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There's file sharing, a built-in chat window, buttons for common keyboard shortcuts, full-screen mode, and clipboard sharing. Host Side The computer that will be connected to needs to download and install the software. File Sharing Software for Mac. File sharing software helps users store and access files over an organization's network or over the internet. The tool simplifies collaboration by offering file access to all stakeholders, regardless of their device or location. Common features include access controls, audit trails, encryption, and directory search.

A file sharing software is an application that facilitates the sending and receiving of files and collaboration among users via the Internet or a local network. File sharing software tools enable end users to exchange a wide range of file formats–such as text documents, images, and videos–and share access to storage space. It is commonly used to download and share media files with other people.

Collaboration used to involve people meeting physically, where they bring all their materials with them to plan and discuss things. In some instances, one meeting is never enough to accomplish everything. And to set up one meeting takes too much work, effort, time, and resources, not to mention the need to travel great distances. How much more if it’s a series of meetings? But that was then. Today, because of technological innovations like file sharing software, collaborating and exchanging opinions with colleagues from anywhere is not only a possibility but rather a common workplace practice.

This article–which is also an outcome of file sharing technology as this was written collaboratively with valuable inputs from experts and users–aims to provide you with a working knowledge about this wonderful, very helpful technology and answer questions like: What is file sharing software? What does file sharing software do? Why use file sharing software? And how does file sharing software work? Aside from providing some definition of file sharing software, it will also discuss some of the best file sharing tools examples, definition, pricing schemes, advantages, and purpose of file sharing software.

What are examples of file sharing software?

File Sharing App Macbook

1. Dropbox Business

Dropbox Business – sample direct integration with a productivity software.

Dropbox Business is one of the examples of file sharing software. It is a premium version of Dropbox for business organizations, although the pricing difference, as well as looks and functionality, are not that significant if you’re a long-time user of Dropbox. These are among the reasons why Dropbox Business has become the most widely used file sharing solution in the corporate world.

More than 150,000 business organizations use Dropbox Business in their operations, such as National Geographic, News Corp., Macmillan, and Yahoo. Corporate users can share files, automatically have them synchronized, and readily collaborate with members of their team, as well as with business partners. Because of its wide-integration support, users can stay on top things of how their important data are shared, accessed, and used, while ensuring complete control of user activity and seamless productivity using most productivity and business apps. It offers generous storage space, dedicated live support and a high-level of security.

2. Google Drive

Google Drive is another popular file storage platform and collaboration software that allows users to store and access files anywhere on any device connected to the Internet. Offered free or with paid premium plans, this file sharing solution is indubitably the most used cloud-based storage application across the world. Key to its popularity is the convenience of storing all your data–music, images, videos, and text documents–in a single location.

It also offers users instant synchronization of store data in all linked user accounts and connected gadgets, anywhere, 24/7. Its support for file history provides users the option to either retain or undo the changes made. Empowered by Google’s technology, Google Drive draws heavily on most of its industry-leading apps and functionalities, such as Google Chrome and Gmail. It is also easy to use and is a typical choice among start-ups, SMBs, and freelancers who require a robust file sharing system that is not heavy on the pocket. It is also deeply integrated with all Google apps like Calendar and Google Docs to support team productivity and efficiency.

3. DropBox

Dropbox dashboard – sample view of team folders.

Another widely-used file sharing solution, Dropbox is a cloud-based productivity platform designed to help teams and individual users gain better efficiency and productivity. For sharing and storing files, it provides reliable off-site servers and allows users to automatically sync files online, even across all devices used. For years, it is one of the leading names when it comes to file sharing and is a preferred solution especially among individual users since the service is provided for free, which already involves a generous data storage capability.

Over 500 million people worldwide use Dropbox for uploading and sharing files because it doesn’t have any restriction on how many files to be shared or how many users will be given access to the shared files. By harnessing the power of cloud technology, Dropbox has made data access, storage, and retrieval more effortless and efficient. It is also OS agnostic, meaning it can run on any system, whether PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, or Android, further supporting productivity.

