Why I happily paid for the Transmit MacOS app - and it's not just the 16x faster file transfer speed

2026-06-01 · Source: News and Advice on the World's Latest Innovations | ZDNET · Field: Technology & Digital — Software Development & Engineering, Cloud Computing & IT Infrastructure · Depth: Intermediate, short

Summary

The Transmit MacOS app, available for a \$45 one-time fee with a 7-day free trial, offers a robust solution for transferring files to and from remote servers and cloud services. It supports protocols like FTP, SFTP, and WebDAV, alongside cloud platforms such as Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Box, Dropbox, Azure, OneDrive, and OpenStack, though Google Drive support is being phased out. Key features include a well-designed GUI, drag-and-drop functionality, and a powerful Sync option for maintaining data synchronization, which can serve as a backup solution. The app also allows users to create Favorites for quick access to frequently used servers. Notably, Transmit delivers impressive transfer speeds, reportedly up to 16x faster for large files sent to services like Amazon S3, with one test showing over 4,000 files synced to an SFTP server significantly faster than with other applications.

Key takeaway

For MacOS users regularly transferring files to diverse remote servers or cloud storage, Transmit offers a compelling upgrade. If you prioritize speed, security, and a streamlined workflow, its \$45 one-time fee is justified by features like 16x faster transfers, SSH Key Authentication, and robust synchronization for backups. Consider utilizing its Favorites for quick access and the Sync option to automate data consistency across your systems.

Key insights

Transmit offers a comprehensive, fast, and user-friendly MacOS file transfer solution for diverse remote services.

Principles

• A well-designed GUI enhances user adoption for complex tasks.
• Synchronization features can double as effective backup solutions.
• SSH Key Authentication improves SFTP connection security.

Method

To sync files, navigate local and remote folders, click the Sync icon, configure options, run a simulation, then click Sync Files.

In practice

• Use Transmit's Sync for automated remote data backups.
• Configure SSH Key Authentication for secure SFTP transfers.
• Create Favorites for instant access to frequently used servers.

Topics

• MacOS Applications
• File Transfer Protocol
• Cloud Storage Integration
• SFTP
• Data Synchronization
• Backup Solutions

Best for: Software Engineer, IT Professional, DevOps Engineer

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Editorial summary, takeaway, and curation by AIssential. Original article published by News and Advice on the World's Latest Innovations | ZDNET.