Comparison of FTP server software packages explained

Graphical

NameLicensePlatformDetails
Cerberus FTP ServerWindows onlyFTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, HTTPS web client, IPv6, SOAP-based web services API, Windows Active Directory / LDAP authentication, HTTP / HTTPS remote administration, public key and client certificate authentication
CompleteFTPWindows onlyFTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, HTTP, HTTPS, Windows Active Directory authentication, SQL authentication, SAML Single Sign-On authentication, groups, virtual file-system, process/e-mail events, data at rest encryption, protocol conversion for back-end servers, SSH tunnelling, file-sharing (via client app), web-app hosting via server-side Javascript, remote administration, public key and client certificate authentication, Plugin API (.NET/Javascript), fail-over, load-balancing, dockable dashboard
CrushFTP ServerMac OS X, Windows (all), Linux (all), *BSD, Solaris, IBM.FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, HTTP, HTTPS, WebDAV(SSL), AS2, AS3, Plugin API, Active Directory / LDAP authentication, RADIUS authentication, SQL authentication, SAML SSO Authentication, CrushBalance load balancer, Web UI administration, Groups, Layered Inheritance, Events / Alerts, Protocol Conversion (incoming FTP/FTPS/SFTP/HTTP(s) protocols converted to a back end FTP(ES)/SFTP/HTTP(s)/S3/WebDAV server.), SSH Tunneling, HTTP(S) Tunneling, CrushTask, client certificate authentication, ad-hoc file sharing, keywords search, PGP in stream encryption / decryption, bandwidth acceleration (CrushTunnel), file revisions and synchronization, DMZ front end server mode can also cluster with load balance (supports proxy protocol v1 and v2), DDOS protection, High Availability Virtual IP, data replication and session replication, Job scheduling and monitoring, user config via API, scriptable command line file transfer client. Supports cloud storage via S3, Azure, [Citrix] file storage, Hadoop and Google Drive for file data.
FileZilla ServerWindows Mac OS XFTP, FTPS, supports autoban, speedlimits, IP Filter, Groups, Shared folders, compression
Microsoft Internet Information ServicesWindows onlyFTP, FTPS, WebDAV and WebDAV over SSL(FTPS is supported in IIS 7 and later)
Sysax Multi ServerWindows (All Editions)Secure FTP Server that also supports Secure Shell Access and Web browser based secure file transfer. Protocols supported include FTP, FTPS, SFTP, HTTP, HTTPS, Telnet, and Secure Shell. Features include web UI administration, server event triggers and scripting, and authentication using Windows, ODBC, or Active Directory. Certified for Windows Vista.
War FTP DaemonWindows 9X/2000/XP/2003One of the original FTP servers made for the windows platform and still available.

Console/terminal-based

NameFOSSPlatformDetails
CrushFTP Server, proprietaryMac OS X, Windows, Linux, *BSD, Solaris, etc.FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, HTTP, HTTPS, WebDAV and WebDAV over SSL, AS2, AS3, Plugin API, Windows Active Directory / LDAP authentication, SQL authentication, GUI remote administration, Events / Alerts, X.509 user auth for HTTPS/FTPS/FTPES, MD5 hash calculations on all file transfers, Protocol Conversion (incoming FTP/FTPS/SFTP/HTTP/HTTPS protocols converted to a back end FTP/SFTP server.), SSH Tunneling, HTTP(S) Tunneling, CrushTask, Headless (Web browser management, or you can edit XML files directly, or issue terminal commands to add users, manage groups, inheritance, permissions, query server statistics, etc.) Supports cloud storage via S3, Azure, Citrix file storage, Hadoop and Google Drive for file data. Support for CrushBalance load balancer, or others via proxy protocol v1 and v2.
glFTPd, proprietaryLinux, BSD, Mac OS XVirtual users and groups, private paths, bandwidth throttling, upload/download ratio support, on the fly CRC calculating of files being uploaded, script support on almost all commands and operations, online user management, built-in statistics viewable using site commands, FTPS and ACL support. Supports FXP.
ProFTPD, GPLUnix-like (Linux, BSD, Mac OS X, and more[1]), Windows with CygwinFeature rich and popular FTP daemon for Unix-like platforms. Many third party Graphical User Interfaces (GUIs) available. SFTP can be supported via add-on module.[2]
Pure-FTPd, BSD LicenseLinux, BSD, Mac OS X, and moreSupports FXP.
vsftpd, GPLv2Linux, BSD, and moreFTP, FTPS, FTPES. Supports X.509 client cert auth. deny / enable lists for user access. Logging data can be compatible with wu-ftpd format. vsftpd is default FTP daemon in Ubuntu, CentOS, Fedora, Slackware (along with ProFTPD), NimbleX and RHEL. Others like Debian require an additional installation. GPLv2 license with exception for linking with OpenSSL.
WU-FTPD, proprietaryLinux, BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X and moreMain website seems offline, but continues development in the newer CC series

Summary board

Graphical UI based FTP Servers

CerberusCompleteCrushFTP ServerFileZillaIISMulti Server
License typeproprietaryproprietaryproprietaryproprietaryproprietary
OSLinux
Mac OS X
Unix
Windows
User InterfaceCLI, via PowerShell[3]
GUI integrated
GUI(s) separately
Web-based GUI
ServicesFTP
SFTP
FTPS
SCP
WebDAV
HTTP/HTTPS
AS2
AuthenticationLDAP
Active Directory
Local
Database
High AvailabilityFailover Cluster
(active/passive)
Load Balancing
(active/active)
AutomationEvent-handling
Scripting
CerberusCompleteCrushFTP ServerFileZillaIISMulti Server

Terminal/Console based FTP Servers

CrushFTPProFTPDPure-FTPdvsftpd
License typeproprietary
OSLinux
Mac OS X
Unix
Windows
User InterfaceCLI
GUI integrated
GUI(s) separately
Web-based GUI
ServicesFTP
SFTP
FTPS
SCP
WebDAV
HTTP/HTTPS
AS2
AuthenticationLDAP
Active Directory
Local
Database
High AvailabilityFailover Cluster
(active/passive)
Load Balancing
(active/active)
AutomationEvent-handling
Scripting
CrushFTPProFTPDPure-FTPdvsftpd

See also

Notes

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The ProFTPD Project: Features & Platforms . Proftpd.org . 2018-04-22.
  2. Web site: ProFTPD module mod_sftp . Proftpd.org . 2018-04-22.
  3. Web site: Microsoft TechNet. Web Server (IIS) Administration Cmdlets in Windows PowerShell. 9 November 2009 . Microsoft.