Free Alternative to Transmit

Cyberduck is the most popular free alternative to Transmit and the go-to choice for Mac users who need comprehensive file transfer capabilities without the price tag. It's a libre FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, and cloud storage client that connects to virtually everything: Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft Azure, OneDrive, Backblaze B2, OpenStack Swift, and dozens more. Version 9.3.1 released in December 2025 supports macOS 10.13+ on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs natively.

The interface is clean and Mac-native, integrating seamlessly with macOS features like Keychain for secure password storage, Bonjour for network discovery, and Quick Look for file previews. Cyberduck includes Cryptomator support for client-side encryption, allowing you to secure files before they leave your Mac. The application is actively maintained by Iterate GmbH with frequent updates and a strong community.

While there's an optional donation nag screen (removable with a $23.99 contribution), the software is fully functional for free under the GPL license. For most users migrating from Transmit, Cyberduck provides all the essential functionality in an open-source package.

FileZilla is the classic dual-pane FTP client that's been the workhorse of web developers and system administrators for over two decades. Version 3.69.5 supports both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs natively with excellent performance on modern hardware. It's completely free and open-source under the GPL license, maintained by an active community that ensures regular security updates and bug fixes.

The interface features the traditional dual-pane layout that professionals love: local files on the left, remote server on the right, with drag-and-drop transfers between them. FileZilla's multi-threaded transfer engine handles simultaneous uploads and downloads efficiently, and the site manager makes it easy to organize dozens or hundreds of server bookmarks with credentials. The application supports directory comparison, synchronized browsing, and remote file search.

Available in 47 languages, it's truly a global tool. While the interface isn't native Mac and can feel dated compared to Transmit's polish, FileZilla's reliability and no-nonsense approach have made it indispensable for millions of users worldwide.

macOS Finder has built-in SFTP support that many users don't know exists, making it perfect for occasional secure file transfers without installing any additional software. To use it, simply press Cmd+K or select Go > Connect to Server from the menu bar, then enter your server address in the format 'sftp://hostname' or 'sftp://username@hostname'. After entering your password, the remote server mounts as a network volume that appears in Finder's sidebar, and you can browse it exactly like any other folder on your Mac.

Files can be dragged and dropped from any application, copied and pasted, or opened directly with your preferred editors. Passwords are automatically stored in macOS Keychain for convenience and security. While it lacks the advanced features of dedicated FTP clients, Finder's SFTP support is surprisingly capable for everyday tasks.

The integration is seamless since it's part of the operating system, and there's no need to learn a new interface or manage another application. For users who occasionally need to grab files from a server or upload a website update, this built-in solution might be all you need.

Rclone is the command-line equivalent of rsync for cloud storage, offering unparalleled flexibility and power for users comfortable with terminal operations. It synchronizes, copies, mounts, and manages files across more than 40 cloud storage providers including Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces, and virtually every major cloud service. Rclone is particularly valuable for automation, scripting large transfers, scheduled backups, and server-to-server migrations that don't require a graphical interface.

The tool supports client-side encryption, bandwidth limiting, file filtering with include/exclude patterns, and can resume interrupted transfers seamlessly. One of its most powerful features is the ability to mount cloud storage as a local filesystem using 'rclone mount', making remote files appear as if they're on your local disk. For developers and power users, Rclone's scriptability means you can create sophisticated backup workflows, automated synchronization jobs, and integration with other tools. The learning curve is steep, but the capabilities are unmatched in the free FTP/cloud transfer space.

Duck is the official command-line interface companion to Cyberduck, providing terminal access to all of Cyberduck's extensive protocol and cloud storage support. This free tool brings the same connection capabilities to scripts, automation workflows, and headless environments where a GUI isn't practical. Duck supports all protocols that Cyberduck does: FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, Azure, Backblaze B2, and more.

It can list, upload, download, delete, and synchronize files across any supported service. The tool is particularly valuable for automated deployments, scheduled backups, and CI/CD pipelines where you need reliable file transfer capabilities in a scriptable format. Duck can read Cyberduck's bookmark files, so if you have connections configured in the GUI, they're immediately available in the CLI. The syntax is straightforward and well-documented, making it more approachable than Rclone for users who want automation but don't need the most advanced features.

