Teleport
File transfers, teleported.
A free, open-source native FTP, FTPS, and SFTP client for macOS —
with tport, a scriptable command-line tool, built in.
or brew install --cask jeffcaldwellca/tap/teleport-ftp
macOS 14 Sonoma or later · Free & open source (GPL-3.0)
WHY TELEPORT
A native macOS file transfer client, built for people who live in both the Finder and the terminal.
FTP · FTPS · SFTP
Connect to any server over FTP, FTPS, or SFTP — with SSH keys, ssh-agent, and host-key verification built in.
Scriptable CLI
tport brings every core feature to the terminal — automate transfers and script deployments from any shell.
Resume & Conflict Handling
Interrupted transfers pick up where they left off. Overwrite-if-newer conflict resolution keeps files in sync.
Native SwiftUI
Built for macOS from the ground up — fast, lightweight, and right at home on your Mac.
Several Servers at Once
Every connection gets its own tab and stays connected while you work in another.
Folder Sync
Compare a local and a remote folder, preview the differences, and transfer only what changed — in the app or with tport sync.
Your SSH Setup, As Is
Passphrase-protected keys, ssh-agent, and hosts from ~/.ssh/config work the way they do for ssh.
Safe by Default
A failed download never damages the file it was replacing, local deletes go to the Trash, and a server is verified before your password is sent.
GET TELEPORT
Install with Homebrew or grab the notarized disk image — either way, tport comes along.
HOMEBREW
brew install --cask jeffcaldwellca/tap/teleport-ftpInstalls Teleport.app and links tport onto your PATH. Update later with brew upgrade --cask teleport-ftp.
The cask is teleport-ftp — the bare teleport name in Homebrew belongs to an unrelated SSH product.
DIRECT DOWNLOAD
Open the .dmg and drag Teleport to Applications. Signed and notarized, so it opens without Gatekeeper warnings.
Want tport too? Settings › General › Install Command Line Tool.
HOW TELEPORT COMPARES
A free, open-source alternative to Cyberduck, Transmit, ForkLift, and FileZilla — focused on FTP, FTPS, and SFTP done well.
| Teleport | Cyberduck | Transmit | ForkLift | FileZilla | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | Paid | Paid | Free (Pro adds cloud) |
| Open source | ✅ GPL-3.0 | ✅ GPL-3.0 | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ GPL-2.0 |
| Native macOS UI | ✅ SwiftUI | ⚠️ Java-based | ✅ | ✅ | ⚠️ cross-platform UI |
| FTP / FTPS / SFTP | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cloud storage (S3, etc.) | — | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | Pro only |
| Scriptable CLI included | ✅ tport | ✅ duck | ❌ | ❌ | ⚠️ limited |
Teleport trades cloud-storage breadth for a smaller, focused native app: FTP, FTPS, and SFTP done well, with a real CLI included rather than sold separately.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is Teleport?
Teleport is a free, open-source native macOS app for transferring files over FTP, FTPS, and SFTP.
Is Teleport free?
Yes. Teleport is free and open source, licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0.
Does Teleport have a command-line interface?
Yes. Teleport includes tport, a scriptable command-line tool for automating file transfers from the terminal or shell scripts.
Does Teleport support SSH keys and ssh-agent?
Yes. Teleport authenticates over SFTP with ed25519, ECDSA, and RSA keys, including passphrase-protected ones, with keys held by ssh-agent, and can import hosts from ~/.ssh/config.
Can Teleport sync a folder with a server?
Yes. Teleport compares a local folder with a remote one, shows what differs, and uploads or downloads only the files that changed. The same is available from the terminal as tport sync.
What macOS version does Teleport require?
Teleport requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or later.
Where can I download Teleport?
Teleport is available for free from the Releases page on GitHub, or with Homebrew: brew install --cask jeffcaldwellca/tap/teleport-ftp.
Is Teleport a free alternative to Cyberduck, Transmit, ForkLift, or FileZilla?
Yes. Teleport is a free, open-source, native SwiftUI alternative for FTP, FTPS, and SFTP transfers on macOS, with a bundled scriptable CLI (tport). It focuses on FTP/FTPS/SFTP rather than the broader cloud-storage support in apps like Cyberduck, Transmit, and ForkLift.
Is Teleport related to the Teleport infrastructure access platform by Gravitational?
No. This Teleport is an unrelated, independent macOS FTP/FTPS/SFTP desktop client and is not affiliated with Gravitational's Teleport access platform.