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The Mountain Duck Insider’s Guide

Everything we know about Mountain Duck in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.

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ToolGPANovember 2026

Mountain Duck

The Insider’s Guide

Mounts server and cloud storage as a drive on Mac and Windows

Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among desktop utilities, read from Mountain Duck’s own pages.

Made by iterate GmbH · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com

2.4GPA

Contents

  1. 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
  2. 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
  3. 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
  4. 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
  5. 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
  6. 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
  7. 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

ToolGPA put this guide together from Mountain Duck’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Mountain Duck’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.

Part 01 · Overview

Welcome

What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first

2.4

GPA, above 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade

Mountain Duck connects remote servers and cloud storage to Finder on macOS and File Explorer on Windows, so files open in any application as if they were local. It is built on the open source foundation of Cyberduck and supports protocols such as SFTP, WebDAV, SMB and S3, plus services like Dropbox, Google Drive and OneDrive.

To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Mountain Duck, taken from its own pages and our grades.

Every connection has to be set up with server details or a cloud login.
From our grade for ease of use
  1. 1

    Best for S3, SFTP and WebDAV as a drive

    Mountain Duck shows servers and cloud storage as a drive in Finder or File Explorer.

  2. 2

    What it costs

    Paid plans start at $49 per user, one-time (licence covers version 5).

  3. 3

    You can try it first

    Trial version of the app, then buy a registration key

  4. 4

    It runs on 2 platforms

    macOS and Windows.

  5. 5

    Integrated connect mode

    Version 5 syncs through the File Provider API on macOS and Cloud Files on Windows, so no device driver or network mount is installed.

  6. 6

    Smart synchronization

    All remote files are listed, and each is downloaded to the local disk only when opened. Chosen folders can be kept offline.

  7. 7

    Broad protocol and cloud support

    Connects over FTP, SFTP, WebDAV and SMB, and to Amazon S3, Google Storage, Azure, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box and others.

  8. 8

    A 2.4 GPA, above 35 of 186

    That is against the other desktop utilities we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.

  9. 9

    Keep it

    To replace Mountain Duck you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

Mountain Duck at a glance

Pricing
Free trial, from $49 per user, one-time (licence covers version 5)
Free plan
No
Free trial
Trial version of the app, then buy a registration key
Runs on
macOS, Windows
Made by
iterate GmbH
Category
Desktop Utilities
Our grade
2.4 GPA, fair

The report card

Best for S3, SFTP and WebDAV as a drive

Mountain Duck shows servers and cloud storage as a drive in Finder or File Explorer. But it is paid per seat at $49 a licence, the trial length isn't stated, and a future version 6 would be another purchase.

ToolGPA report cardMountain DuckGraded Nov 13, 2026
SubjectGradeComment
Value for moneyB$49 one-time per user, with $193 for five. That is more than a year of the category's typical $3.33 a month, but under two.
Free plan and trialCThere's a trial version before you buy a key, but the pages we read don't say how long it lasts or whether a card is asked for. No free plan.
FeaturesBFTP, SFTP, WebDAV, SMB, S3, Azure, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive and more, with on-demand files, offline folders and Cryptomator vaults. The listing shows no gap in the core job.
Ease of useCEvery connection has to be set up with server details or a cloud login. No store rating is on record.
Platforms and integrationsCmacOS 13 or later and Windows 10 or later. Computers only, with no Linux, phone or web version.
Grade point averageFair, out of 4.02.4

An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.

Who Mountain Duck is for

  • Fits if you work on files in S3 or an SFTP server from ordinary desktop apps
  • Works for teams who would rather buy licences once than pay a subscription

Who it is not for

  • Skip it if you run Linux, as only macOS and Windows are listed
  • Pricey if you need it for several people: each seat needs its own licence, $49 each
  • Watch out: a licence covers one major version, so a version 6 would need an upgrade
  • Watch out: the trial length isn't stated on the pages we read
  • Not for you if you only want cloud storage in Finder for free, since ExpanDrive's free plan covers that

Good to know

Good for

  • Working on files in S3, SFTP or WebDAV storage from ordinary desktop apps
  • Teams that want licences bought once per seat rather than a subscription
  • People who already use Cyberduck and want the same connections as a mounted drive

Worth knowing

  • Runs on macOS 13 or later and Windows 10 or later only; no Linux version is listed.
  • A licence is valid for one major version, so a future version 6 would need an upgrade purchase.
  • The buy page shows the price only after the form loads; it is per seat, so each user needs a licence.
  • Free to download as a trial, but the trial length is not stated on the pages we read.

