server and back again. A core feature of the budding internet – and one that would remain important right up until today – FTP enabled file sharing at a global scale.
Yet today, more than 50 years later, what was once the backbone to file transfers online is starting to show some cracks in its veneer. As users increasingly seek alternatives to FTP, where will they turn?
Why Should I Look for an Alternative to FTP?
FTP has had a long run and is familiar to many IT administrators and users alike. However, while there are some advantages to leveraging the free and open source FTP protocol for sharing large files, there are some problems using this dated approach to transfer files, too.
To begin with, FTP file transfers are not encrypted which leaves your files and your data subject to interception by bad actors. What’s more, even when a file is at rest on a server, anyone that has acquired access to login credentials from a legitimate user can easily access all files on that server via straightforward hacking. FTP transfers are relatively slow compared to alternatives, and they can also demand users download specific software to make transfers and access files on the server. This can also impact the utility of FTP for mobile users and, as the file server needs to be owned or rented, there is a cost to every transfer.
In short, while FTP works to move a file from one machine to a server where it is available to others to download, there are some significant issues with the protocol that have many people asking what alternatives they might consider instead.
Five Modern Alternatives to FTP
With these problems and inefficiencies in mind, turning to modern alternative to FTP seems obvious. But which to choose? Below we consider five alternatives to FTP, weigh each of them against some core functionality and performance benchmarks and determine which is the best alternative to FTP in 2025. The five options to consider in turn are:
Smash
SFTP
FTPS
AS2
HTTPS
We can weigh these alternatives against each other with the following criteria based on the known issues with FTP:
Cost: Do you have to pay to transfer files, to buy or rent a server, or a subscription to a company?
Speed: Is the transfer fast?
Encryption: Are the files that are transferred encrypted during the transfer and at rest on the server?
Hackable: Is it easy to gain access to the server via phishing user credentials?
Software: Does a user need to download special software or applications to transfer the file?
Devices: Can the file transfer be made on any device? Is the software available only on certain devices?
1. Smash
Smash is a file transfer service with dedicated applications for iOS, Android, and Mac platforms, as well as a web portal for any browser and an API for enterprise users. It is free for sending files of any size and lightning fast: as soon as the file is uploaded it is available for download. Files are encrypted end-to-end during transfer and while at rest on Smash servers. Hacks are minimized by files being held on the server for only a relatively short time and access being granted only by a secure link shared by the file owner or via a direct email. No software is required to access Smash either as a sender or receiver of a file, and it works on any device with a browser.
| Alternative | Cost | Speed | Encryption | Hackable | Software | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smash | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Yes | No | No | ★★★★★ |
2. SFTP
The SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) is an alternative to FTP that, as the name suggests, helps to transfer files in a more secure way. It is considered superior to FTP thanks to the way that it addresses the encryption problems that FTP has and, as such, it was long the preference for administrators concerned about security. By using the Secure Shell (SSH) protocol files are encrypted in transfer, though files are not necessarily encrypted on the server or safe from hacking via another means. SFTP requires the use of a client, though there are popular free and open source clients available widely, including for mobile devices. Yet while the SFTP client might be free, the server is not, and this cost should be considered when selecting an alternative to FTP.
| Alternative | Cost | Speed | Encryption | Hackable | Software | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SFTP | ★★★ | ★★★★ | Yes | Yes | Yes | ★★★★ |
3. FTPS
FTPS, also known as File Transfer Protocol Secure/SSL, is another alternative to FTP that addresses the security holes in the original protocol. Instead of building a new protocol altogether, though, FTPS adds TLS/SSL encryption to better secure files in transfer. Through the use of a secure command channel, users can minimize the chance that their username, password and login information will be eavesdropped, and this in turn reduces the likelihood of a server hack. FTPS requires an FTP client (popular clients like FileZilla can handle FTPS as well as SFTP and FTP) and some of those clients can also be used on mobile devices running iOS or Android. Still, there is a cost to using a server that you own or rent, and the encryption can be switched off by users.
