WinSCP for Mac does not exist. One app does instead.
Mongrel is the WinSCP-for-Mac answer: a native Apple-silicon desktop app with a dual-pane File Manager for FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP, S3, WebDAV, Azure Blob, and SMB, offering Resume, a durable queue, Sync this folder, multi-select, drag and drop, recursive transfer, and cancellation. WinSCP is Windows-only; Mongrel puts file transfer beside terminals, databases, containers, and Kubernetes in one Mac app.
macOS Apple silicon · Linux x86-64 · Windows x64 and ARM64
// Why you are here
File transfer was never a separate job.
WinSCP set the bar for dual-pane file transfer, and it stayed on Windows. Mac workarounds often split transfers, terminals, and database work across separate apps. Mongrel gives FTP, FTPS, S3, WebDAV, Azure Blob, and SMB their own File Transfer profiles while SFTP and SCP reuse SSH terminal profiles, all inside the same workbench.
// What ships
What you get with Mongrel instead.
FTP, SFTP, S3, WebDAV, Azure Blob, and SMB
Local and remote panes side by side for FTP, explicit and implicit FTPS, SFTP, SCP, S3, WebDAV, native Azure Blob, and SMB/CIFS, with Resume, a durable queue, recursive transfer, and cancellation.
Automatic SCP fallback
When a server disables the SFTP subsystem, Mongrel falls back to SCP mode with a visible badge, so locked-down hosts still work.
Profiles built for each protocol
FTP, FTPS, S3, WebDAV, Azure Blob, and SMB use standalone File Transfer profiles. SFTP and SCP share SSH terminal profiles with key files, agent auth, jump-host chains, and protected passphrases.
Terminals beside transfers
SSH, Mosh, Telnet, Serial, and local shells with logging, triggers, quick commands, and recording, one tab over from the file manager.
Database tunnels
Per-connection SSH tunneling for 30+ database engines, so the file manager, the terminal, and the database client share one credential story.
Docker and Kubernetes files
Container file browsers, logs, and exec next to remote file transfer, for the days the file you need lives inside a pod.
// Side by side
Mongrel vs WinSCP, feature for feature.
| Capability | Mongrel | WinSCP |
|---|---|---|
| macOS support | Native macOS Apple silicon build | Windows only |
| Transfer protocols | FTP, explicit/implicit FTPS, SFTP with SCP fallback, S3, WebDAV, native Azure Blob, and SMB/CIFS | SFTP, SCP, FTP/S, WebDAV, and S3 |
| Transfer features | Dual panes, Resume, durable queue, Sync this folder (no deletes), multi-select, drag and drop, recursive transfer, cancellation | Transfer queue, scripted and scheduled folder synchronization, including deletes |
| Session integration | Shares SSH profiles with terminals, tunnels, and database connections | Standalone file-transfer sessions |
| Beyond file transfer | Terminals, 30+ database engines, Docker, Podman, Kubernetes, and an API client | A focused file-transfer client |
| Price and license | Commercial; annual plans from $99/year with a free 7-day trial | Free and open source |
// Honest tradeoffs
Where WinSCP still has the edge.
WinSCP is free and open source and still leads on scripted and scheduled folder sync, including deletes. Mongrel's Sync this folder is a dry-run compare that queues ordinary transfers and never deletes extras. Mongrel covers WebDAV, S3, native Azure Blob, and SMB alongside FTP/FTPS and SFTP/SCP. On Windows, keep WinSCP when sync scripts or mirror deletes matter. On a Mac it offers nothing, and the honest choice is between a free transfer-only client and Mongrel's integrated workbench.
// FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Is WinSCP available for Mac?
No. WinSCP is a Windows-only application. On a Mac the usual answers are a standalone file-transfer client, the command line, or a desktop workbench like Mongrel with a dual-pane File Manager for FTP, SFTP, S3, WebDAV, Azure Blob, and SMB.
What is the best WinSCP alternative for Mac?
It depends on the job. For occasional transfers, free Mac file-transfer clients are fine. If your transfers sit next to SSH sessions, database tunnels, and containers, Mongrel covers all of it in one native app instead of a file manager plus a terminal plus a database client.
Does Mongrel support SCP as well as SFTP?
Yes. Mongrel uses SFTP by default and falls back to SCP automatically when the server disables the SFTP subsystem, with a badge showing when SCP mode is active. Some operations, like remote rename, are unavailable in SCP mode.
Does Mongrel support FTP and FTPS on Mac?
Yes. Mongrel supports FTP, explicit FTPS, and implicit FTPS with active or passive data mode. FTPS verifies certificates and protects both control and data channels.
Can Mongrel synchronize folders like WinSCP?
Mongrel can compare the open Local and Remote folders and queue the planned uploads and downloads. It does not delete extras, and it has no WinSCP-style sync script or scheduler. Keep WinSCP when you need scripted or mirror sync.
How are credentials handled?
SSH passwords and key passphrases use the OS credential facility when available, an optional master password can encrypt stored secrets at rest, and credentials are stripped from exports by default.
Related guides and comparisons
File transfer beside terminals, databases, and infrastructure.
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