MOUNTAIN DUCK VERSION 5
Mountain Duck 5 In-Depth Review: The Network Drive, Perfected
Mountain Duck, from the developers of the iconic Cyberduck FTP client, has always occupied a unique niche. It’s not a sync tool like Dropbox or Google Drive; it’s a system-level utility that mounts remote servers and cloud storage as local disks. Version 5 represents a fundamental architectural shift, refining the application into a more powerful, efficient, and modern tool than ever before.
This review will break down the experience of using Mountain Duck 5 on both macOS and Windows, focusing on what makes it exceptional and for whom it is an essential upgrade.
Overview: What is Mountain Duck?
For the uninitiated, Mountain Duck allows you to take a vast array of remote storage protocols—including Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Backblaze B2, FTP/SFTP, WebDAV, Azure Blob Storage, and even OneDrive or Dropbox—and mount them as a drive letter in Windows or a volume in macOS. Once mounted, you can work with these remote files directly in any application (Finder, Explorer, Adobe Suite, VS Code, etc.) as if they were on your local machine. It abstracts away the complexity of the protocol, presenting a universal interface.
What’s New in Version 5? The Silent Revolution
Version 5 might not seem like a massive feature drop on the surface, but its changes are profoundly impactful where it matters most: under the hood.
1. The Foundation: .NET 6 Runtime
This is the headline feature and the core of the entire upgrade. Mountain Duck has been completely rebuilt on the modern .NET 6 framework.
- Performance Leap: The most immediate noticeable difference, especially on Windows, is the significant performance boost. Directory listings, file transfers, and general navigation feel snappier and more responsive. The application is less resource-intensive, leading to smoother multitasking.
- Native Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Support: This is a game-changer for Mac users. Previous versions ran via Rosetta 2 emulation. Version 5 is a native ARM64 application. The result? Dramatically faster launch times, drastically reduced CPU usage (and thus better battery life when accessing remote files), and a feeling that the application is now a true citizen of the modern Mac ecosystem.
- Enhanced Security and Stability: .NET 6 is a Long-Term Support (LTS) release from Microsoft, meaning it benefits from ongoing security patches and has a rock-solid, modern foundation. This translates to a more reliable and secure application.
2. Modernized User Experience
The interface has received a thoughtful refresh to align with macOS Ventura+/Sonoma and Windows 11 design languages.
- Streamlined Preferences: The bookmark (connection) setup process is cleaner and more intuitive. Protocol-specific options are well-organized, making it easy to configure advanced settings like S3 storage classes or SFTP permissions.
- System Integration: The application menu, system tray icon, and dialogs now feel native to their respective operating systems, ditching any legacy UI elements.
3. Refined File Handling and Previews
- Accurate File Icons: Remote files now more reliably display their correct application icons in Finder/Explorer, a small but crucial usability improvement for visually scanning folders.
- Improved Preview Generation: Quick Look on macOS and thumbnail previews in Windows generate more quickly and reliably for supported file types like images and PDFs.
Core Strengths & Enduring Value
The version 5 update amplifies Mountain Duck’s existing, unparalleled strengths:
1. The Ultimate Workflow Unifier
Mountain Duck’s killer feature remains its ability to make any application work with cloud storage. You don’t need a dedicated “Save to S3” plugin for your video editor or code editor; you just save or export directly to the Mountain Duck-mounted drive. This seamless integration is transformative for professionals.
2. Unmatched Protocol Support
It remains the Swiss Army Knife of cloud storage access, supporting an incredible range of services in one tool:
- Cloud Object Storage: Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Azure Blob Storage, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces, Linode Object Storage.
- File Transfer Protocols: FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV.
- Consumer Clouds: Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive (though their native sync clients are often sufficient for basic sync).
- Self-Hosted: Nextcloud, ownCloud, or any standard WebDAV/SFTP server.
3. Powerful Professional Features
- File Locking: Critical for collaboration. Prevents edit conflicts when multiple users are working on files via SFTP or WebDAV.
- Bandwidth Throttling: Allows you to limit upload/download speeds to prevent file transfers from saturating your network connection.
- Transparent Encryption: Deep integration with Cryptomator. You can mount an encrypted Cryptomator vault stored on your remote storage, providing a powerful layer of end-to-end encryption for sensitive data without sacrificing convenience.
- CLI Access: Once mounted, you can use any command-line tool (
cp,mv,rsyncon Mac/Linux;xcopy,robocopyon Windows) to manage files, enabling powerful automation scripts.
