SmartFTP Reviewer's Comments

Get smart. For secure, quick transfers and a good collection of user tools, get SmartFTP. This highly configurable FTP program catches the “TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award.”

This FTP software has good double–sided secure transfers through SSL/TLS connections and verifications through basic filtering, XCRC, XMD5 and XSHA. It even supports client certs and Clear Command Channel (CCC).

SmartSoft has created an excellent FTP program that is free for non-commercial use or only $36.95 for a license. They offer modules in over 15 localized versions and host non–English language forums. It is available in 32–bit and 64–bit PC versions.

The only major weakness of this program is that it does not support the SSH security protocol for UNIX type systems, if you need this capacity or a Mac FTP client, see CuteFTP.

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Security:  

With the exception of SSH2, SmartFTP offers some of the best security options. This FTP program supports Raptor and CSM type firewalls and other popular firewall types like Zone Alarm and Norton, McAfee and Kerio Personal Firewalls. In terms of integrity checks (verification) it supports more checks than any other program we reviewed.

Of course, this software works with SSL/TLS encryption and the PGP, FTPS, CCC protocols as well as HTTP connection tunnels. SmartFTP also supports anonymous logins and one–time use passwords.

Connectivity/Transfer Abilities:  

SmartFTP supports more proxies and protocols than most FTP programs including Socks (4, 4a &5), WinProxy, Squid, Wingate and FTP and HTTP type connections. It also is compatible with International Domain Names (IDN) and ASCII, Binary and Auto transfers. In addition, it supports streaming compression and can work with other FTP programs like BulletProof.

However, this program provides few folder and directory tools.

User Tools:  

This SmartSoft program provides an exceptional collection of easy–to–use tools. On the whole, this program lets you customize any setting you want, including general settings like the ability to apply rules to specific file types. You can also configure connection settings like proxies, authentication modes, enable/disable ident server and cache options. It also has many options for transfers, interface and queue settings.

This FTP software interface is available in common languages like Spanish, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional) and Brazilian Portuguese as well as Russian, Bulgarian, Czech, German, Italian, Korean and many more.

SmartFTP does not, however, include an HTML editor or script/macro tools.

Technical Help/Support:  

SmartFTP comes with incomparable support; they answered our email within two hours. They also offer support through tutorials, a searchable knowledgebase and user forums. They post user forums in nearly 25 languages, although not all of them are prolific or active, they are available.

Summary:  

SmartFTP is a highly customizable and simple–to–use program. It is also affordably priced for commercial use or free for non–commercial use, free is perfectly priced.