FileZillaLinux
vs
CuteFTPWindows
FileZilla as a Linux alternative to CuteFTP
Updated
Our verdict
FileZilla is a solid Linux replacement for CuteFTP for users who need a graphical client that handles FTP, FTPS and SFTP, offers a site manager, drag‑and‑drop and resume support. It lacks a true dual‑pane view but provides synchronized browsing that mimics it. Power users who rely heavily on scripting or a built‑in command line will need to supplement it with external tools. For most everyday file‑transfer tasks, especially those done from a desktop environment, FileZilla works well and covers the core functionality of CuteFTP.
- License
- GPL-2.0-or-later
- Price
- Free
- Latest version
- 3.71.1 (August 27, 2026)
- Rating
- —
What works the same
- Supports FTP, FTPS and SFTP
- Site/Bookmark manager for storing connection profiles
- Resume of interrupted transfers and large‑file support
- Drag‑and‑drop file operations
- Logging of transfer activity
What is different
- CuteFTP offers a native dual‑pane layout; FileZilla uses separate panes with synchronized browsing instead
- CuteFTP includes a built‑in command‑line/scripting interface; FileZilla has no CLI, requiring external scripts
- CuteFTP provides more extensive automation (e.g., scheduled transfers) out of the box
- FileZilla’s UI is more basic and lacks some of CuteFTP’s advanced transfer‑queue controls
Opening your CuteFTP files
FileZilla does not use a proprietary project file format, so there is no direct import of CuteFTP site manager files. You can manually recreate sites by copying host, username, password and protocol settings into FileZilla’s Site Manager. Exporting from CuteFTP to a generic CSV or XML can simplify the process, but otherwise the conversion is manual.
Switching from CuteFTP to FileZilla, step by step
- Install FileZilla from your distribution’s repository or via Flathub.
- Open FileZilla and open the Site Manager (Ctrl+S).
- Create a new site for each CuteFTP entry, entering host, port, protocol (FTP/FTPS/SFTP), and credentials.
- Set transfer type (binary/auto) and enable resume/retry options as needed.
- Test each connection and adjust any proxy or IPv6 settings.
- Delete CuteFTP once you have verified all transfers work in FileZilla.
Key features of FileZilla
- Supports FTP, FTPS (FTP over TLS) and SFTP
- IPv6 and proxy (HTTP, SOCKS5, FTP) support
- Site Manager with transfer queue and speed limits
- Drag‑and‑drop, bookmark and filename filters
- Directory comparison and synchronized browsing
- Resume of large files >4 GB
- Remote file search and logging to file
- Multilingual interface
How to install FileZilla on Linux
flatpak install flathub org.filezillaproject.Filezillasudo apt install filezillasudo apt install filezillasudo dnf install filezillasudo pacman -S filezillasudo zypper install filezillaFrequently asked questions
Can FileZilla run on a headless server?
FileZilla is a graphical client; for headless environments use command‑line tools like lftp or curl.
Does FileZilla support scheduled transfers?
No built‑in scheduler; you would need to script transfers with external tools or use cron with command‑line clients.
Is there a way to edit remote files directly in FileZilla?
FileZilla can launch an external editor (e.g., nano, gedit) for a file you double‑click, then upload the edited version automatically.