| Alternative | Cost | Speed | Encryption | Hackable | Software | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FTPS | ★★★ | ★★★★ | Yes | No | Yes | ★★★★ |
4. AS2
AS2 is an alternative to FTP that small business and users in regular contact with large enterprises might encounter. AS2 uses the web to transfer files which cuts costs significantly and transfers are fast and reliable. However, there is a need for a direct, continuous internet connection between parties that have exchanged encryption keys and maintenance procedures can be labor-intensive. Hacks are limited and clients for transferring files are available for desktop and mobile devices. While AS2 is well regarded for its encryption and security, costs are higher than other FTP alternatives and there are ongoing IT investments that need to be made to maintain the system.
| Alternative | Cost | Speed | Encryption | Hackable | Software | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS2 | ★★ | ★★★★★ | Yes | No | Yes | ★★★★ |
5. HTTPS
Another attempt to address the security failings of FTP is HTTPS, or Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure. Today HTTPS used TLS to encrypt and authenticate transfers (it previously used SSL, too) and transfers are fast and secure. Unlike some modern FTP alternatives, HTTPS can run in the browser which makes it accessible to almost any device and no software is required to execute a HTTPS transfer. The only cost to using HTTPS are the costs of maintaining the server used to transfer the file, and proper use of the HTTPS protocol means files are normally safe from hacking. Many users will already be familiar with HTTPS as it the default standard for websites today, the small ‘lock’ icon in a browser address bar all but ubiquitous today.
| Alternative | Cost | Speed | Encryption | Hackable | Software | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HTTPS | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Yes | No | No | ★★★★★ |
Comparing Alternatives to FTP
When you weight the different alternatives to FTP, there are some areas where all of them do well.
On encryption, all five alternatives offer encryption that means your files stay secure when they are sent. Most, save for SFTP, are ahead of FTP when it comes to being hackable with protections in place to limit attack surfaces. Smash and HTTPS both work in the browser which means there is no software to download, and the user interface is intuitive and easy to use. Most work on all devices, too, though SFTP, FTPS, and AS2 users will find that they need a different client for their mobile device than the one they are used to on a desktop device. Finally, while all are high speed options, Smash holds a distinct advantage on cost as there are no server maintenance charges to pay.
| Alternative | Cost | Speed | Encryption | Hackable | Software | Devices |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smash | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Yes | No | No | ★★★★★ |
| SFTP | ★★★ | ★★★★ | Yes | Yes | Yes | ★★★★ |
| FTPS | ★★★ | ★★★★ | Yes | No | Yes | ★★★★ |
| AS2 | ★★ | ★★★★★ | Yes | No | Yes | ★★★★ |
| HTTPS | ★★★★ | ★★★★★ | Yes | No | No | ★★★★★ |
Conclusion: Smash is the Best Alternative to FTP in 2025
When you weight the different alternatives to FTP, there are some areas where all of them do well.
On encryption, all five alternatives offer encryption that means your files stay secure when they are sent. Most, save for SFTP, are ahead of FTP when it comes to being hackable with protections in place to limit attack surfaces. Smash and HTTPS both work in the browser which means there is no software to download, and the user interface is intuitive and easy to use. Most work on all devices, too, though SFTP, FTPS, and AS2 users will find that they need a different client for their mobile device than the one they are used to on a desktop device. Finally, while all are high speed options, Smash holds a distinct advantage on cost as there are no server maintenance charges to pay.
Time to Try Out a FTP Alternative
Test, test, test Smash! It’s no file size limits, simple, fast, secure and free.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Open source FTP and SFTP clients like FileZilla are free to download and to use. The cost comes from paying for the server that you are connecting to in order to transfer your files. That server doesn’t come for free: you’ll either have had to buy it (and maintain it!) or rent the server space on someone else’s machine. Either way, every transfer is costing you money even if the FTP client you are using does not.
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Smash is capable of handling files of every shape, size, and type. Businesses regularly use Smash to transfer PPT presentations, Word documents and Excel sheets, while creatives use Smash to share images, video, and original content. From a single photo for Grandma through to the raw footage for a future Hollywood film, Smash handles it all.
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Yes! Sending a file on Smash is free as in beer. No cost, no charges, and no hidden fees. Of course, some Smash users choose to step up to one of the paid plans to take advantage of our Outlook Plugin or our API access, but sending a file on Smash has been and always will be free, no matter how large that file is.
