Best FTP Hosting Providers | 7 Best FTP Hosts 2024
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Compare the 7 Best FTP Hosting Providers
We know that comparing hosting providers can be a headache. There are so many features to take into account: different storage levels, free domains, control panels, and more – not to mention confusing pricing plans! We’ve tried to make it easy for you. Below, you can compare each FTP hosting provider side by side in this handy chart, and use the arrows to scroll through all seven.
Bluehost | HostGator | InMotion Hosting | A2 Hosting | GreenGeeks | Hostinger | SiteGround |
No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan Unlimited | No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan Unlimited | No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan Unlimited | No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan Unlimited | No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan Unlimited | No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan 1 | No. of FTP accounts on cheapest plan Unlimited |
Secure FTP available | Secure FTP available | Secure FTP available | Secure FTP available | Secure FTP available | Secure FTP available | Secure FTP available |
FTP-specific support guides | FTP-specific support guides | FTP-specific support guides | FTP-specific support guides | FTP-specific support guides | FTP-specific support guides | FTP-specific support guides |
Uptime 99.98% | Uptime 99.9% | Uptime 99.97% | Uptime 99.95% | Uptime 99.98% | Uptime 99.97% | Uptime 99.98% |
Storage 50GB – Unlimited | Storage Unlimited | Storage 50GB – 200GB | Storage 100GB – Unlimited | Storage 50GB – Unlimited | Storage 30GB – 200GB | Storage 10GB – 40GB |
Money-back guarantee 30 days | Money-back guarantee 30 days | Money-back guarantee 90 days | Money-back guarantee 90 days | Money-back guarantee 30 days | Money-back guarantee 30 days | Money-back guarantee 30 days |
Visit Host | Visit Host | Visit Host | Visit Host | Visit Host | Visit Host | Visit Host |
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is a popular method of transferring files from one computer to another. To upload or download files, you need to connect to an FTP server by running an FTP client (such as Filezilla). That’s where FTP hosting comes in – a good FTP host will make your life easy, no matter which FTP client you choose. So, which are the best FTP hosting providers?
7 Best FTP Hosting Providers
- Bluehost – Best FTP hosting provider overall
- HostGator – Best for uptime
- InMotion Hosting – Best for shared and VPS plans
- A2 Hosting – Best for affordability
- GreenGeeks – Best for eco-friendly hosting
- Hostinger – Best for discounted prices
- SiteGround – Best for reliability
Bluehost is the best FTP hosting provider, because of its great security, uptime, support, and value for money. It’s easy to use, and powerful enough to support your needs. Now let’s find out which one is best for you!
What Is FTP?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, which is a way of transferring files from a server to a client using the internet. Websites may use FTP to upload or download files from a site’s server, or you may want to use it to transfer files from one computer to another.
FTP is useful if you’re handling a large number of files, for bulk transfers, or for transferring large files. One of the easiest ways to transfer files is by using an FTP client. You use an FTP client to connect to a server, where you can view and interact with your stored files.
Popular FTP clients include Filezilla, Transmit, WinSCP, Cyberduck, and Free FTP.
You need an FTP hosting provider to host your FTP servers, and that’s why we’re here. Let’s explore the seven best FTP hosts to find your perfect solution…
Useful Terms to Know…
- FTP: File Transfer Protocol
- SFTP: Secure File Transfer Protocol – uses SSH to establish a secure connection
- FTPS: File Transfer Protocol Secure – uses SSL/TLS to establish a secure connection
- SSH: Secure Shell Protocol – network protocol for securing an unsecured network services
- SSL: Secure Sockets Layer – keeps an Internet connection secure
- cPanel – a popular hosting control panel
- CDN: Content Delivery Network – multiple servers at different locations to deliver faster performance
#1. Bluehost
Best FTP Hosting Provider Overall
Bluehost is a powerful web host that outperformed all other hosts in our research. It’s best known for its impressive WordPress hosting – if you’re a WordPress user, you won’t find better! This is our number one rated FTP host because it’s secure, offers SFTP (Secure File Transfer Protocol) on its plans, and has great support guides to walk you through every step of the process – not to mention high uptime, great value plans, and generous features, too.
Bluehost Gallery
It’s also easy to run once you’re set up, with automatic updates and 24/7 support. In addition to this, Bluehost uses cPanel, a popular and user-friendly control panel.
Bluehost’s support deserves a special shout out – it has plenty of guides dedicated to FTP hosting, showing you how to create, edit, and add accounts, as well as specific guidance on using popular FTP programs such as FileZilla and Cyberduck.
Bluehost offers promotional pricing for your first term if you’re a new customer. Most web hosts do this, so always check renewal prices as well as introductory deals. The good news is, Bluehost’s renewal prices aren’t too steep!