4. Apple iCloud

Apple iCloud is a cloud-based file sharing and storage system that allows users to store and manage multi-format documents, media, and exclusive Mac/iOS files and apps like iBooks, iTunes, Pages, and email servers. It is also fully automated and supports wide integration with third-party iOS and macOS apps through the iCloud API. To differentiate itself from the competition, the vendor added the capability of enabling users to manage their Apple devices when stolen or lost.

It helps allows users to save storage space in their devices as it automatically uploads the original (often larger) high-resolution photos to iCloud while creating a smaller version of each photo in the device. Its smart storage system is also notable as it allows users to organize their files by creating folders that can be tagged with distinct colors, which automatic update across all devices whenever changes are made. It is also designed for helping work teams easily collaborate with each team member.

5. Pitchroom

Pitchroom dashboard – User data room selection.

Unlike other similar types of apps, Pitchroom is a file sharing solution designed specifically to provide users with a safe digital showroom where they can showcase their concepts, actual product/service inventions, and other valuable offerings to potential clients or investors. Essentially, it is a virtual meeting place where business people come together to hear sales pitches, discuss business deals, and other related activities, while being assured of having a high level of protection for the confidential and proprietary data being shared.

Aside from sharing textual content, users can also embed/play videos and music, and post images, slideshows, and other related data. It also offers comments, polls, and feedback functionalities in real time to motivate parties to share their insights and overall user experience. Aside from these notable features, Pitchroom users will appreciate the individual branding support it provides as they can customize the virtual data room to highlight the essence of their innovative works–all with the aim of helping to close deals, win investors, and ensure success.

What are the benefits of file sharing software?

Even prior to the widespread use of the Internet, it should be noted that file sharing in its earlier forms is already a popular function of computer technology. Here are the key advantages of file sharing software for businesses:

1. Digital Workplace. Digital file sharing is indubitably one of the underlying forces behind the earlier initiative to achieve a paperless office, which had already gone a long way today. In business, file sharing is a major business application used by millions of companies and individual users across the world.
2. End-user. Usage of file sharing solutions differs in terms of the type of business or industry of the user organization (or individual practitioner). Businesses with the highest number of users include information technology, media, banking, telecommunication, education, utilities, and insurance. File sharing is also one of the must-have SaaS tools for small businesses.
3. Convenience. File sharing, especially via the cloud, offers a wide array of advantages especially among users from different geographic locations and diverse timelines. It only takes a single click to transmit files to usually takes only one click to send numerous files to a group of users, while access is typically reliable and quick. Vendors also adhere to international regulatory policies and government laws, which also helps businesses uphold a high level of compliance to protect reputation and brand image.
4. Time & resource savings. With file sharing technology, business resources–particularly money, employee effort, and time–become efficiently utilized like never before, while operational tasks are completed more quickly, with minimal room for error. File sharing apps also drastically hastened the nature of work collaboration, compared to sending business documents via snail mail or parcel.
5. Ease of access. File sharing platforms are also instrumental in supporting various new forms of job arrangements, including work-from-home and third-party contracting. Employees and business partners who are usually on-the-go can readily access files wherever they are, whenever they need to do so.

What are the types of file sharing software?

After learning about the uses of file sharing software, let’s now turn to its different types. File sharing solutions are generally classified into several types based on their function. They typically offer most functionalities, especially the data transmission and storage. Here are the most common types of file sharing software in the market today:

• Cloud-based. This is presently the most preferred type of file sharing program, which provides more convenience and some of the other features that modern businesses require. Cloud-based file sharing apps enable users to send files, create folders, and collaborate with their colleagues anytime, anywhere as long as there’s an internet connection using any device they want to use. It also offers the advantage of having shared files automatically synchronized, which ensures that files being collaborated upon are instantly updated to help things move forward and projects get completed faster. Examples: Google Drive and Dropbox.
• Peer-to-peer. This type of sharing app allows the direct transfer of files from one gadget (used by one peer) to another (peer), thus the name and definition. Rather than using a single central server, this platform uses the computers in a network of peers (users) as a group of node servers. Large files are commonly split into smaller parts, which can be derived from numerous peers (called seeders) and will then be put together by the peer who downloads the file. Even prior to completing the download, the downloader is also acting as a seeder from whom other peers are retrieving the same file. Examples: Spotify and BitTorrent.
• Client-server. This type typically involves webpage, FTP sharing, and email. A client-server program commonly stores data in a central location such as a server and then transmits it to users or clients who ask for the data. Example: IBM Aspera.
• System-native. This kind of file sharing system operates as a native function of the operating system of a computer. It works as a built-in capability of an OS to share files among computers with the same OS, typically inside a local network. Examples: Mac OS and Windows OS.

