Transport properties of the edge region of RFPs are characterized by complicated mechanisms further entangled by the complex magnetic topology. Recently on RFX-mod (Sonato 2003 Fusion Eng. Des. 66–68 161) the use of an efficient feedback system for MHD control allowed the achievement of an unprecedented plasma current for an RFP, of up to 1.6 MA, with an improvement in the confinement properties. This is accompanied by an amelioration of the magnetic boundary and the observation of different MHD regimes, moving from low current multiple helical regime, to high current quasi-single helical ones. At a low plasma current (I _p ≈ 300–400 kA) in multiple helicity discharge the plasma parameter profiles at the edge are strongly influenced by the presence of m = 0 islands which flatten the temperature profile and modify substantially both the electric drift flow and the E × B shear. The particle diffusion coefficient and the thermal conductivity χ_e in this regime are 10–20 m² s⁻¹ and 100–200 m² s⁻¹, respectively. Both temperature and pressure characteristic scale lengths are found to scale favourably with the decrease in the secondary modes achieved through the increase in the plasma current. The same trend is observed for the thermal conductivity, and the recently discovered single helical axis states (Lorenzini et al 2008 Phys. Rev. Lett. 101 025005) exhibit an edge χ_e reduced by a factor of up to 40%. Finally the perpendicular flow at the edge is found to scale with the density normalized to the Greenwald density with a saturation at values around n/n _G ≈ 0.35.