If you’ve used WinSCP on Windows, the workflow will feel immediately familiar: save your connection details, open a session, and transfer files between local and remote panels. FQB Transfer brings that proven, no-nonsense approach to macOS—refined for speed and modern infrastructure. As a high-performance FTP & SFTP client for macOS, it supports today’s essential protocols (FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, S3, and WebDAV), along with tabbed connections, a transfer queue, and live remote file editing. Available now on the Mac App Store: Download FQB Transfer .

Quick Start Checklist (WinSCP workflow, adapted for Mac)

Before connecting, gather the same essentials you’d use in WinSCP. With FQB Transfer, setup takes only a few minutes and keeps your workflow fast and predictable.

  • Prepare your connection details: host, username, password or SSH key, protocol, and port.
  • Choose secure protocols whenever possible: SFTP or FTPS instead of plain FTP.
  • Save the connection profile for one-click access later.
  • Use tabs to manage multiple servers (production, staging, client environments) safely.
  • Work efficiently with drag & drop transfers, a visible queue, and live remote editing.

Step by step: Connect your first server (SFTP, FTPS, or FTP)

1) Launch FQB Transfer and create a new connection.

2) Select the protocol. Use SFTP for most Linux servers (secure and straightforward). Choose FTPS when required by your hosting provider. Use plain FTP only when no secure alternative is available.

3) Enter host and port. Common defaults are SFTP on port 22 and FTP on port 21. FTPS ports vary depending on explicit or implicit configuration.

4) Add credentials. Authenticate with a username and password, or use an SSH key for SFTP if supported by your server.

5) Connect and verify. On first SFTP connection, verify and trust the host key to prevent man-in-the-middle attacks.

6) Save the connection with a clear, descriptive name (for example: “Client A – Production” or “Client A – Staging”) so future access is instant.

Daily workflow: Tabs, transfer queue, drag & drop, and live editing

Once connected, FQB Transfer supports the same efficient workflow experienced WinSCP users rely on—optimized for macOS. Tabs let you keep multiple servers open at the same time, such as staging and production. Drag & drop makes file transfers immediate and intuitive. For larger operations, the transfer queue gives you visibility, retry control, and progress tracking.

For quick fixes and configuration changes, use live remote file editing: open a file directly from the server, edit it in your preferred editor, and automatically upload changes on save. This is ideal for config updates, CSS adjustments, and small production hotfixes—without repetitive download and upload cycles. A consistent routine helps reduce risk: validate changes on staging first, then apply them to production in the next tab.

Key Takeaways

  • If you know WinSCP, the core workflow will feel immediately familiar on macOS.
  • Use SFTP or FTPS for secure transfers and organize servers with tabs to avoid costly mistakes.
  • Work faster with drag & drop transfers, a clear queue, and live remote file editing.