Straight answers about how FilePilot works, what it costs, and how it keeps your passwords safe.
FilePilot is an open-source project featuring a visual dual-pane file transfer client and a premium multi-tab terminal emulator built natively for performance and security using Rust and Tauri.
Yes. Both FilePilot Client and FilePilot Shell are 100% free and open-source under the MIT License. There are no paid tiers, no per-user licensing fees, and no hidden subscriptions.
Your credentials (passwords, private SSH keys, bucket keys) are stored locally on your workstation inside a sealed SQLite database. They are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM, with a key derived from your local Master Password via PBKDF2. FilePilot operates on a zero-knowledge model and never uploads your keys.
The desktop client supports high-throughput parallel file transfers and directory synchronization over SFTP, FTP, and Amazon S3 buckets.
You can run local PTY shells (such as Command Prompt, PowerShell, and WSL on Windows; zsh, bash, and fish on macOS and Linux) as well as secure remote SSH terminals with custom tab layouts.
No. FilePilot is built on privacy-first principles. We collect zero telemetry, zero usage analytics, and zero crash logs. Your transfer sessions and commands happen completely offline and local to your workstation.
FilePilot was built to modern engineering specifications. Review the details below to see how it compares to legacy clients.
| Evaluation Parameter | FilePilot (Client + Vault) | FileZilla Client | WinSCP | Cyberduck |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memory Footprint | Low (~42MB) | Low (~35MB) | Low (~30MB) | High (~220MB, Java overhead) |
| Secure Enclave Seal | PBKDF2 (600k iter) + AES-GCM | Plaintext XML (Base64 only) | Registry obfuscated | Windows Credential/macOS Keychain |
| Multi-thread Sync | Yes, parallel Tokio channels | No (Serial files queue) | No (Serial files queue) | No (Serial files queue) |
| Central Sync Server | Yes, Enterprise Vault Provisioning | No | No | No |
| Real-time Audit Logs | Yes, SHA-256 tamper-evident chain | No (Text file only) | No (Text file only) | No (Text file only) |
| Active SSH terminal | Yes, inline terminal component | No | No (PuTTY shortcut only) | No |
| Plugin Support | Yes, manifest JSON plugins SDK | No | No | No |
| JS Automation Scripting | Yes, Event hooks + sandbox API | No | No (CMD Scripting only) | No (CLI execution only) |
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