What are the features of file sharing software?

Another crucial aspect of file sharing platforms is its major features. Although all of them have similar offerings, the differences lie in how each feature and functionality is designed to address user needs. Here are the common major features offered by the best file sharing software, including some definition and processes involved:

1. File transmission. This function pertains to the transfer of data over a digital channel of communication, which involves either a point-to-point transmission or a point-to-multipoint transfer. The mode of transfer and its average speed are the key aspects of this process.
2. Data Storage. Once a file is transferred, it is stored in a folder that file-owners/users can access using a browser-based or a mobile app, which can then be readily shared with fellow users. How much storage space you must avail will depend on your business requirements. For instance, if your team tend to share large volumes of data, it is best to select a plan with unlimited storage.
3. Dashboards. A key component of today’s generation of sharing platforms nowadays is the intuitive, integrated dashboard which functions as the control center of all app activities, including file sharing permissions, monitoring, etc.
4. Password Protection. Once a file is shared online, it automatically becomes vulnerable to various forms of malicious attack, which is why it best to choose a vendor with reliable data and user information security.
5. Granular Access. A robust form of user protection control, granular access determines the access levels of users to ensure that only those with the proper clearance are allowed to access certain files.
6. Data Recovery. Robust data recovery tools are deployed by file sharing vendors to address the common incidence of accidental file deletion. There are file sharing apps that offer file protection services that keep backup copies of stored files for a certain period of time.
7. Support. Providing customer support is a staple offering of technology vendors, but it comes more crucial once the handling of sensitive business data becomes a part of the service being provided. So it is best to only deal with vendors with a reputable security record.
8. File Version History. A usual issue when collaborating with a team online is keeping track of all versions of files being exchanged. This is why file sharing apps are keeping copies of every version of files being collaborated upon to enable users to still access older and deleted files if needed.
9. Third-Party Integrations. File sharing platforms are not designed to function in a vacuum–they are supposed to be a part of the entire collaborative environment–meaning, they should have a wide range of integration with external apps, to ensure productivity and efficiency of work teams and client-partners.

What are the factors to consider when getting file sharing software?

Virtually every business, big or small, uses some form of file sharing tools as a way to drive efficiency and productivity. However, issues like security and compatibility concerns can jeopardize company operations. With so many vendors to choose from, with most, if not all, asserting that their file sharing solution is the best in the market today, how does a business decide which platform to adopt to address their file sharing requirements? Here are some pointers to consider to make a sound platform selection.

1. List of features you really need. To make your trip to the grocery store efficient, it’s good practice to have a list of things to buy. The same approach should be applied when searching for a file sharing solution. Since your chosen application will become an integral part of your business, you must ensure that your selection will have the necessary features and functionalities that you and your work teams will need to enhance their productivity. This is why it is best to first talk to all your staff on which features that must be present in the app that you’ll select, and them consolidate all of them to create a short-list of must-have tools and features. If you have distributed teams, it should also offer the basic features of collaboration tools. This will make your selection process faster and more precise.
2. Take advantage of free trial offers. Why buy software solely based on advertising alone when you can actually drive test one first before making an actual purchase? Choosing and using any new software is a resource and time investment so you have to make it right. Good thing most SaaS vendors are offering 30-day free trials or demo that you can readily avail to actually experience using some of the file sharing software that you’d want to use. This will help a lot in identifying which of the apps you’ve tried is the one for your business.
3. Targeted Users. File sharing apps, like any other software solution, are designed with pre-targeted users in mind. Some are made for start-ups and small businesses, while others are built for medium and large enterprises. So it is also important to consider for what type of users a file sharing app is meant for, such as for the volume and other specific uses it is designed to handle, such as for SMBs, or functionalities it provides, like for businesses that require cloud-based access as they have teams mostly doing fieldwork. Another aspect to look for is whether the software offers scalability and flexibility, which can prove to be a great option for businesses seeking to grow along with the platform that they use.

