SFTP vs. SCP: What's the Difference?
SCP is ideal for quick, direct file copies, while SFTP offers more advanced functionality like file browsing, renaming, and permission changes—making it the better choice for complex workflows.
SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol) and SCP (Secure Copy Protocol) are both used for transferring files between a local host and a remote host or between two remote hosts.
While both protocols run on port 22 and utilize the SSH (Secure Shell) protocol to establish an authenticated connection, they are not one and the same.
In this post, we’ll explain the differences between the two and prompt you in the right direction when choosing a protocol.
Be sure to check out our SFTP vs. SCP Feature-By-Feature comparison as well for a more technical deep dive.
Let’s begin with a few words about each protocol:
What is SFTP?
SFTP is a secure file transfer protocol that emerged in the late 1990s and is a successor to the original file transfer protocol, FTP. It is based upon SSH (Secure Shell), which is the standard way to connect to UNIX/LINUX servers.
SFTP operates in a client-server architecture where a client connects to a server and downloads or uploads files to and from it and manages the files and directories on it.
Interested in seeing how SFTP matches up to FTPS as well? Be sure to check our our latest SFTP vs. FTPS benchmarks.
What is SCP?
SCP is a secure file transfer protocol that is best described as the combination of the SSH (Secure Shell) and RCP (remote copy protocol) protocols. While the SSH protocol offers authentication and encryption, the RCP is used for transferring files to or from the server.
Now that we’ve covered the definition segment, it’s time to compare the two protocols with respect to security, speed, functionality and file size limitations.
Key differences between SFTP and SCP
1. SFTP vs. SCP security
As the amount of data and information exchanged over the web constantly increases, the importance of data security is inevitable.
In order to prevent cyber assaults, both SCP and SFTP utilize TCP port 22 and SSH (secure shell), providing top level security features such as encryption for data-in-motion, public key authentication, password authentication, auditing of failed logins, limits on number of failed attempts, and more.
Unlike SCPSCP may have some vulnerabilities
2. SCP vs. SFTP performance
When it comes to file transferring speed, you’ll find many resources on the internet claiming that SCP holds the upper hand over SFTP with upload and download speed.
However, in our preliminary tests, it wasn’t proven to be obvious whether one protocol is considerably faster than the other when uploading or downloading single large files or a multitude of small files over the internet or within a local network.
3. SFTP vs. SCP functionality
SFTP offers a wide range of functionality: file listing, file access and deletion, resuming of upload/download processes, creating/viewing/searching and deleting directories, etc.
SCP doesn't allow you to manage the file system, but only to upload or download files to and from the server.
SCP does allow a simple method of downloading a directory recursively, including all child files and directories, which is more complex with the plain command line SFTP client, but simple to perform using GUI clients or using the lftp command line.
4. SCP vs. SFTP file size limitations or concurrency limitations
Neither SCP nor SFTP have file size restrictions or concurrency limitations.
In the case of a possible limit imposed on the number of concurrent connections to the server by the SSH daemon, the client should be able to control the number of connections used to transfer files concurrently.
Verdict: SFTP vs. SCP, which is better?
While both protocols offer secure file transfer via SSH, SFTP is the more versatile, future-proof option. It supports advanced file operations like directory management, file renaming, and permission changes—making it better suited for automation, scripting, and modern workflows.
SCP, on the other hand, is limited to basic copy operations and is now deprecated in many environments. Even tools like WinSCP and OpenSSH are transitioning away from SCP in favor of SFTP by default.
Bottom line? If you're building anything beyond the simplest file copy task, SFTP is the smart choice.
Does SFTP To GO support SFTP or SCP?
SFTP To Go supports the SFTP protocol, which is the protocol that offers more functionality out of the two. It also supports FTPS, S3 and HTTPS as file access protocols.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does SFTP work?SFTP uses SSH to establish a secure connection for file access, transfer, and management between a client and server.
How does SCP work?SCP uses SSH to securely copy files between hosts, but supports only basic upload/download functionality.
What’s the main difference between SFTP and SCP?SCP is a simple command-line tool for secure file copying, while SFTP supports broader file operations like browsing directories, renaming, and deletion.
Is SFTP more secure than SCP?Both use SSH encryption, but SFTP allows for better access control, logging, and auditability, making it more suitable for modern workflows.
Why is SCP being deprecated?SCP is deprecated due to protocol limitations and known vulnerabilities. Many implementations are switching SCP commands to use SFTP under the hood.
Which protocol is easier to automate: SCP or SFTP?SFTP supports batch scripting, wildcards, and file management commands—making it better suited for automation.
Does SFTP have file size or concurrency limits?SFTP has no built-in file size limit. Concurrency is controlled by the SSH server and client settings.
Is SCP still safe to use?It’s technically secure over SSH but lacks modern protections and flexibility. SFTP is the safer and more robust option today.
Post photo by Scott Graham on Unsplash