FileZilla Pro vs. WS_FTP Professional (2026): Which FTP Client Should You Choose?

FileZilla Pro and WS_FTP Professional are both paid Windows FTP clients aimed at professionals — but they diverge sharply on cloud storage support, platform reach, and compliance-grade security.

Feature	FileZilla Pro	WS_FTP Professional
Windows / macOS / Linux	✅ All three	❌ Windows only
Cloud storage connectors	✅ 9 providers included	❌ None
FIPS 140-2 / OpenPGP encryption	❌	✅ Included
Advanced scheduler / backup / scripting	❌	✅ Included
Price (single user, perpetual)	✅ $19.99	⚠️ $54.95 (community support only)

WS_FTP Professional is a secure Windows-only FTP client from Progress Software, trusted by over 40 million users. Its focus is compliance-grade security — FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography, 256-bit AES and OpenPGP file encryption — combined with a capable automation layer: scheduler, scripting, built-in backup, synchronisation, hot drop folders, and email notifications. It supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and HTTPS connections to IIS and Apache web servers, with no cloud storage connectors.

FileZilla Pro is the commercial edition of the FileZilla project, running on Windows, macOS, and Linux. It extends the familiar dual-pane FileZilla interface with native connectors for nine cloud storage providers — Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Microsoft Azure Blob, Backblaze B2, OpenStack Swift, Box, Dropbox, OneDrive, and Google Drive — alongside FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and WebDAV. It ships as a single edition at a low one-time price, with no edition tiers.

This article compares the two products across protocols, security, automation, and pricing to help you decide which fits your workflow.

Protocol and Feature Support

Both clients cover FTP, FTPS, and SFTP. WS_FTP Professional adds HTTPS connectivity to IIS and Apache web servers; FileZilla Pro adds WebDAV and nine cloud storage providers. Neither product’s cloud or HTTPS capabilities overlap with the other.

Protocol / Feature	FileZilla Pro	WS_FTP Professional
Platform	Windows, macOS, Linux	Windows only
FTP / FTPS	✅	✅
SFTP (over SSH)	✅	✅
WebDAV / WebDAVS	✅	❌
HTTPS (IIS / Apache)	❌	✅
Amazon S3 / S3-compatible	✅	❌
Google Cloud Storage	✅	❌
Microsoft Azure Blob	✅	❌
Backblaze B2	✅	❌
Box	✅	❌
Dropbox	✅	❌
Google Drive	✅	❌
Microsoft OneDrive	✅	❌
OpenStack Swift	✅	❌
Server-to-server (FXP) transfers	✅	✅
Folder synchronisation	✅	✅
Scheduling / automation	⚠️ Queue + command-line	✅ Advanced scheduler + scripting
Built-in backup engine	❌	✅
Hot drop folders	❌	✅
Email notifications	❌	✅
OpenPGP file encryption	❌	✅ AES & 3DES, up to 4,096-bit keys
FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography	❌	✅
Upgrade path to MFT platform	❌	✅ WS_FTP Server, MOVEit

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Performance Benchmarks

Testing was conducted against FileZilla FTP Server 1.12.5 using Progress WS_FTP Professional 12.9.2, released in April 2025 — the current version at the time of writing, now over a year old.

Protocol	FileZilla Pro	WS_FTP Professional
FTP	8 Mb/s	8 Mb/s
SFTP	5 Mb/s	1.2 Mb/s

FTP throughput is identical across both clients at 8 Mb/s. The gap opens up on SFTP, where FileZilla Pro reaches 5 Mb/s against 1.2 Mb/s for WS_FTP Professional — roughly four times faster on the protocol most commonly used for secure transfers.

Security and Automation

Security and automation are the areas where WS_FTP Professional most clearly differentiates itself. FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography means every transfer over SSH, FTPS, or HTTPS uses a certified cipher — a hard requirement in many US federal, healthcare, and finance environments. Integrated OpenPGP encryption extends that protection to files at rest, before and after transfer, not only in transit. FileZilla Pro relies on standard transport-layer encryption and carries no formal compliance certifications.

On automation, WS_FTP Professional ships a full stack: a visual scheduler, post-transfer file actions (move, rename, delete), hot drop folders, built-in backup and compression, scripting, and email notifications. FileZilla Pro’s automation covers transfer queues and command-line invocation — sufficient for straightforward scripted jobs, but without the event-driven triggers and built-in backup engine that WS_FTP Professional provides.

Two practical limitations are worth noting for SSH key authentication in WS_FTP Professional. First, key files must be configured at the application level rather than per individual site connection; FileZilla Pro supports both methods. Second, PPK version 3 key files are not supported — keys must be converted to OpenSSH format or PPK version 2 before import.

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Scenario	FileZilla Pro	WS_FTP Professional
Without dedicated email support	$64.99 — lifetime, single device, email support included	$54.95 — community support only
With email support	Included in $64.99	$89.95 total ($54.95 licence + support)

Active Development and Support

FileZilla Pro is maintained by FileZilla Pro Lda as part of the broader FileZilla project, with regular releases covering protocol updates, cloud connector improvements, and platform support. Support is included with purchase.

WS_FTP Professional is maintained by Progress Software, a publicly traded company with an established enterprise software portfolio. The product has been in continuous development for over two decades. Email support and access to major version updates are sold as annual add-ons alongside the perpetual licence; a free community forum is available without a support contract.

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Which Should You Choose?

Choose FileZilla Pro if:

• You need cloud storage support or cross-platform compatibility.
• You work across Windows, macOS, and Linux environments.

Choose WS_FTP Professional if:

• You require FIPS/HIPAA-compliant encryption.
• You need advanced automation, scheduling, and notification features.

For most professionals working with cloud storage or mixed operating systems, FileZilla Pro offers broader protocol and platform support at a competitive price point. WS_FTP Professional is best suited for Windows-only environments where FIPS compliance and built-in automation capabilities are essential.