SFTP vs SSH: What Is the Difference? | Hostvento Knowledge Base

What is SSH?

SSH stands for Secure Shell. It is a safe way to control a remote computer by typing commands. It scrambles everything you send. Scrambling is called encryption.

What is SFTP?

SFTP stands for SSH File Transfer Protocol. It is a safe way to move files to and from a server. It runs inside an SSH connection. So SFTP is built on top of SSH.

A good comparison: SSH is the secure road. SFTP is a delivery truck that drives on that road.

Main differences

Point	SSH	SFTP
Main job	Run commands on a server	Upload, download and manage files
How you use it	Terminal window	File program such as FileZilla or WinSCP
Default port	22	22 (same port)
Scrambled?	Yes	Yes

SFTP is not FTP

FTP is an older way to move files. It sends passwords and files in plain text. SFTP is much safer. Do not mix it up with FTPS, which is FTP with an extra security layer and uses different ports.

When to use which

Use SSH to restart a service, edit a config file or run a script.
Use SFTP to upload a website, download a backup or change file names.

How to try each

For SSH, open a terminal and type:
```
ssh username@your-server-address
```
This opens a command session.
For SFTP in a terminal, type:
```
sftp username@your-server-address
```
This opens a file session. Use put to upload and get to download.
For a click-and-drag way, open a program like WinSCP or FileZilla. Choose SFTP and enter your details.

Your login details are in your welcome email. Ask Hostvento support if SSH or SFTP is available on your plan.

Tip: Some accounts allow SFTP but not full SSH commands. This is normal and keeps shared servers safe.

Quick recap

SSH runs commands on a server.
SFTP moves files and works through SSH.
Both use port 22 by default and both are encrypted.
SFTP is safer than plain FTP.
Pick the one that fits your task.