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Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer vs Kiteworks comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary
 

Categories and Ranking

Aspera Managed File Transfer
Sponsored
Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)
13th
Average Rating
7.0
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortra's Globalscape Manage...
Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)
12th
Average Rating
8.4
Number of Reviews
11
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Kiteworks
Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)
7th
Average Rating
8.8
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
Enterprise Content Management (9th), Email Security (16th), Content Collaboration Platforms (12th), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of November 2024, in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category, the mindshare of Aspera Managed File Transfer is 3.4%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer is 2.1%, down from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Kiteworks is 8.4%, up from 4.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Managed File Transfer (MFT)
 

Featured Reviews

Michele Illiano - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 23, 2022
Beneficial quick protocol, powerful, but limited use cases
Aspera Managed File Transfer should be packaged into another solution. Explaining to customers you need to have multiple solutions from multiple vendors for their use cases can get complicated for them to understand. The best way to propose a suite is to have an integrated suite where the customer could choose to license part of it. This solution could be one solution not two choices between 10 or 12 different solutions. The main feature of Aspera Managed File Transfer is the communication protocol, which is fast. There are a lot of different clients that are offering features related to these fast protocols. It's possible to create one unique suite that can handle this base protocol. It will be quite easy to propose to the customers.
Sumit Mundik - PeerSpot reviewer
May 24, 2023
The API call and file synchronization options are standout features
The GUI base is handy because you don't have to run commands. The dual interface accommodates Windows or Linux installations. The API call feature is valuable because we can build jobs in the solution but run them via external triggers. Most other products do not allow this type of action. The solution is user friendly so anyone can learn it with some background knowledge of managed file transfers, encryption, types of protocols, configuration, and key items for authentication. The advanced controls for security and compliance are important. Standard protocols are SFTP and FTP but compliance teams will not agree to FTP because any middleman can steal data with a user ID and password. Banking companies prefer SSH keys with authentication and the solution includes this feature. For example, IBM shares their public key to JP Morgan Chase's system and then IBM uses their private key to make connection. PGP encryption is also used to convert plain text to encrypted data that cannot be hacked without the private PGP key. There is an automated process for receiving and processing daily files or regulatory documentation. The file synchronization option stands out from competitor products. The advanced workflow engine allows you to write code for file or folder synchronizations. For example, an Excel sheet has 14 tabs and it is saved into the local FSX. The solution reads the tabs, converts each to a separate CSE file, and sends all 14 files to the destination S3 bucket. A job skeleton can be used from test to production so you don't have to build jobs from scratch in production. Once created in the test environment, jobs can be exported in the .JSON format and imported to production with minimal changes to the source or definition files. This is a great feature and saves a lot of time.
Damon Tyson - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 6, 2023
Helps with compliance, sends notifications, and allows end-users to manage their own data
The most valuable feature is the ability to allow end-users to manage their own information and data with minimal administration. That's the best feature from my perspective. Something that I know my business partners appreciate is the notifications. It provides the ability to receive notifications. When certain activity happens within folders that they manage themselves, they can go out and take a look at the reporting associated with those notifications to confirm that. For example, I create a folder, and I invite you to the folder. As soon as you upload something to the folder, I'll receive a notification about that. That information is reportable, and I know that this feature is something that our business partners appreciate about Kiteworks.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Aspera Managed File Transfer is an optimal solution for customers who want to transfer large files to remote sites with lower bandwidth and in less time."
"The main feature of Aspera Managed File Transfer is that it's an incredibly fast protocol, you can use all the bandwidth available. If I need to send large amounts of data this is the fastest protocol on the market. I have been using it for some minor projects and it is very powerful."
"Good user interface and ability to set up multiple file transfer jobs."
"The fact that it is Windows-based was a huge factor for us because most of our endpoints are Windows-based. And the ability to configure it means standardization is available with the product."
"It bolsters security with features like Data Loss Prevention and seamless integration with DLP for a safe and compliant environment which enables real-time document sharing and control over file actions."
"It made things easier. Before, there were five to 10 different software solutions spread out over 10 different servers. Now, everything is being centralized into one location; facilitating, supporting, maintaining, training people, etc. There have been gains just because Globalscape EFT is more efficient at moving things around than our previous other applications. For instance, if I am connecting to someone over the Internet or transmitting for the client, the speed of transmitting those files through SFTP is 20% to 30% faster than our previous automated solution. Therefore, we have seen time savings."
"The most effective feature is its advanced workflow engine. Another feature is the flexibility of the code we use to create tasks."
"A job skeleton can be used from test to production so you don't have to build jobs from scratch in production."
"The Advanced Workflow Engine it comes with is brilliant because it allows us to create scripts and perform behind-the-scenes jobs that would otherwise require a third-party solution... You would have to create a special code on the outside to get all that other stuff done in the background. With Globalscape, we can get all of that done in one package."
"Its ease of use is most valuable. Especially for the configuration of the rules, we don't need to have any scripting knowledge. Previously, we used to have a lot of custom scripts to transfer these files. Now, it's all managed in one place, and it's like a self-service. It's saving a lot of time for us."
"The High Security Module is valuable. It allows for increased security. It allows me to integrate Globalscape with our Active Directory. So, we manage all our customer accounts outside of Globalscape, and it allows us to import them with LDAP queries. It's very convenient. It also gives our customers the confidence that it's a very secure product."
"The solution removes the limitations with file attachment size that is found with regular email."
"We could see whether the customer with whom we shared a file had downloaded it, which was not available with GitHub."
"The most valuable aspect of Kiteworks is undoubtedly the private content network. This feature is particularly beneficial for us. Furthermore, it serves as a centralized platform that enables us to track and manage our information exchange."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to send a large file of 30 GB in size and more. In Outlook and other email applications, you cannot send files that are larger than 20 MB. But with Kiteworks, 30 GB is transferable by default and, with the proper approval, a file of up to 100 GB can be sent. It makes file transfer very easy and smooth."
"We can see when people are sending things. We can definitely see who is sending to whom. From the administrative logs, we can see who is sending to an outside entity, and those logs are retained for quite a while."
"The best part of this solution is that we can generate multiple reports about how the data is transferred and about user information or IP."
"The solution can be used remotely; it's easy to upload and share files."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to allow end-users to manage their own information and data with minimal administration. That's the best feature from my perspective."
 