How much does a file sharing software cost?

The cost of file sharing software depends on a wide variety of pricing plans, which include monthly or yearly rates and by quote. Here are the price points of some of the above samples of file sharing platforms:

1. DropBox Business – Standard plan starts at $12.50/user/month, starting at 3 users, 3 TB of space, Smart Sync, 256-bit AES and SSL/TLS encryption, 120 days of file recovery, two-factor authentication (2FA), etc. Advanced plan $20/user/month, provides as much space needed, with sophisticated security and control features.
2. Google Drive – Free for 15 GB, paid plans start at $1.75/user/per month with 100 GB storage, access to Google experts, etc., up to $278 for 30TB/user/month.
3. DropBox – Basic plan is free for 2GB storage, with 30-day history file recovery, shared folders and links, etc. Plus plan at $9.99/user/month for 2 TB storage, with Smart Sync, remote device wipe, 30-day history Dropbox rewind, etc. Professional plan at $16.58/user/month for 3 TB storage, with full-text search, AutoOCR, shared link controls, viewer history, watermarking, etc.
4. Apple iCloud – Free plan for 5GB storage. Its most popular plan is 50GB at $0.99/month, which is best for file storage and backup. It also offers a 200GB plan at $2.99/month and a 2TB plan at $9.99/month, which can be shared for up to 5 family members.
5. Pitchroom -Offers a free plan with 1 branded data room, 50 MB storage, up to 10 users. Pro plan at $19/month, 3 branded rooms, 500 MB storage, up to 10 users. Business plan at $99/month, 5 branded data rooms, 5 GB storage, up to 10 users.

What are the potential issues with file sharing software?

Similar to other software technologies, file sharing platforms are also susceptible to several problems that may originate externally (fraudulent use or access to files) or internally (faulty software design, technical glitch, etc.). Some examples include the following:

1. Security. File sharing apps–being one of the most helpful and used technologies today–are a common tool used in cyber attacks, both by professional hackers and ordinary individuals. For business users that must ensure the protection of confidential personal data of their customers, it is never an option to compromise their security. Which is why it is best to choose only from tested and reliable vendors that provide high-grade security protection, plus robust features like granular access.
2. Technical skills requirements. Team members and business partners typically have varying degrees of technical know-how, so it is inevitable that some novice can’t cope up with the file sharing knowledge of advanced users. There’s also the challenge of data control, such as keeping track of shared documents. This is why minimal training or some form of mentorship is necessary to put everyone on the same page in as far as technical skills in file sharing and content management are concerned.
3. Copyright Infringement. Numerous files shared over sharing platforms, especially over P2P, will always be plagued with copyright issues since both hackers and non-technical users will be liable to criminal suits if caught sharing proprietary files, mostly involving software apps and movies.

What are the latest file sharing software trends?

From the very first form of file sharing such as removable media, bulletin board systems, FTP servers, and IRC, people have been exchanging files and documents both for business and personal use. Today’s modern file sharing technology is generally attributed to the emergence of the first peer-to-peer system, Napster, in 1999. Most trends in file sharing software tend to involve two general aspects: the average file size continuing to reduce, while file sharing and storage systems keep on advancing in terms of speed and capacity. Here some of the current trends in file sharing software:

1. Social Integration. Social technologies are already an integral part of the entire file sharing users worldwide. In fact, the efficient integration of file sharing, especially videos and images, are now a key element of many social media optimization strategy.
2. Compliance. The recent enforcement of EU’s GDPR had prompted companies and websites worldwide to update their privacy policies and features. In this world of continuing compliance to stricter digital access data laws, all forms of technological applications are greatly affected, which include file sharing platforms.
3. Mobile-friendly. File sharing solutions should be accessible via mobile gadgets. Mobile accessibility, nonetheless, should also include mobile user-friendliness to help ensure a seamless user experience.
4. IT control. File sharing applications are also introducing an increasing number of administrative features, such as activity reporting, oversight, and remote wipes, mainly providing similar benefits of document management solutions. Providing enterprise-grade control, which empowers the IT team to restrict the sharing and access to confidential data across multiple devices, has become the norm to further ensure protection and security.
5. Expanding collaboration. The use of collaboration via file sharing apps is further increasing in terms of features and functionality, which is why vendors are busy innovating in this regard.
6. Centralized file systems. An increasing number of sharing applications are building centralized databases where files can be shared externally and within the users’ domain. Hosting all business data on a single location enables businesses to easily classify them, not to mention the provision of a more secure storage system.

Do You Need File Sharing Software?

It’s time to go beyond the question: what is file sharing software? Do you, in fact, need it? If you’re using email and the ubiquitous Google Drive, you and your team are already practicing some semblance of file sharing. In short, file sharing is inherent in your organization even without you deliberately adopting the tech. Dedicated file sharing solutions, however, take this culture of collaboration to the next level with deeper collaboration and more transparency. So, you’re only taking team productivity to the next level when you opt for a premium file sharing software. You can’t go wrong with it. Especially that you have plenty of choices out there, beginning with the best file sharing software in our database, as reviewed and recommended by our team of experts.

FTP, or file transfer protocol, is simple: Connect to a far-off computer. Send your stuff to it, or get stuff from it. The end. And though we now live amid a plethora of cloud file storage services – Dropbox, Amazon S3, Google Drive, ad infinitum – the basic idea remains the same.

But finding the right app to make those transfers happen can get tricky. Search for 'FTP' in the App Store, and you're swiftly buried beneath a pile of contenders clamoring for your cash. Keep reading to discover which ones we liked best.

A few ground rules

Every app in this roundup supports good old reliable FTP and its more secure cousin, SFTP, usually with several intermediate flavors of security in between. And unless otherwise noted, every app here works with WebDAV, which does everything FTP can do on an HTTP-centric Web server. When an app supports cloud services beyond those basics, we'll let you know.

Free FTP apps

You can find several FTP apps for a cool zero dollars. They don't tend to be as feature-rich as the paid apps we'll discuss later, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're a poor choice.

Mac OS X's built-in FTP capabilities

Let's just say there's a reason people make, sell, and use third-party apps. Technically, you can use the Finder's Go > Connect to Server… command to log into FTP or SFTP servers. But in my tests, this ran relatively slowly, and I could download files but not upload them. Unless you're desperate, consider other options.

FileZilla (The FileZilla Project, filezilla-project.org)

FileZilla is an open-source, cross-platform app, and that means exactly what you think it does: a boxy, utilitarian, non-Mac-like interface designed by professional programmers, for professional programmers. Getting around FileZilla may be rational, but it isn't pretty.

The program works admirably fast when uploading or downloading your files, but that's about all it has in its favor. It won't remember your server passwords from one session to the next, which can be a real pain with a long, complex password. And its ridiculous update system, which downloads an entirely new copy of the app, then obliges you to copy it manually into the Applications folder every time a new version rolls out, would be less obnoxious if it didn't seem to roll out new updates every five minutes. Skip it.

Cyberduck (iterate GMBH, cyberduck.io)

This veteran contender boasts crazy fast file transfers and an impressive roster of cloud service options: Amazon S3, Google Drive, Google Cloud Storage, Azure, Backblaze, Dropbox, OneDrive, and DRACOON. It also offers the ability to synch up a local and remote directory, a powerful feature more often found in paid apps. But it loses points for a dated, unattractive interface – including when synching – and for its baffling decision to use a single-pane layout.

Rather than use two panes — one showing a folder on your local computer, the other showing the remote directory to which you've connected, so that you can easily drag and drop files between the two – Cyberduck's single pane obliges you to drag files to and from a separate Finder window, a needless bit of extra hassle.

