FTP

5 synonyms for FTP, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A long-established set of rules for copying files between computers over a network, commonly used to upload the files of a website to the server that hosts it.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

transfer send

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

upload

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

file transfer protocol file transfer

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun technical

A long-established set of rules for copying files between computers over a network, commonly used to upload the files of a website to the server that hosts it.

“The old host still gives you FTP details rather than a control panel.”

file transfer protocol file transfer

2. verb informal

To transfer a file using this protocol.

“I FTP'd the corrected images across last night.”

upload transfer send

How to use FTP

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

FTP server FTP client FTP credentials upload by FTP anonymous FTP

Technical; still widely understood, though the plain protocol has largely been replaced by secure versions.

Etymology

An initialism of file transfer protocol, one of the earliest internet standards, in use since the early 1970s.

Full origin of FTP →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between FTP and SFTP?

FTP is the original protocol and sends its data, including the username and password, without encryption. SFTP is a separate protocol that transfers files over an encrypted SSH connection. They share a purpose and part of a name, but not their design.

What is the difference between FTP and HTTP?

Both move data over a network, but HTTP was designed for requesting web pages and resources and is what browsers use to load sites. FTP was designed specifically for listing directories and transferring whole files between machines.

Is FTP still used?

It is still supported by many hosting providers and older systems, and remains common in some industries. Encrypted alternatives such as SFTP and FTPS are now the usual choice because plain FTP protects neither the credentials nor the contents.

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send transfer upload

Nearby words

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