Mountain Duck is developed by the same team behind Cyberduck and provides a different approach to file transfer: instead of managing files through a transfer client, it mounts remote servers and cloud storage as local disk volumes in Finder. Once mounted, remote files appear in Finder's sidebar and can be accessed by any application as if they were local. Mountain Duck supports all the same protocols as Cyberduck including FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Backblaze B2.

Files are downloaded on-demand when you open them and can be kept in a local cache for offline access. Changes are automatically synced back to the server. This approach is ideal for users who want seamless integration with their existing Mac workflow without learning a new file transfer interface.

The main downside is cost: Mountain Duck is $39 for a single license, though it offers a free trial. For users who love Cyberduck's capabilities but want Transmit's mounting feature, Mountain Duck bridges that gap.

rsync has been the gold standard for efficient file synchronization since 1996, and it's built into every Mac. While it operates through the command line, rsync is incredibly powerful for transferring and synchronizing files between your Mac and remote servers over SSH. Unlike simple copy operations, rsync uses a sophisticated delta-transfer algorithm that only sends the differences between files, making it extremely efficient for updating existing content.

This is perfect for website deployments, backup operations, and keeping directories synchronized. The tool preserves file permissions, ownership, timestamps, and symbolic links. rsync can compress data during transfer to save bandwidth and supports extensive filtering with include/exclude patterns. For developers who need to deploy code to servers or maintain synchronized backups, rsync combined with SSH provides a secure, efficient, and free solution that's been battle-tested for decades. The syntax can be cryptic for beginners, but once you learn the common patterns, rsync becomes an indispensable tool.

lftp is a sophisticated command-line FTP/SFTP client that offers features far beyond basic file transfer. It supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, HTTP, HTTPS, FISH, and BitTorrent protocols. What sets lftp apart is its scripting capabilities, job control, bookmark system, and mirror command for intelligent directory synchronization.

The mirror function is particularly powerful: it can synchronize entire directory trees between local and remote systems, deleting files that no longer exist and only transferring what's changed. lftp supports parallel transfers of multiple files, segmented downloads that split single files across multiple connections for faster speeds, and automatic retry with sophisticated error handling. The built-in scheduler allows queuing operations for later execution, and the bookmark system makes it easy to save connection details for frequently accessed servers. For users comfortable with terminal commands who need more than rsync but don't want a GUI, lftp offers an excellent middle ground with scripting power and reliability.

WinSCP is one of the most popular FTP clients in the Windows world, and while it's not native to macOS, it can run through Wine compatibility layers. This option is mainly relevant for users who are familiar with WinSCP from Windows environments and want to maintain the same workflow on their Mac. WinSCP offers a dual-pane interface similar to FileZilla, supports FTP, SFTP, SCP, and WebDAV, and includes an integrated text editor.

The application features directory synchronization, scripting capabilities, and a portable mode that doesn't require installation. However, running Windows applications through Wine on Mac introduces complexity, potential stability issues, and performance overhead. For most Mac users, native alternatives like Cyberduck or FileZilla are better choices. But if you have extensive WinSCP scripts or workflows and need to maintain compatibility across platforms, running it through Wine is technically possible.

CloudMounter by Eltima takes a different approach to cloud file management by mounting various cloud storage services as local drives in Finder. It supports Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Box, Mega, WebDAV, and FTP/SFTP servers. Once mounted, cloud files appear as regular folders in Finder and can be accessed by any Mac application without using a web browser or dedicated app.

CloudMounter uses on-demand loading to save disk space: files appear in the folder structure but are only downloaded when you actually open them. This provides the illusion of having terabytes of cloud storage locally while only consuming space for files you actively use. The application includes encryption options for security and can mount multiple services simultaneously.

CloudMounter offers a free version with limited features and a $29.99 paid version with full capabilities. While more expensive than completely free alternatives, it's still cheaper than Transmit and provides unique mounting capabilities that some users prefer over traditional file transfer workflows.