Bluehost recommends using FileZilla as your FTP client, although it also has guides to help you set up other programs, including CyberDuck, Dreamweaver CS5, and Publisher 2007. You can create, edit, and add FTP accounts by logging into your control panel.
One standout feature is Secure FTP (SFTP), which is available with your Bluehost hosting account – security is super important, so we recommend making the most of this! Bluehost provides SFTP enabled by default on VPS and dedicated plans, while you need to enable SSH Access on shared plans to get started.
Find Out More
- Read our Bluehost Review to learn more about Bluehost’s strengths and weaknesses
- Read our Bluehost Pricing Review for a more in-depth analysis of its pricing plans
#2. HostGator
Best for Uptime
HostGator has the highest uptime guarantee we’ve ever seen – 99.99% means your site will be up and running most of the year. It also provides powerful dedicated hosting plans. An FTP account is automatically created for you when you register a hosting package with HostGator, and your welcome email contains all the essential information you need to proceed.
HostGator Gallery
It has helpful FTP support resources, including written guides and video tutorials, so you should find it easy to get started even if you’re new to FTP hosting.
HostGator’s prices start at just $2.75 per month for shared hosting. In our research, we found HostGator stands out most for its powerful dedicated hosting plans, which range from $89.98 to $139.99 per month.
You get an unlimited number of FTP accounts even on HostGator’s cheapest shared hosting plan, which gives you plenty of freedom for creating new accounts.
In terms of security, HostGator supports SFTP and FTPS. That may sound complicated, but they’re both different ways of securing your FTP. SFTP uses SSH, while FTPS uses SSL or TLS – they’re both secure FTP protocols to keep your transfers safe!
It’s worth noting neither of these options is supported on Optimize WordPress plans. SFTP isn’t available on Windows shared plans either.
Find Out More
- Read our HostGator Review to find out if it’s right for you
- Read our HostGator Pricing Review for more information on HostGator’s plans
#3. InMotion Hosting
Best for Shared and VPS Hosting
If you want FTP on a shared or VPS plan, InMotion Hosting is your go to. It wowed us with its features in our research, and packs a powerful punch with its security measures – its cheapest shared plan includes free SSL, hack and malware protection, DDOS protection (against Denial-of-service attacks), SSH (Secure Shell Protocol) access, plus automatic backups available as an add-on. You can easily create and remove FTP accounts from your cPanel.
InMotion Gallery
There’s plenty of support guides in its knowledge center to walk you through getting started with FTP, and more specific guides on how to set up FTP with specific clients, such as FileZilla.
Its shared hosting prices start at $5.99 per month, which is pretty pricey compared to other competitors. However, you get a lot of features included for this price, making it worth the money.
You get a 90-day money back guarantee with InMotion, giving you plenty of time to try it out and see if it’s right for you!
As an example of how generous InMotion Hosting is with its features, its cheapest shared plan includes:
- Free domain
- Free SSL
- Unlimited bandwidth
- 50GB SSD storage
- 10 email addresses
- Security Suite
- SSH Access
InMotion Hosting recently added Secure FTP (SFTP) to its shared hosting plans, meaning you don’t use the same cPanel login to access your account. Considering shared plans are usually the least secure, this is a great feature for protecting your files!
Find Out More
- Read our full InMotion Hosting Review for more detail on this top provider
#4. A2 Hosting
Best for Affordability
A2 Hosting is a hosting provider with a real focus on speed, security, and affordability. SFTP is available on all of A2 Hosting’s Linux hosting accounts – this includes shared, VPS, reseller, and dedicated plans. You manage your FTP accounts in cPanel, and there’s plenty of guides to walk you through the process. A2 Hosting recommends its VPS plans for FTP hosting.
A2 Hosting Gallery
Your FTP account is instantly activated when you register your A2 Hosting account, and you receive a Welcome email containing all your FTP connection information. This makes getting started as smooth as possible, no matter which FTP client you choose.
While you can choose any hosting plan you like, A2 Hosting recommends its VPS plans for FTP hosting – these start at $4.99 per month and range up to $79.99 per month for more advanced features.
A2 Hosting comes with a generous 90-day money-back guarantee, and scored 3.9 stars out of 5 for value in our research.
On A2 Hosting’s VPS plans, you can expect 1BG RAM, at least 150GB SSD storage, and at least 2TB bandwidth, as well as root access, and SSH access. This means you have a lot of control over your servers, and plenty of resources to build on.
Find Out More
- Wondering if A2 Hosting is right for you? We answer your questions in our full A2 Hosting Review
#5. GreenGeeks
Best for Eco-Friendly Hosting
GreenGeeks is the best FTP hosting provider for eco-conscious users. Hosting is, sadly, pretty terrible for the environment – data centers use a lot of energy to power and cool servers, which results in eye-watering carbon emissions. GreenGeeks offsets its carbon footprint by 300%, so it’s the perfect choice for green FTP hosting.
