Cyberduck review (2026): is the free plan enough?
Server and cloud storage browser for Mac and Windows
Black Friday: is there a Cyberduck sale?
Cyberduck report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Nov 12, 2026
Best for moving files to servers and cloud storage on Mac or Windows
Cyberduck is a browser for FTP, SFTP, S3 and about a dozen cloud services, and the direct download costs nothing. It nags for a donation after install and after every update until you register a key, and mounting a server as a disk is a separate product.
Who Cyberduck is for
- 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
Who Cyberduck is not for
- 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
Why Cyberduck gets a 3.0
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for moneyThe 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 plan and trialFree to download and use with no cap listed. The cost is a donation prompt after installing or updating, until you register a key.
- BFeaturesFTP, 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.
- CEase of useNo rating on record. You add each server or account yourself, though the vendor publishes profiles that cut the typing.
- CPlatforms and integrationsMac and Windows desktop apps and a command-line version. The site lists no Linux, iPhone or Android app.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Cyberduck's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/cyberduck#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/cyberduck.svg" alt="Cyberduck: 3.0 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>Where Cyberduck stands among desktop utilities
Cyberduck's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 83 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 10.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 53 of 96) and worst on ease of use (C, above 4).
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 97 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Cyberduck’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 24 of 96, level with 72
- AFree plan and trialAbove 53 of 96, level with 43
- BFeaturesAbove 69 of 96, level with 26
- CEase of useAbove 4 of 96, level with 29
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 62 of 96, level with 25
Keep Cyberduck, or make your own?
Keep it
Nothing Cyberduck does is plain enough to make in a weekend. The 5 things listed below take a company.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 83 of the 96 other desktop utilities we grade.
What you could not
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- Storing and serving files for other people.
- A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2 and Google Drive among them.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Cyberduck’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
What is Cyberduck?
Cyberduck is a file transfer client for Mac and Windows. It connects to FTP, SFTP, WebDAV and SMB servers and to cloud storage such as Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive. The software is free to download; the vendor asks for donations and sells copies through the Mac App Store and Windows Store.
Worth knowing
- 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.
Key features
- 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.
Cyberduck pricing
As of Nov 12, 2026, Cyberduck has a free plan, and paid plans start at Free; $10 minimum donation for a registration key.
- Starts at
- Free; $10 minimum donation for a registration key
- Free plan
- The direct download is free; it shows a donation prompt after installing or updating.
- Free trial
- None listed
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Direct download | $0 | Free to download and use. A donation prompt appears after installing or updating. |
| Contributor | $10minimum donation, paid once | A donation of at least $10 gets a personal registration key that turns off the donation prompt. |
| Mac App Store | $23.99one-time purchase | The store version for Mac, sold in place of a donation. Requires macOS 10.13 or later. |
Read from cyberduck.io on Nov 12, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with Cyberduck before you buy.
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Common questions
Does Cyberduck have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Cyberduck is listed for macOS and Windows.
Does Cyberduck have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Cyberduck is listed for macOS and Windows.
Is Cyberduck open source?
Cyberduck is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 12, 2026.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 12, 2026.