CompleteFTP
Flexible. Secure. Built to last.

CompleteFTP supports FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP and SSH (from version 4.0).

FTPS is often described as FTP over an SSL connection, while SFTP is file transfer secured by SSH. SCP is an earlier form of secure copy which is also over SSH. CompleteFTP also supports SSH terminals.

The Standard Edition supports FTP, FTPS and SFTP.
Both SCP and SSH are additionally supported in the Professional Edition.

Licenses are per server
CompleteFTP licenses are purchased per server - one license for each machine that CompleteFTP is running on.

Licenses don't expire
When a license is purchased, it includes 12 months of technical support and upgrades. The license never expires, and so it can be used perpetually without ever renewing technical support. Renewal of technical support is required to continue having access to upgrades and for assistance when required.

Transferring licenses
CompleteFTP licenses can be transferred between machines by using the "Release License" option on the installed machine.

Volume licensing
We offer substantial discounts for purchasing multiple licenses.

Most customers choose the Professional Edition—it offers secure protocol support (SFTP, FTPS, SCP, HTTP/S), integration with Active Directory, automation via triggers and scripting, and powerful user and permission controls.

The Standard Edition is ideal for basic secure transfers using FTP, FTPS, and SFTP. It's a cost-effective option for environments that don’t require Windows user integration or advanced features.

The Enterprise MFT Edition is designed for demanding environments that require scalability, high availability, and custom integrations. It adds support for clustering, protocol gateways, cloud storage access, and custom authentication and scripting via .NET and JSS extensions.

Compare all editions here.

If your trial period has expired and you require further time to evaluate CompleteFTP, we are happy to extend your trial period. Please note that after the trial license expires, it converts to "Developer Mode", which only permits connections from the local machine. You can use it indefinitely in this mode. But if you need to do further testing with a fully functional trial, here's how to extend it:

1. Connect to your CompleteFTP server using the manager on the machine it is installed on.
2. Go to the Licensing tab.
3. Click on 'Apply purchased license'.
4. Click the 'indirect activation" link at the top of the dialog.
5. Enter "TrialUser" in Step 1.
6. Click the 'copy' link in Step 2 to copy the generated URL to your clipboard.
7. Paste it into an email and send it to us.
8. We'll send you back an activation key to paste into Step 4.

CompleteFTP is not directly PCI DSS certified, but it can help you meet key PCI DSS requirements when configured appropriately.

The PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) defines a baseline of technical and operational requirements to protect cardholder data. While FTP servers themselves aren't "certified" for PCI DSS, they can support compliance efforts as part of your broader infrastructure.

When configured securely, CompleteFTP can assist with:

• Requirement 1: Use IP filtering and place CompleteFTP behind a firewall.
• Requirement 2: Disable default settings, anonymous access, and insecure protocols (e.g. FTP, HTTP). Use SFTP/FTPS for admin access.
• Requirement 3: Store sensitive data securely using tools like PGP. Disable unnecessary features like SSH terminal access.
• Requirement 4: Only use encrypted transfer protocols such as FTPS, SFTP, and SCP.
• Requirement 8: Ensure each user has a unique ID; disable automatic user mapping.
• Requirement 10: Use CompleteFTP’s audit logging and auto-banning features to monitor access and detect threats.

For full compliance, CompleteFTP must be used alongside network security policies, firewalls, encryption tools, and access control procedures.

No, CompleteFTP is not FIPS-140 certified—but it can operate in FIPS-compliant environments.

From version 6.3.0 onwards, CompleteFTP supports running on systems where Windows’ “FIPS-compliant algorithms” setting is enabled. This means that while CompleteFTP itself is not certified, it can still run within a FIPS-enforced configuration.

We’ve chosen not to pursue FIPS certification for several reasons:

• Cost and complexity: Certification is expensive and time-consuming, typically pursued by large vendors with legacy products—this doesn’t guarantee better security.
• Security trade-offs: Enabling FIPS mode in Windows can actually result in the use of older, weaker algorithms (e.g., for EFS encryption), rather than modern, more secure protocols that are not yet certified.

If your organization requires FIPS-140 certified components, we recommend reviewing the specific encryption libraries and Windows configuration in use with CompleteFTP.