On top of that, it has great features such as free nightly backups, free CDN (Content Delivery Network, for faster performance), and free domain for your first year – plus you can create an unlimited number of FTP or SFTP accounts, even on the cheapest shared plan.
GreenGeeks Gallery
There are plenty of detailed guides showing you how to use FTP with GreenGeeks, which is helpful for first-time FTP users. In addition, GreenGeeks’ standard features also include daily backups, free malware cleanups, free website migration, and built-in caching – all designed to make your life easier!
It’s worth noting that GreenGeeks offers a smaller range of plans than other FTP hosting providers. It provides plans for:
- Shared
- WordPress
- VPS
- Reseller
So if you need cloud or dedicated plans, you’ll need a different provider – we recommend A2 Hosting for cloud and InMotion Hosting for VPS.
Find Out More
- GreenGeeks is great for eco-friendly hosting, but what else is it good at? Find out in our GreenGeeks Review
#6. Hostinger
Best for Discounted Prices
If you need dirt cheap FTP hosting in the short-term, Hostinger is worth a look. It offers awesome discounts for first-time users – these low prices last for your first term, and then renew, at which point it’s worth shopping around again. Hostinger has less storage and lower uptime than other FTP hosts, but is otherwise a very feature-rich provider.
Hostinger Gallery
Hostinger doesn’t use cPanel unless you choose a cPanel specific hosting plan. Instead, it uses a custom control panel called hPanel, but it’s still user-friendly.
Luckily, Hostinger’s support guides are tailored to its custom control panel – for example, its guide on configuring FileZilla shows you where to look in hPanel for your FTP details.
- 30GB SSD storage
- 100GB bandwidth
- Two databases
- Only one FTP account
Unlike more advanced plans, there’s no free domain, no SSH access, no free CDN, and no daily backups. To unlock unlimited FTP accounts, SSH access, a free domain, and unlimited databases, you need the next plan up – at $2.59 per month it’s not too bad!
Find Out More
- Hostinger’s cheap prices are appealing, but is it right for you? Find out more in our Hostinger Review
#7. SiteGround
Best for Reliability
SiteGround is a reliable FTP host. While that may not sound like much of a boast, when you’re storing, organizing, and transferring large files, reliability is hugely important! All plans allow you to create unlimited FTP accounts and access SFTP for secure file access, transfers, and management. SiteGround’s value for money and storage could be better, but it’s easy to use,and offers round-the-clock support.
SiteGround Gallery
Recently, SiteGround has introduced the option for Multisite SFTP access with a single SSH key. In jargon-free terms, that means you no longer need to create a separate key for different sites if you manage multiple sites. Instead, you can securely upload files for all the sites you own with one central hostname and username. In short, it’s super convenient for users with multiple websites!
In terms of FTP, the good news is that you can create an unlimited number of accounts and have access to SFTP, no matter which plan you choose!
Find Out More
- Read our SiteGround Review for a full look into it spros, cons, features, and more
- Wondering if SiteGround offers good value? We get into the nitty gritty of its plans in our SiteGround Pricing Review
Best FTP Server Hosting: Final Thoughts
We spent over 230 hours testing the best web hosts on the market, and found these seven hosts to be the very best FTP hosting providers. We explored their features, pricing, uptime, disk space, support, and more – we want you to be happy with the host you choose!
7 Best FTP Hosting Providers
- Bluehost – Best FTP hosting provider overall
- HostGator – Best for uptime
- InMotion Hosting – Best for shared and VPS plans
- A2 Hosting – Best for affordability
- GreenGeeks – Best for eco-friendly hosting
- Hostinger – Best for discounted prices
- SiteGround – Best for reliability
Reliability, speed, and security are all major factors when choosing an FTP hosting provider – when managing and transferring large files, or a high quantity of files, you don’t want to take any risks.
That’s why our top FTP host is Bluehost. Not only is SFTP available, it’s also great value, has a high uptime guarantee, and is optimized for WordPress, the most popular CMS worldwide!
FAQs
- FileZilla
- Cyberduck
- Free FTP
- WinSCP
- Transmit
- CuteFTP
Overall, we recommend FileZilla – it’s free, supported by the majority of FTP hosts, and is easy to use on Windows, Linux, and Mac.
It’s best to go with the plan that best suits your needs. Shared hosting is the cheapest option, but usually has less storage and weaker security. VPS plans are more robust and more secure, so we recommend this if you can afford it.
- Unlimited FTP accounts, even on cheap plans
- Security – whether it’s SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) or FTPS (FTP with SSL), make sure your host provides secure FTP
- Plenty of storage
- Easy to use control panel, such as cPanel
- Plenty of easy to understand FTP help guides
- High uptime (99.98% or above is ideal)
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