Cyberduck vs ExpanDrive (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cyberduck and ExpanDrive share a 3.0 GPA, both have a free plan and their prices can't be set side by side, so the choice depends on which platforms you need.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
They get the same grade on all five counts.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cyberduck
Server and cloud storage browser for Mac and Windows
ExpanDrive
Mounts cloud storage and servers as drives on Mac, Windows and Linux
Which one is for you
Pick Cyberduck if
- Fits if you move files to FTP, SFTP or S3 on a Mac or Windows PC
- Works for people who want one free client for several cloud drives
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want remote storage to show up as a disk in Finder or Explorer, because that is Mountain Duck, sold separately
- Not for you if you run Linux, iOS or Android, as the site lists none
- Watch out: free copies show a donation prompt after install and after updates until you register a key
- Watch out: the Mac App Store version is $23.99 and replaces the donation
Pick ExpanDrive if
- Fits if you want Google Drive, S3 or SFTP showing as a drive on your own machine
- Works for teams of up to 10 who can live on community support
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you need Server Edition, the web console or priority support, as those are Business at $29 a month
- Pricey if you're past 10 users: it's $29 a month for each further 10
- Watch out: annual billing is arranged by emailing sales, not chosen on the page
- Not for you if your storage isn't among the 15 services and has no SFTP, FTP or WebDAV endpoint
How we grade them
| 3.0GPACyberduckVery good | 3.0GPAExpanDriveVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe direct download is free and a donation of $10 or more removes the prompt, which is under 60% of what this category's cheaper quarter charges. The Mac App Store copy is $23.99. | AFree for personal use and for up to 10 users or devices, with every service included. Business is $29 a month for up to 10 users. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree to download and use with no cap listed. The cost is a donation prompt after installing or updating, until you register a key. | AThe free plan carries all 15 services, offline caching and Finder or Explorer integration, with community support only. |
| Features | BFTP, SFTP, WebDAV, SMB, S3, Backblaze, Azure and the main cloud drives, with connection profiles and Cryptomator vaults. Mounting remote storage as a disk is the separate Mountain Duck. | BOn-demand streaming, offline pinning, FTP, SFTP and WebDAV and a command line tool. Storage outside the 15 services needs an SFTP, FTP or WebDAV endpoint. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating on record. You add each server or account yourself, though the vendor publishes profiles that cut the typing. | CEach drive needs account details and a connection set up. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CMac and Windows desktop apps and a command-line version. The site lists no Linux, iPhone or Android app. | CMac, Windows and Linux, plus Windows Server and Linux for the server edition. Computers only: no phone or web app. |
| Best for | moving files to servers and cloud storage on Mac or Windows | cloud storage in Finder or Explorer for free |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cyberduck and ExpanDrive. How we grade
Where they differ
- ExpanDrive also covers file sync.
At a glance
| Cyberduck | ExpanDrive | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free; $10 minimum donation for a registration key | $29 per month for up to 10 users, billed monthly |
| Free plan | The direct download is free; it shows a donation prompt after installing or updating. | Free for personal use with all 15 cloud services and protocols, and for teams of up to 10 users or devices, with community support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | iterate GmbH | Files.com |
| Price read from | cyberduck.io | expandrive.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cyberduck
- Free copies show a donation prompt after install and after updates until a key is registered.
- Mac and Windows only; the site lists no Linux, iOS or Android app.
- Mounting remote storage as a local disk is a separate product, Mountain Duck.
ExpanDrive
- The free plan covers up to 10 users or devices; past that the Business plan is $29 a month per 10 more.
- Server Edition, the web console and priority support need the Business plan.
- Annual billing is arranged by emailing sales rather than chosen on the page.
- Supports 15 services and protocols, so storage outside that list needs an SFTP, FTP or WebDAV endpoint.
Key features
Cyberduck
- Many storage types
- Connects to FTP, SFTP, WebDAV and SMB servers, plus Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Azure, Google Drive, Dropbox, Box and OneDrive.
- Connection profiles
- The vendor publishes connection profiles for popular hosting and storage providers so setup needs fewer manual settings.
- SFTP key support
- SFTP supports public key and two-factor authentication, and it can read settings from an existing OpenSSH configuration.
- Cryptomator vaults
- Creates client-side encrypted vaults that are interoperable with Cryptomator, for use on any server or cloud storage.
- Share links and versions
- For services such as Nextcloud and ownCloud, creates share links and lets you view and revert earlier file versions.
- Command-line companion
- A command-line version and the separate Mountain Duck app, which mounts remote storage as a disk, are listed on the site.
ExpanDrive
- Mount any cloud as a drive
- Lists Amazon S3, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, Box, Backblaze B2, Wasabi and more as drives alongside local folders.
- Stream on demand
- Files are fetched when opened, with local caching, rather than mirrored in full to the disk.
- Offline access
- Pin the files you need offline and let changes sync back once the connection returns.
- FTP, SFTP and WebDAV
- Generic protocol endpoints are supported alongside the named cloud services, for servers that are not on a major cloud.
- Server Edition
- A headless service for Windows Server and Linux that mounts at boot and can re-share a cloud as SMB on Windows.
- Command line control
- The exfs tool lists, mounts and unmounts drives and installs license keys, so it can be scripted.
Plans
Cyberduck
Direct download$0
Free to download and use. A donation prompt appears after installing or updating.
Contributor$10
minimum donation, paid once
A donation of at least $10 gets a personal registration key that turns off the donation prompt.
Mac App Store$23.99
one-time purchase
The store version for Mac, sold in place of a donation. Requires macOS 10.13 or later.
ExpanDrive
Free$0
All 15 services and protocols, offline caching and Finder or Explorer integration. Up to 10 users or devices.
Business$29
per month for up to 10 users, billed monthly
Adds one Server Edition instance, the web management console, team configuration sharing and priority email support.
EnterpriseCustom
Sold through sales. Adds a response SLA under 30 minutes, SAML SSO, audit logs and role-based access controls.
Ways to pay less
Cyberduck
No public discounts listed.
ExpanDrive
- Annual discount
Annual billing saves 10 to 15%
ExpanDrive says annual customers typically save 10 to 15% against the monthly Business rate, arranged through sales.
- Education
Typically 40% off for academics and nonprofits
Verified academic institutions and registered non-profits are typically offered 40% off Business plans, requested by email.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cyberduck or ExpanDrive?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cyberduck starts at Free; $10 minimum donation for a registration key, and ExpanDrive starts at $29 per month for up to 10 users, billed monthly.
Which has a free plan, Cyberduck or ExpanDrive?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Cyberduck and ExpanDrive have a free plan.
Which platforms do Cyberduck and ExpanDrive run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only ExpanDrive lists a Linux app. Both list macOS and Windows apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.