Use lftp when you need an FTPS client on Ubuntu from the terminal, with the server’s hostname, login details, and certificate confirmed before any transfer.
FTPS and SFTP are different protocols
FTPS adds Transport Layer Security (TLS) to FTP, while SFTP transfers files through SSH. An SFTP server is not automatically an FTPS server, so their connection settings are not interchangeable.
If your host documents SFTP, start with the SFTP client setup on Linux. Continue here only when the host specifies FTPS, FTP over TLS, explicit TLS, or implicit TLS.
Install lftp on Ubuntu
Refresh the package index, then install lftp from Ubuntu’s configured repositories to get an interactive FTPS client.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install lftp
The image shows the installation step that precedes a connection. Confirm the installed client before you enter credentials.
lftp --version
I verified that lftp starts and reports its linked TLS library on the current package available for this refresh. Your package version can differ because Ubuntu releases ship their own package revisions.
Connect to an explicit FTPS server
Explicit FTPS begins as FTP and upgrades the connection to TLS when a host specifies explicit FTP over TLS.
lftp -u YOUR_USERNAME ftps://ftps.example.com
Replace YOUR_USERNAME and ftps.example.com, then enter the password when lftp prompts for it and use a protected secret-management method instead of leaving it in shell history or a script.
After authentication, the prompt changes to the remote host. Run ls to inspect the remote directory, with the Linux ls command reference available for listing options.
Connect to an implicit FTPS server
Implicit FTPS starts with TLS immediately, commonly on port 990, and belongs only where your provider explicitly specifies implicit FTPS and its port.
lftp -u YOUR_USERNAME -p 990 ftps://ftps.example.com
A connection failure can mean the wrong FTPS mode, a blocked firewall port, or a server that only offers SFTP, so do not guess a port from another protocol.
Transfer files after you verify the remote directory
Use cd to move through the remote site, put to upload, and get to download after confirming the current remote directory.
ls
cd public_html
put report.txt
get remote-report.txt
bye
The upload screen shows the file-transfer phase, not proof that every server accepts the same path or permissions. If an upload fails, check the directory with Linux users, groups, and permissions before changing credentials.
The retained command results show separate remote-file operations and offer a visual check for the command you choose, not a substitute for confirming your own server path.
Keep certificate verification enabled
lftp verifies server certificates by default. For a verification failure, use the hostname named in the certificate and ask the server administrator to repair an expired, untrusted, or mismatched certificate.
Do not use a setting that disables certificate verification as a routine fix. It removes the check that helps you detect an impostor server or an interception attempt.
Use FileZilla when you need a graphical client
FileZilla provides a graphical alternative for dragging files, inspecting transfer queues, or saving a connection in Site Manager. Install it from Ubuntu’s repositories and select the FTPS mode your provider documents.
sudo apt update
sudo apt install filezilla
The installation image shows the package step. In FileZilla, use the hostname, port, username, and FTPS encryption choice supplied by your host, not settings copied from an SFTP account.
Troubleshoot the connection in the right order
- Confirm that the service is FTPS, not SFTP. See how an FTP server is configured on Ubuntu when you administer the server.
- Check whether the provider requires explicit or implicit FTPS and which port it exposes.
- Use the certificate hostname, not a raw IP address, when certificate validation is enabled.
- Verify the remote path and write permission before retrying put or get.
If you automate a transfer after the interactive connection works, use a restricted account and keep its credentials out of the script. For recurring directory copies between Linux systems, curl on Linux can help with one-file retrieval, while rsync is a better fit when both endpoints support SSH.
Conclusion
lftp gives you a focused FTPS workflow on Ubuntu: install the client, choose the server’s explicit or implicit mode, verify its certificate, inspect the remote directory, then transfer files. Keep the connection details supplied by your host next to the command so you do not mix FTPS settings with an SFTP account.