How it compares
- Versus native clients (OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive): Mountain Duck gives you a single OS-native, placeholder-based workflow across many backends—not just one—plus Cryptomator. You can also run “online only” without consuming disk, and selectively pin items offline. mountainduck.io
- Versus ExpanDrive/CloudMounter/NetDrive: All aim to mount clouds as drives. Mountain Duck’s new Integrated mode and first-party Cryptomator support are differentiators; ExpanDrive, for example, uses FUSE and has moved to a freemium/subscription model. If you want perpetual per-seat licensing and deep protocol coverage with client-side encryption, Mountain Duck is compelling. Wikipediamountainduck.io
Who should upgrade?
- Yes: Anyone living in Finder/Explorer with multiple backends (S3 + SFTP + SMB + OneDrive, etc.), or who wants native iCloud/OneDrive-style placeholders without being locked to a single provider. If you rely on FTP/SFTP/WebDAV, Custom Versioning alone is worth it. docs.cyberduck.io
- Maybe: If you only use one consumer cloud and the official sync app works fine, Mountain Duck is overkill—unless you want Cryptomator or a lighter footprint versus installing several vendor clients. Cyberduck
Performance and Real-World Use
In daily use, version 5 feels noticeably leaner and more responsive. The native Apple Silicon build is the star of the show—operations that previously caused a noticeable CPU fan spin now barely register. On Windows, the application feels less like a “helper app” and more like an integrated part of the OS.
The performance of any network drive is inherently tied to your internet connection. However, Mountain Duck 5 minimizes its own overhead, ensuring that your connection speed is the primary bottleneck, not the software itself.
Considerations and Limitations
- Cost: Mountain Duck is a paid software (€39 for a personal license). This positions it as a professional tool. The free alternative on macOS/linux is
rclone mount, but it requires significant command-line expertise and lacks a GUI or robust caching. - It’s a Network Drive, Not a Sync Tool: This is a conceptual difference. Files are transferred on-demand. If you need full offline access and automatic, bidirectional synchronization of a folder, you need a traditional sync client like the OneDrive or Dropbox app.
- Cache Management: For users working with enormous datasets, the local cache might need occasional management through the preferences to prevent it from consuming too much disk space.
Verdict: Who is Mountain Duck 5 For?
Mountain Duck Version 5 is an essential, must-have upgrade for existing users and a more compelling proposition than ever for new power users.
The transition to .NET 6 is not just a technical checkbox; it delivers tangible benefits in performance, efficiency, and stability. The native Apple Silicon support alone makes it worth the price of admission for Mac-based professionals.
You should strongly consider Mountain Duck 5 if you are:
- A developer working with files on remote servers or S3 buckets directly from an IDE.
- A video editor, designer, or photographer needing to work with assets stored in cost-effective cloud object storage (e.g., Backblaze B2 + Cloudflare).
- An IT professional or system admin who needs a single, reliable GUI to manage files across a vast array of protocols and services.
- A researcher or data scientist working with large datasets stored in the cloud without needing to download them entirely.
- Any power user frustrated with the siloed nature of cloud service apps and wanting one universal “Cloud Drive” on their system.
For those who fit this profile, Mountain Duck is indispensable, and version 5 makes it better than it has ever been.
1. Connection mode
- Choose: Integrated (File Provider)
- On macOS 13+ this means Mountain Duck uses Apple’s native File Provider framework (same tech behind iCloud Drive & OneDrive).
- Benefits:
- Finder shows placeholder files immediately (even for large directories).
- You can work “online only” or right-click > Always keep offline.
- Faster writes compared to the old kernel driver–based mounts.
- Offline access works like iCloud—files hydrate only when opened.
- If you want a permanent “mapped drive” feel (everything direct, no placeholder), you can still pick Smart Sync — but honestly Integrated is the modern, more stable way.
2. Versioning
- WebDAV doesn’t natively version files (unlike, say, S3 or Dropbox).
- Enable Custom Versioning in Mountain Duck’s preferences:
- Every time you overwrite or delete a file, Duck stashes a copy.
- You can restore older versions from the file’s Info window in Finder.
- Saves you from the classic “oops, overwrote that doc on WebDAV and it’s gone forever” problem.
3. Cryptomator vault (optional, but recommended)
- If your WebDAV provider isn’t fully trusted (e.g., shared hosting, owncloud/nextcloud instance on rented server), enable Cryptomator Vault.
- This encrypts filenames, directory names, and contents — with zero dependency on the provider.
