FTP vs SFTP: Which Should You Use to Upload Files?

FTP vs SFTP vs FTPS (Comparison Table)

Encryption and architecture. FTP — the 1971-vintage protocol — runs credentials, commands and file contents in cleartext over port 21 plus wandering data ports. SFTP runs everything inside one encrypted SSH session on port 22. The full field:

They share a purpose but no code — despite the name, SFTP is not FTP secured. cPanel hosting on WebJi® ships SFTP as the standard path.

How Each Protocol Works Under the Hood

Two practical notes on FTP protocol: it interacts directly with caching and database response, and misconfiguration is the most common cause of 'hosting is slow' tickets. WebJi® support checks it as part of standard migrations.

Security: Why Plain FTP Is Effectively Dead

Use SFTP (port 22) when the host offers it; plain FTP (port 21) sends the password in the clear. The username and the path come from the hosting panel, and the remote folder for the site is usually public_html. A successful login to the wrong directory is why files upload and the site does not change.

Connecting With FileZilla Over SFTP (Steps)

Five steps for your hosting account:

1. Install FileZilla.
2. Confirm credentials — on WebJi® shared hosting, your cPanel username works over SFTP on port 22 with the panel password.
3. Site Manager → New Site: Protocol 'SFTP - SSH File Transfer Protocol', Host yourdomain.com or the server IP, Port 22, Logon Type 'Normal' (or 'Key file' with an SSH key).
4. Connect and accept the host-key prompt — that fingerprint check is SSH verifying the server.
5. Transfer: left pane local, right pane remote, drag across.

Common errors: '530 authentication failed' means wrong credentials; 'connection refused' means port 22 is blocked somewhere — try the server IP.

Firewall and Port Considerations

SFTP needs exactly one port — 22 inbound — which is why it sails through NAT and firewalls where FTP demands configuration.

Plain FTP behind NAT requires the server's passive-port range configured and opened, and active mode almost never survives client-side NAT. FTPS is fiddlier still: explicit needs 21 plus a passive range; implicit needs 990 plus the range — pin the range small (30000–31000) if you must run it.

On cPanel you can additionally whitelist your IP for SSH/SFTP, tightening who can even attempt login. Before any bulk transfer, compress: one 200 MB tar.gz beats 4,000 small files, and the cPanel File Manager covers single-file edits without any client at all.