FileZilla Portable review

FileZilla Portable is an FTP client that you can install on a removable media like a thumb drive and take it with you. This free utility is very fast and stores your app preferences, bookmarks, and passwords, so they're always available, regardless of the PC you happen to be using.

Pros

Portable: Unlike regular apps, FileZilla Portable can be installed on removable media and be used without any issues on multiple PCs. As you might suspect, all of your bookmarks, passwords, and preferences are preserved as well.

Multiple supported protocols: This software supports FTP, SFTP, FTPS, and FTPES. As long as you enter the correct port, you don't need to specify which type of protocol you'll be using.

Speedy: In our tests, we transferred over 3,000 files with a total size of 1.76GB in 20 minutes at an average speed of 1.1MB/s, using an SFTP server on our local network.

Cons

Security risk: We strongly recommend against storing your passwords in the app, since they will be saved in an XML file that every text editor can open. Only store your passwords if you're the only one who has access to the drive where the app is installed and all your files are non-sensitive files.

No transfer buttons: Unlike the vast majority of FTP software, here there are no Transfer From/To buttons to clutter the UI; instead, you have to drag and drop files and folders from each directory to the other. While this method of operation is convenient and fluid, it lacks discoverability, especially if you're used to other FTP clients.

Bottom Line

FileZilla Portable can be the perfect file transfer app if you often find yourself accessing FTP servers from different locations and on different machines. Since all preferences are stored with the app, you'll be up and running in seconds.

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