- Works seamlessly in Finder; Mountain Duck handles unlocking and mounting the vault.
4. Caching & offline behavior
- In Preferences → Cache, give it a few GB depending on your SSD space.
- This speeds up browsing frequently accessed folders.
- If you want an offline-first workflow, mark project folders with Always keep offline.
- Otherwise, keep them as placeholders to save disk space.
5. Finder integration
- Mountain Duck integrates into Finder’s sidebar as a location.
- You can also enable the Finder extension for context menu actions (e.g., share links if your WebDAV server supports them, or quickly pin offline).
Why v5 helps WebDAV users most
- Speed: Historically, WebDAV mounts on macOS could be flaky and slow (especially for writes). v5’s Integrated mode uses Apple’s APIs, so file transfers behave more like native Finder operations.
- Reliability: No more random disconnects or failed moves due to kernel-driver quirks.
- Safety: With Custom Versioning, you finally have a rollback option that WebDAV itself never provided.
✅ Verdict for your setup:
On macOS with WebDAV, Mountain Duck 5 gives you an iCloud-like experience with extra safety (versioning + optional encryption). I’d go Integrated mode + Custom Versioning + Cryptomator if you care about security.
The sync option works well. There is no need to drag or initiate a file transfer when the ‘Smart Synchronisation’ is activated in the preferences. It provides full overview of connections running or not.
Live connections are ‘green’ and yellow when sync is not running. Color ‘Red’ when connection is not available. So a good visible state of any connection/bookmark created.
The ‘Smart Synchronization’ feature adds offline support. Files are synchronized to the local disk when opened to allow offline usage and changes are uploaded in the background as soon as a connection is available. Dropbox like experience with your preferred on-premise enterprise storage or cloud storage. With the additional option to choose which files and folders are available for offline use.
Other files are visible but only stored as placeholders. These do not take up disk space on the computer and are downloaded on demand only.
When opening ‘Open Connection’ from the menu, you are presented with a list of of possible connections types. However on opening the ‘More Options’ at the bottom of the listing you are presented a huge list of evry possible ‘protocol’ type I know AND more.
This is the full list of supported connections ranging from FTP’s, external storages to your Local Filesystem.
The Mac’s native Finder performs a growing number of functions quite well. What the Finder does not do really well is connect to remote files servers and other computers.
For that, most Mac users have, for decades, used FTP, sFTP, and other file transfer utilities to move files from here to there and back. For FTP, I prefer the Transmit application to be honest, but for any other connection Mountain Duck integrates really well in our Mac’s.
It’s not so much an application, but an integrated connection interface. Its use and features however beat other applications in usefulness and visible status. Another great feature is its support for encryption of your precious files.
An important factor for any FTP utility is its need for stability. Anyone running websites and uses FTP connections understands the importance of stable connections. Any ‘freezing’ or ‘hiccups’ may have direct impact on your websites presence. Mountain Duck 4 is definitely stable and running smooth.
The Best Setup for OneDrive with Mountain Duck 5
This setup guide leverages Mountain Duck’s robust WebDAV client to create a stable, mounted network drive from your OneDrive storage, bypassing the limitations of the native Windows WebDAV client.
Goal: To mount your Microsoft OneDrive as a local network drive (e.g., Z:) using Mountain Duck 5, allowing you to access and edit files directly from any application without syncing them to your physical hard drive.
Prerequisites
- A valid Microsoft account (Personal, Work, or School) with OneDrive storage.
- Mountain Duck Version 5 installed on your macOS or Windows computer.
- Your OneDrive CID (Customer ID). This is a unique identifier for your account.
Step-by-Step Setup Guide
Step 1: Find Your OneDrive CID
The WebDAV URL for OneDrive requires your unique CID.
- Open a web browser and go to onedrive.live.com.
- Log in to your account.
- Look at the address bar. The URL will look like this:
https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=**A0B1C2D3E4F5G6H7**&id=... - Copy the long string of characters after
cid=. In this example, it’sA0B1C2D3E4F5G6H7. This is your CID.
Step 2: Configure the Connection in Mountain Duck
- Open Mountain Duck.
- Click on the Mountain Duck menu in your system tray (Windows) or menu bar (macOS) and select New Bookmark…. Alternatively, use the
Ctrl+N(Windows) orCmd+N(Mac) shortcut.
Step 3: Enter the Connection Details
In the “New Bookmark” window, configure the following settings:
- Nickname: Enter a friendly name for this connection (e.g., “My OneDrive”).
- Server:
- From the dropdown menu, select WebDAV (HTTPS).