Part 02 · Pricing

What it costs

Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved

$49 one-time

To start

Mountain Duck is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $49 per user, one-time (licence covers version 5).

There's a trial version before you buy a key, but the pages we read don't say how long it lasts or whether a card is asked for.
From our grade for free plan and trial

  • Single user

    $49

    per user, one-time, for version 5

    Per-seat licence, usable on any number of computers by the same user. Discounted upgrades for later major versions.

  • 5 users

    $193

    for 5 users, one-time, for version 5

    Volume price for five seats, below five single licences. The buy page also offers 10, 20 and 50 users, and a custom quote.

  • 10 users

    $348

    for 10 users, one-time, for version 5

    Volume price for ten seats. Larger teams and white-label deployments are handled as custom quotes.

Trying it first

Trial version of the app, then buy a registration key

Read from mountainduck.io on Nov 13, 2026.

Ways to pay less

  • Education

    30% academic discount

    Mountain Duck offers a 30% discount coupon for academic use, requested by ticket from an institutional email address.

    Stated on mountainduck.io

  • Other savings

    30% switcher or Cyberduck discount

    A 30% discount is offered to owners of a Cyberduck key, or of a Transmit Disk, ExpanDrive or NetDrive licence, on request.

    Stated on mountainduck.io

Part 03 · Features

What it does

Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it

2

Places it runs: macOS and Windows

Mounts server and cloud storage as a drive on Mac and Windows. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, end-to-end encrypted, one-time purchase, file sync, file sharing, file management.

The listing shows no gap in the core job.
From our grade for features
Integrated connect mode
Version 5 syncs through the File Provider API on macOS and Cloud Files on Windows, so no device driver or network mount is installed.
Smart synchronization
All remote files are listed, and each is downloaded to the local disk only when opened. Chosen folders can be kept offline.
Broad protocol and cloud support
Connects over FTP, SFTP, WebDAV and SMB, and to Amazon S3, Google Storage, Azure, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box and others.
Cryptomator vaults
Client-side encryption using Cryptomator-compatible vaults, so data at rest is unreadable to the server or cloud provider.
Team features
File locking for Office documents on WebDAV servers, version history on versioned S3 buckets, and custom versioning on the server.
Sharing and search
Create expiring share links from the context menu on supported storage, and search remote files with Spotlight or Windows Search.

Where it runs

  • macOS
  • Windows

What it works with

  • Amazon S3
  • Google Drive
  • Dropbox
  • OneDrive
  • SharePoint
  • Box
  • Backblaze B2
  • Microsoft Azure

Mountain Duck is made by iterate GmbH.

Part 04 · Standing

Where it stands

Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own

35/186

Other desktop utilities it is graded above

Mountain Duck's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 33.

It stands best on features (B, above 113 of 186) and worst on ease of use (C, above 5).

Each grade against the category

Every bar is all 187 desktop utilities we grade, cut by the letter each got. Mountain Duck’s own letter is outlined.

  • BValue for moneyAbove 28 of 186
  • CFree plan and trialAbove 8 of 186
  • BFeaturesAbove 113 of 186
  • CEase of useAbove 5 of 186
  • CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 111 of 186

Keep it, or make your own?

Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.

Keep it

To replace Mountain Duck you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.

That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 118 of the 186 other desktop utilities grade higher. It costs $49, paid once.

What you could not

  • Files kept in step across devices without losing one.
  • Storing and serving files for other people.
  • A file manager working directly on your disk.
  • A real app for macOS and Windows. Something home-made would be a web page.
  • It is priced for each person, which means accounts and billing for a team.
  • It plugs into other products, Amazon S3, Google Drive and Dropbox among them.
  • End-to-end encryption done properly.
  • The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.

What this rests on. Mountain Duck’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.

Part 05 · Alternatives

The alternatives

The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side

ExpanDrive, CloudMounter, Cyberduck, Transmit and ForkLift

The 5 tools Mountain Duck is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.

