68

I Googled for it, tried a few of them, but I find that even the simplest I found (www.xlightftpd.com) is way too complicated.

I just need this:

  • single EXE or portable (ie. no installer, just unzip -> run)
  • the root directory is where the server EXE lives
  • any use can connect and read/write. No need for user accounts. This is for a test lab as an alternative to setting up Samba on a Linux host.

Does someone know of an application that does this? I'm looking for the FTP equivalent of the Mongoose web server.

Thank you.


Edit: Thanks for the feedback. I found one that just works, FTPdmin, although it runs in a DOS box instead of providing a basic GUI. Unless someone knows of a GUI alternative, I'll just use that application.


Edit: Here's how to launch sfk (Swiss File Knife):

sfk165.exe ftpserv -verbose -rwany

Note:

  1. sfk works in active mode; the client must type "passive" to switch to passive mode
  2. Even with "-verbose", there's no real-time indication that a big download is running as expected.

Edit: I took a look at the other suggestions. Small HTTP and Quick ‘n Easy FTP Server Lite have too many features (including having to create user accounts), and CrushFTP is Java-based. Looks like there's no no-thrill, single-user, GUI-based FTP server for Windows, so FTPdmin/sfk are the only options for a really simple FTP server.


Edit: The winner is... Baby FTP Server.

3
  • You made your quesion (and answer in one) nearly completely unreadable due to much more edits than basic, not-edited text. Consider removing previous edits and leave only "winner" section.
    – trejder
    Feb 3, 2014 at 9:08
  • How is this not Constructive? Jan 29, 2015 at 8:35
  • 2
    Please, Up-Vote, Star and +1 for both the question and answer. I needed just this same item and was directed here by Google. Several Alternatives are highlighted and compared from people who have actually used different FTP choices, thus giving future hopefuls an informed option list. Stop this Nonsense of marking peoples questions as irrelevant, or not constructive - Your Moderation is the only thing that seems irrelevant really. Jan 29, 2015 at 8:39

10 Answers 10

53

This one is definitely portable:

http://www.pablosoftwaresolutions.com/html/baby_ftp_server.html

Here is another option that is not portable:

http://filezilla-project.org/

6
  • Thanks for the link. smallftpd-1.0.3-fix insists on creating a user account + doesn't support "ls" or "ls -al". FileZilla FTP Server seems even bigger and is not available without an installer; I googled for "FileZilla Server portable", but it doesn't seem available (old messages from circa 2006). Mar 13, 2012 at 15:40
  • 4
    Try this .. I missed that you wanted it portable pablosoftwaresolutions.com/html/baby_ftp_server.html Mar 13, 2012 at 15:44
  • 2
    Thanks for the link. BabyFTP Server is exactly what I was looking for :-) Mar 14, 2012 at 1:10
  • @MicahArmantrout I check this solution and actually it is easy and good solution for FTP server, but i could not found any review for it that Is it safe for security perspective or not ? or if you have any review, please share it. Thanks Mar 25, 2019 at 14:12
  • 1
    I would trust Filezilla its been in the industry for more that 15 years and I use their client all the time and as a bonus its open source. If your looking at Baby FTP they provide the source which I think talks to security but other that I can't speak to it Mar 25, 2019 at 21:27
18

Have you evaluated the native FTP Server feature?

enter image description here

I doubt it will perform as simply as you would like it. But maybe you weren't even aware of this feature.

Possibly relevant: How do I setup an FTP server on Windows 7?

7

This might also meet all your needs.

FTPDMIN: http://www.sentex.net/~mwandel/ftpdmin/

4
  • Thanks, I just found it. I notice that it doesn't print anything while downloading, which let me to wonder if it got stuck when downloading a 600MB file. I'll check if there's a way to get it print status infos. Mar 13, 2012 at 15:59
  • The link in my other answer has a -verbose command, if you don't need multiple simultaneous connections it might be better for you. Mar 13, 2012 at 16:27
  • Thanks. The "-verbose" isn't very good, as it just sits there, while I would like something like ETA or ##### to show me that the application isn't just stuck or there's a firewall on either/both sides. Mar 13, 2012 at 16:44
  • ftpdmin is rubbish. I tried to download one file and I get a 550 error, which seemed to be because of the filename (according to the source code). Renamed the file and now it won't even connect - 550 Could not change to directory. Don't waste your time.
    – Timmmm
    May 19, 2015 at 17:55
6

I've used Quick 'n Easy FTP Server a lot, and it does what it says on the tin.

4

http://stahlworks.com/dev/index.php?tool=ftpserv

This looks like it meets your requirements. The only caveat I see is it only allows one connection at a time.

4

Filezilla Server is free

http://filezilla-project.org/

Not sure if there is a portable version.

4
  • Filezilla is an FTP client...not a server.
    – martineau
    Mar 14, 2012 at 0:07
  • 4
    Filezilla has both a client and a server available. Apr 12, 2013 at 14:52
  • 2
    I just tried downloading Filezilla server, and there was no offline installer to be downloaded, only the Source Forge installer, which, when i ran it, was forcing me to install trialware (from Real Networks) or quit the Filezilla install. I quit.
    – theglauber
    Mar 5, 2014 at 20:47
  • filezilla-project.org/download.php?show_all=1&type=server I don't know if that requires trialware. If it does I wouldn't install it either. Mar 5, 2014 at 20:48
3
  • SmallHTTP (contrary to name, have POP/SMTP/FTP/HTTP servers inside, GUI)
  • wzdftpd (missing on site, no GUI, run as service)
2

If you want a GUI, I've used Bullet Proof before and it's very good. Looks like they have a "portable" option now. I cannot attest to it's simplicity, but worth a try.

http://bpftpserver.com/products/bpftpserver/windows

2

Have a look at CrushFTP It works well, has too many features to list here and runs on many platforms. Eval lets you try it and support is great even during trial

1

TypSoft FTP Server
http://www.softpedia.com/get/Internet/Servers/FTP-Servers/TYPSoft-FTP-Server.shtml

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