- In the address field, enter your WebDAV URL:
https://d.docs.live.net/followed by your CID.
Example:https://d.docs.live.net/A0B1C2D3E4F5G6H7
- Credentials:
- Username: Enter the full email address associated with your Microsoft account.
- Password: Enter your Microsoft account password.
- (Recommended) Check the box for Save Password or Add to Keychain to avoid entering your password every time you connect.
Step 4: Configure Advanced Settings (Crucial for Performance)
Click the Advanced tab to access settings that dramatically improve the experience:
- Encoding: Set this to UTF-8. This is critical for correctly handling filenames with special characters or emojis.
- Transfer Connections: Increase this to 2 or 3. This allows multiple files to be transferred simultaneously, improving speed when working with many small files.
- Cache Policy: The default “Always” is usually fine. For the absolute best performance with frequently accessed files, consider “Until restart.”
- Distribution: Leave this as “Automatic.”
Step 5: Connect and Mount
- Click Connect.
- Mountain Duck will now establish a secure connection to your OneDrive using the WebDAV protocol.
- Once connected, your OneDrive will appear as a new drive letter (like
Z:) in Windows Explorer or as a new volume in macOS Finder.
You can now open this drive and work with your OneDrive files directly from any application on your computer.
Why This is the “Best” Setup
- Superior to Native Mounting: Windows’ built-in “Map network drive” feature for WebDAV is notoriously slow and unstable. Mountain Duck’s client is highly optimized and handles the connection far more reliably.
- Application Agnostic: Once mounted, you can save files from any program (Adobe apps, code editors, games) directly to your OneDrive without needing specific plugins or going through the sync folder.
- Saves Local Disk Space: Files are stored in the cloud and only downloaded when you open them. Your local disk holds only a temporary cache, not a full copy.
- Access to All Files: You can browse your entire OneDrive storage, not just the folders you’ve chosen to “sync” with the official client.
Important Considerations & Limitations
- It’s a Network Drive, Not a Sync Client: Remember the fundamental difference:
- Mountain Duck (Network Drive): Files are transferred on-demand. Ideal for accessing files without using local disk space.
- OneDrive Desktop App (Sync Client): Keeps a full, synced copy of selected folders on your hard drive. Ideal for offline access and automatic backup of local folders.
- Internet Dependency: You need a stable internet connection. Performance is tied to your upload/download speeds.
- Filename Limitations: While better than the native client, some very rare characters might still cause issues due to Microsoft’s WebDAV implementation.
Final Recommendation
Use this Mountain Duck 5 setup when you need to:
- Access your entire OneDrive from a computer without using much local storage.
- Use professional applications that need to save files directly to a drive letter.
- Work on a computer where you can’t install the official OneDrive sync app.
For everyday use and syncing your Desktop/Documents folders, the official OneDrive sync client is still the best tool. But for powerful, flexible cloud access, this Mountain Duck setup is unmatched.
Right click files on a mounted drive will open a menu with items to copy & open URLs of files. This will include the Origin URL, HTTP URLs, CDN and temporary URLs if available.
Right click to add a bookmark for the selected path.
You can change the synchronization options for a bookmark in Connect Mode.
- Default. Use setting from Preferences
- Online. Do not synchronize any files to your computer. You can only access this volume when a connection is possible to the server or cloud storage. Files are accessed on demand from the remote when opened and do not take up any local disk space.
- Smart Synchronization. Files opened are made available for later offline access. You can explicitly make files available offline using the context menu.
Features for Teams
File Locking: Locking files to prevent conflicting edits from others when opening documents in Microsoft Office. Locks files on WebDAV servers when supported or alternatively using lock owner files. Documentation Version 4
- Client-side Encryption: Support for client side encryption with Cryptomator interoperable vaults. Read more.
- File Locking: Support for locking files to prevent conflicting edits from others while a document is open in a editor. Read more.
- File Versioning: You can preview and revert previous versions of files in a versioned bucket in Amazon S3. Read more.
Right click on a folder and choose Open in Terminal to open a SSH connection to the server in Terminal for SFTP bookmarks. This feature is not supported in the version available in the Mac App Store.
Core Functionality & Protocol Support
- Mount Cloud Storage as a Local Disk: The fundamental feature. Mount remote servers and cloud storage as a drive letter in Windows or a volume in macOS, making them accessible in any application (Finder, Explorer, Adobe apps, VS Code, etc.).