And while the program's technically free, it'll nag you to pay up often, and charges App Store downloaders a lot more ($24) than it does folks who purchase a registration key on its own site (a minimum donation of $10). If you're going to pay for an FTP client, you have better choices than this one.

ViperFTP Lite (Naarak-Studio, viperftp.com)

This isn't one of those better choices I mentioned above. The opening screen for this junior version of a fuller-featured app features a cheesy come-on for both its paid big sibling and a selection of other low-rent apps from the same company. Any bad vibes you get from that welcome quickly multiply once you're in the app itself.

I give ViperFTP Lite credit for incorporating Amazon S3 and, uniquely, YouTube in its list of connection options. But the interface is a dud, transfers feel sluggish, and in my tests, the app once crashed entirely while trying to open a new connection.

ForkLift 2 (BinaryNights, binarynights.com)

ForkLift's creators are giving version 2 away for free on the App Store to promote their newer version 3, which we'll get to later in this roundup. But version 2's nothing to sneeze at. It offers respectable (though not amazing) transfer speeds, and a clean, Mac-like interface I found intuitive and appealing. In addition to the usual FTP and WebDAV options, ForkLift can connect to Amazon S3, AFP, and SMB servers.

You definitely get what you pay for: Neither ForkLift version will remember your server passwords or store them in the Keychain, and in ForkLift 2, Droplets — a mini-app that lets you transfer files to a specific destination just by dragging and dropping files onto it, without opening ForkLift itself – just didn't seem to work. Still, if you need a free app simply to move files to and from an FTP server, you could do a whole lot worse than this.

Paid Apps

If you actually shell out money for a file-transfer app, expect fancier features such as more connection options, droplets, and sophisticated synch abilities. But while on average, paid apps work better than free ones, some are far more worth paying for than others.

Commander One / CloudMounter ($30/$45 each, Eltima Software, mac.eltima.com)

If you imagine a typical file-transfer app as the center point on a spectrum, then Commander One would exist way over on the 'MORE' side of that line, and CloudMounter far in the opposite direction on the 'LESS.' Both let you move files to and from remote servers, but CloudMounter pares down that process to its simplest form, whereas Commander One piles on features for power users. Each is available for $30 on its own, or with a 'lifetime upgrade guarantee' for a total of $45.

You can download Commander One for free as a file manager and replacement for the Finder, with potent searching and sorting powers. Paying up for its 'Pro Pack' adds FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, Dropbox, Amazon S3, OneDrive, and Google Drive connections, among other advanced features.

But while it's written entirely in Swift for maximum Mac-friendliness, Commander One suffers from an interface that's more or less intuitive, but too crowded and boxy to appeal to most users. I also found its transfer speeds middling at best. Its file-transfer features aren't worth paying for unless you really love using the app as a file manager as well.

If you want to try before you buy, make up your mind quickly; my promised 15 days of free access to the Pro features somehow elapsed in less than five.

I mostly praised CloudMounter when I previously reviewed it, and an unobtrusive app that easily mounts remote drives directly in the Finder remains a great idea. But the more I used CloudMounter after my initial tests, the more its connection problems shifted from 'occasional' to 'frequent,' especially when I tried to access an SFTP server.

When I revisited it for this roundup, it bogged down and hung on a simple SFTP transfer that every other app handled with aplomb, and its connections tended to crawl under the best circumstances. It also lacks any of the sophisticated search or synch features other paid apps, including Commander One, offer.

And if you get it from the App Store instead of Eltima's site, you're stuck with in-app purchase options that turn it into a subscription product, charging $29.99 a year or $9.99 for three months. Despite its broad range of connection capabilities – Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, OneDrive, OpenStack Swift, Backblaze, and Box – I can no longer recommend it in its current form.

Yummy FTP Pro ($30, Yummy Software, yummysoftware.com)

Yummy FTP Pro offers a well-built but way-too-basic FTP client. Files transfer speedily, the app performs reliably, and the interface looks clean, if a tad crowded. Its synch features offer plenty of power and options, but they're not particularly intuitive. And Yummy FTP Pro can only connect to FTP, SFTP, and WebDAV.