  • 3.0GPA

    ExpanDrive

    Free plan · from $29/mo

    Mounts cloud storage and servers as drives on Mac, Windows and Linux.

    • ExpanDrive has a free plan. Mountain Duck does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Only ExpanDrive lists a Linux app.
    • Mountain Duck is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    Mountain Duck and ExpanDrive compared in full
  • 2.2GPA

    CloudMounter

    Free plan · from $29/yr

    Mount cloud storage and servers as drives on Mac and Windows.

    • CloudMounter has a free plan. Mountain Duck does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Mountain Duck is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Mountain Duck can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Mountain Duck and CloudMounter compared in full
  • 3.0GPA

    Cyberduck

    Free plan · from $10

    Server and cloud storage browser for Mac and Windows.

    • Cyberduck has a free plan. Mountain Duck does not, though it has a free trial.
    • Mountain Duck is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Mountain Duck can be bought with a one-time purchase.
    Mountain Duck and Cyberduck compared in full
  • 2.2GPA

    Transmit

    Free trial · from $45 one-time

    Mac file transfer app for servers and cloud storage.

    • Only Mountain Duck lists a Windows app.
    • Mountain Duck is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Mountain Duck also covers file sync.
    Mountain Duck and Transmit compared in full
  • 2.6GPA

    ForkLift

    Free trial · from $19.95 one-time

    Dual-pane file manager and file transfer client for macOS.

    • Only Mountain Duck lists a Windows app.
    • Mountain Duck is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
    • Mountain Duck also covers file sharing.
    Mountain Duck and ForkLift compared in full

Part 06 · Questions

Quick answers

The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two

15

Questions, each answered in a line or two

The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.

Is Mountain Duck free?

No, Mountain Duck is a paid product, but you can try it first. Trial version of the app, then buy a registration key.

How much does Mountain Duck cost?

Mountain Duck lists 3 plans. Single user: $49 per user, one-time, for version 5.

What platforms does Mountain Duck work on?

Mountain Duck is available on macOS and Windows.

Does Mountain Duck offer any discounts?

Mountain Duck publicly lists the following: 30% academic discount; 30% switcher or Cyberduck discount.

Does Mountain Duck have an Android app?

No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Mountain Duck is listed for macOS and Windows.

Does Mountain Duck have an iPhone app?

No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Mountain Duck is listed for macOS and Windows.

Is Mountain Duck open source?

Mountain Duck is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.

Is Mountain Duck end-to-end encrypted?

Mountain Duck describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site.

Does Mountain Duck work offline?

Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.

What does Mountain Duck integrate with?

Mountain Duck's listing names Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box, Backblaze B2 and Microsoft Azure.

Does Mountain Duck have a student discount?

30% academic discount. Mountain Duck offers a 30% discount coupon for academic use, requested by ticket from an institutional email address.

Who makes Mountain Duck?

Mountain Duck is made by iterate GmbH.

What are the alternatives to Mountain Duck?

The closest alternatives to Mountain Duck in our directory are ExpanDrive, CloudMounter, Cyberduck, Transmit and ForkLift.

How does Mountain Duck compare with other desktop utilities?

Mountain Duck's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 35 of the 186 other desktop utilities we grade, and level with 33.

Could I make my own version of Mountain Duck?

To replace Mountain Duck you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one.

Where this guide comes from

The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Mountain Duck’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Mountain Duck's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.

Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by iterate GmbH. Prices change, so check mountainduck.io before you buy.

Part 07 · About

About ToolGPA

Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it

7,721

Tools graded, in 95 categories

ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.

Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.

  • 7,721

    tools graded

  • 95

    categories

  • 739

    price changes on record

  • 579

    apps priced in 12 countries

What else is on toolgpa.com

Scan for the live page

Prices and grades as they are today

Quoting this guide?

Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:

ToolGPA, "Mountain Duck: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/mountain-duck

Know someone choosing between desktop utilities?

Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/mountain-duck/guide

ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa

See our other guides

The best-graded desktop utilities after Mountain Duck, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.

ToolGPA

Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.

Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›

Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Mountain Duck’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Mountain Duck is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by iterate GmbH. Prices and plans change: check mountainduck.io before you buy.