Transmit

Transmit moves files between your Mac and remote servers or cloud storage. A dual-pane window, a familiar Finder-like model, and support for SFTP, FTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Backblaze B2, Box, and more — mounted, browsable, and fast.

Why it makes the list

Panic has been setting the standard for Mac app design since the early 2000s, and Transmit is one of the reasons. It is quick (large batches transfer in parallel), thoughtful (Panic Sync keeps your servers on every Mac, folder syncing does the right thing), and finished to a level that makes most utilities look unfinished.

Standout features

• Dual-pane transfers with drag-and-drop between local and remote

• Twelve-plus protocols and cloud providers in one app

• Transmit Disk — mount a server or bucket as a volume in Finder

• Folder sync with rules, previews, and dry runs

• Panic Sync for encrypted server list sync across Macs

• Batch renaming, file diffing, and a built-in editor

Pricing

A one-time purchase (around $45) with a free seven-day trial.