If it were free, I'd embrace Yummy FTP Pro in a heartbeat. But even its Lite version costs $10, and at $30 for Pro, you have better options for your money.

A note to App Store users: The version of Yummy FTP Pro available here is older than the one on Yummy Software's site, and sells for $15.

ForkLift 3 ($30, BinaryNights, binarynights.com)

ForkLift 2's big sibling soared over my initial low expectations, with features and overall quality that seriously contend for first place in this roundup. I liked the crisp, logical, Finder-like interface, which tries to keep options and icons to a minimum.

Its respectable suite of file systems include Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Dropbox (through the Finder, if you've already installed the Dropbox app), Google Drive, Rackspace CloudFiles, and – unlike most other apps here – SMB, AFP, and NFS. If you install the free, open-source Mac FUSE software, you can even mount any of these remote drives in the Finder.

A nifty little menubar icon enables remote mounting, along with a cool 'synclet' feature that lets you drag files directly into a pop-up window to upload them without opening the app – no Droplet icon or other shenanigans necessary.

ForkLift also quietly doubles as a file manager – one that looks and feels a lot friendlier to average users than Commander One does. Unique among the apps discussed here, ForkLift 3 can preview and play video files and edit text and HTML files directly within the app. It can even compare the contents of two files or images (though depending on which method you use, you may need to install Apple's Xcode developer tools to enable that).

ForkLift 3 may fall just short of my top choice here, but it's an excellent app nonetheless, and a terrific value for the money.

Transmit ($45, Panic Software, panic.com)

The big kahuna of Mac file transfer apps does nearly everything you've read about above, with a level of polish and user-friendliness that justify a price tag half again as high as any other app on this list.

I liked its clean, simple interface – though I'll confess that it took me longer than expected to figure out how everything worked. Connecting to a server caused me no trouble, but I struggled to determine just where and how I could add a connection to my Favorites, or turn it into a Droplet.

But that minor headache was the only one Transmit gave me. Every other facet of this app has been honed until it gleams. Transmit boasts tons of features yet never seems overwhelming, in part thanks to Panic's excellent, searchable, plain-English text files.

The app brims with clever features such as DockSend; specify a folder in the Finder and a remote server directory, and when you drag any file from that Finder folder to Transmit's icon in the Dock, it'll automatically get whisked to the right remote destination. Those transfers happen at hellacious speeds, too. And its list of compatible cloud services can't be beat: Amazon S3, Amazon Drive, Backblaze, Box, DreamObjects, Dropbox, Google Drive, Azure, OneDrive/For Business, OpenStack Swift, and Rackspace Cloud Files.

The designers seem to have thought long and hard about how actual humans would use Transmit. For example, the app doesn't just tell you that you'll need to install FUSE to enable desktop mounting of remote disks; it links you to a crystal-clear set of instructions on Panic's site that will walk you through the whole process.

And I absolutely loved Transmit's super-intuitive synch interface, which doesn't just offer abundant options, but also summarizes your choices in plain English sentences before you commit to them – a courtesy that saved me from making at least one thunderously dumb mistake in my testing.

In short, Transmit earns its sterling reputation, and then some.

Note to App Store users: Transmit 5 is available here as a free download with a $25 annual subscription price. Visit Panic's site for a one-time $45 purchase.

Sharing Mac To Mac

The winner's circle

Among paid apps, Transmit stands head and shoulders above the rest. If you're in a cash crunch, though, ForkLift 3 offers most of Transmit's finer points at two-thirds of its cost. And if you just need a free, simple way to move files from point A to point B, ForkLift 2 beats all contenders in its class.

Got a file-transfer favorite we overlooked here? Connect with us and upload your thoughts in the comments below.

The Mac lineup

Main

Windows 10 File Sharing Mac

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Mac Os X File Sharing

Apple says its offices in the US will not fully reopen until at least 2021

File Sharing Mac To Mac

According to a report from Bloomberg, Apple is planning for its office and many of its retail workers to remain remote for the rest of the year.