How to connect over FTP or SFTP

Applies to: All plans.

Before you start: You need access to your cPanel (open your service in the client area -> Services -> My Services, then Log in to cPanel), your domain name, and an FTP client installed on your computer (for example FileZilla, Cyberduck or WinSCP).

FTP lets you transfer files between your computer and your hosting account using a desktop client, which is handy for bulk uploads, large files, or working with a code editor. If you only need to move a file or two, File Manager in cPanel is quicker — see How to upload files with File Manager.

For a secure connection we recommend FTP over TLS (FTPS / explicit AUTH TLS), which encrypts your login and files over the standard FTP port. Prefer SFTP? That is secure file transfer over SSH on a separate port — see Connecting over SFTP at the end of this article.

Step 1: Create an FTP account in cPanel

Your main cPanel login already works for FTP, but it is good practice to create a separate FTP account per site or per person.

In cPanel, go to Files -> FTP Accounts.
Under Add FTP Account, type a Log In name and pick your Domain from the list.
Set a strong Password (use the password generator).
Set the Directory the account can access — for a website this is usually the site's document root (for the primary domain, public_html). Leaving the default restricts the account to that folder.
Click Create FTP Account.

Result: The new account appears under FTP Accounts, and its full username is shown as user@yourdomain.com. You will use that full username to log in.

Step 2: Get your connection details

Setting	Value
Host / Server	`yourdomain.com` (or the server IPv4 address `185.185.49.198`)
Username	The full FTP username, e.g. `user@yourdomain.com`
Password	The password you set in Step 1
Port	`21`
Encryption	Require explicit FTP over TLS (FTPS) in your client

We strongly recommend turning on explicit FTP over TLS (FTPS) so your login and files are encrypted. In FileZilla, set Encryption to "Require explicit FTP over TLS"; most other clients offer an equivalent "FTP with TLS/SSL (explicit)" option.

Our hosting is dual-stack — if you connect by IP, use IPv4 185.185.49.198 or IPv6 2a00:7c80:0:286:c::10.

Step 3: Connect with your FTP client

Open your FTP client and create a new connection or site.
Enter the Host, Username, Password and Port (21) from the table above.
Set the protocol/encryption to FTP over TLS (explicit FTPS), then connect.
On first connect you may be asked to trust the server's certificate — accept it to continue.

Result: You see your account's folders on the right (or remote) side of the client. Drag files into the correct site folder — usually public_html for your primary domain — to upload.

FTP account limits by plan

The number of separate FTP accounts you can create depends on your plan. Your main cPanel account always works for FTP and does not count towards this limit.

Plan	FTP accounts
Self-Managed Lite	2
Self-Managed Plus	10
Self-Managed Pro	Unlimited
Managed Starter	10
Managed Growth	25
Managed Business	Unlimited

If you reach your limit, the fix is to upgrade your plan.

Connecting over SFTP

SFTP is secure file transfer over SSH — a different protocol from FTP, and a good choice if your client or network prefers it. The FTP accounts you create above do not work for SFTP; you connect as your main cPanel account instead.

Setting	Value
Host / Server	`yourdomain.com` (or the server IPv4 `185.185.49.198`)
Protocol	SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol)
Port	`18890`
Username	your cPanel username
Password	your cPanel password

Important: SFTP uses port 18890, not the default 22. Set the port explicitly in your client, or the connection will fail.

Your SFTP session is jailed to your own account — you can reach your own files but not the rest of the server. If you would rather authenticate with an SSH key than a password, add your public key in cPanel → Security → SSH Access → Manage SSH Keys.

Both FTPS (port 21) and SFTP (port 18890) are fully encrypted — use whichever your client supports.

Troubleshooting this task

Login fails (530 / authentication error): Use the full username user@yourdomain.com, not just user. Recheck the password, or reset it under FTP Accounts.
Cannot connect at all: Confirm you are using port 21 and that encryption is set to explicit FTP over TLS. Some office or café networks block FTP ports; try a different network.
Connected, but the site does not change: Make sure you uploaded into the correct folder (public_html for your primary domain), not your home directory.
Domain not resolving yet: If your domain is brand new or still propagating, connect using the server IP 185.185.49.198 instead of the domain name.