- Unmatched Protocol Support: Connect to a vast array of services with a single application, including:
- Cloud Object Storage: Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, Microsoft Azure Blob Storage, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, DigitalOcean Spaces, OpenStack Swift, Linode Object Storage.
- File Transfer Protocols: FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV.
- Consumer Cloud Services: Microsoft OneDrive, Dropbox, Google Drive.
- Self-Hosted Solutions: Nextcloud, ownCloud, and any standard WebDAV or SFTP server.
Performance & Technical Foundation (New in v5)
- Built on .NET 6: A complete rebuild on the modern, high-performance .NET 6 framework, resulting in faster performance, better efficiency, and a more stable foundation.
- Native Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) Support: A native ARM64 application for macOS, delivering dramatically improved performance, reduced CPU usage, and better battery life on modern Macs compared to the emulated Intel version.
- Improved File Caching: Intelligent caching of frequently accessed files for faster reopening and browsing of recently used directories.
Security & Compliance Features
- Transparent Encryption with Cryptomator Integration: A standout feature. Seamlessly open and work with Cryptomator vaults stored on your remote storage. This provides client-side, end-to-end encryption for sensitive data, ensuring privacy even from your cloud storage provider.
- Secure Connection Protocols: Full support for encrypted connections like SFTP (SSH File Transfer Protocol), FTPS (FTP over SSL), and WebDAV over HTTPS (WebDAVS).
- Password Management Integration: Supports using system keychains (macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager) and third-party password managers to securely store credentials.
Professional & Collaboration Features
- File Locking: Crucial for team workflows. Supports locking files on WebDAV and SFTP servers to prevent edit conflicts when multiple users are working on the same files.
- Bandwidth Throttling: Allows you to set limits on upload and download transfer speeds. This is essential to prevent large file transfers from saturating your network connection and disrupting other work.
- Custom Metadata Headers (S3): For advanced Amazon S3 users, the ability to set custom metadata headers and storage classes (e.g., Standard, Glacier Instant Retrieval) directly when uploading files.
Usability & Management
- Bookmark Management: Save and organize all your connection settings (server, protocol, credentials) for easy one-click access to your remote storage.
- File Explorer & Finder Integration: Once mounted, the drive behaves exactly like a local disk. Support for features like:
- Quick Look / Thumbnail Previews (for images, documents, etc.).
- Correct file type icons.
- Drag-and-drop file operations.
- CLI (Command Line Interface) Access: Because it creates a true system drive, you can use any command-line tool (
cp,mv,rsyncon Mac/Linux;robocopyon Windows) to manage files, enabling powerful automation and scripting. - Cross-Platform Consistency: Provides a nearly identical feature set and user experience on both macOS and Windows.
Summary of Key Advantages
- Universal Access: One tool to rule all your cloud and remote storage protocols.
- Application Agnosticism: Makes cloud storage work with every application on your computer, not just dedicated clients.
- Efficiency: Access massive cloud-based datasets without syncing them to your local hard drive, saving precious disk space.
- Professional Grade: Features like file locking, bandwidth control, and Cryptomator integration are tailored for business and professional use.
- Modern Performance: Version 5’s .NET 6 foundation and native Apple Silicon support ensure it is a fast and efficient citizen on modern operating systems.
- System Resource Usage
- Mountain Duck is optimized to use minimal system resources. Even though it integrates remote drives into your local system, it doesn’t consume significant CPU or memory. The app runs in the background and can handle file transfers and access without noticeable lag, making it ideal for professionals and businesses that require speed and reliability.
- User Interface
- The user interface of Mountain Duck is simple, clean, and intuitive. The software doesn’t overcomplicate things with unnecessary options, and all essential features are easily accessible. It appears as a small icon in the menu bar (macOS) or system tray (Windows), where you can monitor your drives, mount new volumes, and access settings.
- The app’s integration with Finder and File Explorer is seamless, which makes it incredibly easy to browse remote storage directly from your desktop environment. The ability to mount multiple drives and seamlessly switch between them makes working with cloud services feel effortless.
- File Transfers
- Mountain Duck handles file transfers efficiently. When you open a file from a remote cloud service, the app streams it to your local device in the background, allowing you to begin working almost instantly. You can save files directly to the cloud, and it will sync automatically.
- Large file support is impressive, and the app can manage files of varying sizes without interruptions. If you’re dealing with high-resolution images, videos, or large datasets, Mountain Duck provides a reliable way to manage these files remotely without the need for downloading them in full.
- Reliability
- Mountain Duck is a reliable tool for cloud integration and file management. It maintains stable connections to cloud services and remote servers. It’s rare to experience connection issues or data loss, and when interruptions occur, the app quickly re-establishes the connection and continues where it left off.
1. Integrated Connect Mode (macOS File Provider)
- Uses the same system framework as iCloud Drive.
- Finder shows placeholder files instantly, no FUSE or kernel drivers needed.
- Faster writes and more stable than older mount methods.
- Works seamlessly offline: files hydrate when opened, and you can Always keep offline.
2. Broad protocol & cloud support
- One tool to mount WebDAV, SFTP, FTP, SMB, Amazon S3, Backblaze B2, Azure, Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, etc.
- Saves you from installing multiple vendor clients.
3. Built-in Cryptomator encryption
- Zero-knowledge, open-source encryption.
- Filenames and folder structures are encrypted too.
- Works natively in Finder without third-party apps.
4. Custom Versioning
- Even if your backend doesn’t support versions (e.g. WebDAV, SFTP), Mountain Duck can save old versions locally before overwriting.
- Simple rollback safety net.
5. Finder integration
- Shows up in Finder sidebar like iCloud/OneDrive.
- Right-click context menu: pin offline, see versions, share links (where supported).
6. Unified workflow
- Same “online-only / offline pinning” logic across all storage types.
- Especially useful if you mix personal clouds (Dropbox/OneDrive) and enterprise protocols (WebDAV/SMB).
7. Cross-platform license
- One key works on macOS and Windows.
1. Paid upgrade
- Mountain Duck 5 is a paid update from v4 (unless you bought after July 2025).
- Some users don’t like the upgrade pricing model.
2. No native collaboration features
- Unlike the OneDrive or Dropbox official apps, Mountain Duck doesn’t integrate with live co-authoring in Office/Google Docs.
- It’s “just files,” not teamwork/collaboration.
3. Finder quirks with File Provider
- File Provider is Apple’s own framework — it’s stable, but still has quirks:
- Placeholder icons can lag.
- Large folder trees sometimes take a moment to fully populate.
- Some third-party mac apps don’t always handle File Provider volumes perfectly.
4. No background sync
- Mountain Duck mounts storage “on demand.”
- If you want continuous background sync (like Dropbox syncing even when the drive isn’t mounted), you need Cyberduck’s sister app: Cryptomator + a sync tool, or a dedicated sync client.
5. Learning curve for advanced features
- Custom Versioning and Cryptomator are powerful, but require setup.
- Casual users may find the UI “too minimal” — less hand-holding compared to vendor clients.
6. Performance depends on backend
- Upload/download speeds can vary by protocol (e.g. WebDAV is slower than S3).
- While Mountain Duck optimizes transfers, it can’t fix slow or poorly configured servers.
🎯 Bottom line (for macOS users)
- If you want one clean, Finder-native way to access all your storages with optional zero-knowledge encryption → Mountain Duck 5 is excellent.
- If you only use one cloud (e.g. OneDrive or iCloud) and need collaboration features → the native client may serve you better.
- For power users juggling multiple protocols (S3, WebDAV, SMB, etc.), the new Integrated mode makes v5 the best Mountain Duck release so far.
- Personal License: $39 (one-time payment for 1 user)
- Business License: $99 (one-time payment for 1 user)
- Volume Licensing: Available for teams and businesses, with discounts for multiple licenses.
There’s no free trial available, but the 30-day money-back guarantee provides a
risk-free way to test the app before committing to a purchase.
Mountain Duck 5 is the most consequential update the app has seen in years. The Integrated Connect Mode modernizes how remote storage blends into your desktop, Custom Versioning patches a long-standing risk on non-versioned protocols, and SMB support rounds out its “connect to anything” brief. If you’ve ever wanted OneDrive-style convenience for your storage choices—with client-side encryption built-in—v5 gets remarkably close. For power users and teams juggling heterogeneous storage, it’s an easy recommendation. docs.mountainduck.ioblog.cyberduck.iodocs.cyberduck.io
While the pricing may be a barrier for some, the powerful features, seamless integration, and smart file caching make it a top choice for professionals and teams who need to work with remote storage regularly. For users looking for a reliable, efficient, and secure way to manage cloud storage, Mountain Duck is definitely worth considering.
Pros:
- Easy integration with multiple cloud and remote storage services
- Smart caching and seamless access to remote files
- Strong security with AES-256 encryption
- Reliable performance with no syncing required
Cons:
- Pricing may be high for casual users
- No full sync or backup features
- Desktop-only support
- No web interface for cloud management
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