Cons

"Aspera Managed File Transfer should be packaged into another solution. Explaining to customers you need to have multiple solutions from multiple vendors for their use cases can get complicated for them to understand."
"The solution's pricing is high and should be reduced."
"Deployment is complex and it was difficult to get support."
"If Globalscape has a higher number of tasks, performance issues will occur."
"We need some capability for faster transfers and large file transfers. If we want to transfer a terabyte file, it is not capable of doing that right now. They say it is possible, but we are not able to do so with our environment."
"Another area for improvement is the ARM (Auditing and Reporting Module) database, in terms of accuracy and the data being logged."
"The solution lags a bit when thousands of jobs, multiple users, and multiple developers are accessing it at the same time."
"In the beginning, it could be considered a bit challenging."
"I do have some complaints or concerns around the centralized platform for the management of file transfer operations, and I know that they're working towards a better solution there. At its core, it's a good feature, but needs some improvements. I would like to see a web interface so that there is universal support across versions, because we have test and production environments that aren't always in sync. It would be nice to have one administrative interface to access both."
"Instead of using a fat client to access the administrator panel, where you have to install client software on any server that you need to use to access, I would like them to switch to a web-based model where you could connect from anywhere without having to maintain and install the software."
"There are two ways to install Globalscape: as a standalone server or as a high-availability server, either Active-Active or Active-Standby. We are currently using standalone servers. That means if we want to upgrade the software, I shut down one of the two back-end servers, upgrade the software, make sure everything is correct, and then turn traffic back on to that one. I then proceed to upgrade the second server. With their high-availability solution, that is not a possibility. Both servers have to be shut down to perform the upgrade. We're a 24/7 shop. We don't have a window where we can have downtime."
"We have experienced a few hiccups and bugs when using the admin console and from a user perspective."
"Kiteworks could benefit from enhancing the proposal knowledge base section, specifically regarding the type of work involved. Currently, the knowledge base seems insufficiently dedicated to this topic, making it challenging for new users to access the relevant administrative law. Improving the visual aids and providing clearer explanations could alleviate this issue."
"I would like to see immediate releases of fixes because now it takes at least a week. If that time span can be reduced to one day or two days, that would be very helpful for users so that things are sorted and transactions work smoothly."
"In my experience, their technical support can be a little slow."
"File location could be improved."
"There is no offboarding process for end-users in Kiteworks. It's a manual process. There is no automated syncing with LDAP and checking to see if the account is still active. It's a manual process to get people out of here, which isn't the best way."
"The one feature, which I have also requested directly to Kiteworks, is to have a scheduled upgrade function. Currently, one of my engineers logs in after hours for the upgrade. We're a hospital, and we're 24/7, but the primary users are seven to five. So, we log in the early evening just to push a button to tell it to do the update. It would be nice if that could be very easily scheduled."
"There are always issues when there are bugs or upgrades. The challenge with upgrading is getting more storage from the customer. Every time we have a new version, it requires additional storage. This means that the customer would need to procure more storage for their server, which they don't like because it means additional cost to them. So, I think my request would be that the version upgrades don't require any significant storage requirement."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Aspera Managed File Transfer is not an inexpensive solution. I am not aware of many competitors to determine how affordable the price is overall."
"We are paying around 30K per year."
"Globalscape is not cheap, but you get what you pay for. The cost is worth the value of the product. What you're getting is a good, stable solution that does a lot."
"Maintenance and services for Globalscape EFT have an annual price tag, and it is not cheap."
"A large factor in our decision to go with Globalscape was the price."
"It is much more competitively priced. Axway is probably three or four times more expensive than Globalscape. I like the server-based license. It's easier to manage than a seat license, which our previous product Axway had. Axway's license model is to charge by the account while Globalscape's model is by the server. It is much simpler and much easier when audit time comes."
"The solution is reasonably priced in comparison to other products."
"It is a very good product in terms of purchase. It didn't cost that much, even with the way we had scaled and architecturally put things in place. It is definitely comparable to other products."
"It offers excellent value and its pricing is straightforward, making it easy to acquire, set up, and use."
"The price of Kiteworks is reasonable."
"The solution is very expensive because we are buying with Malaysian Ringgit and it's sold in US dollars."
"It is not really expensive. I mean, to me it's obviously expensive, but it's worth it."
"I believe it's a little costly, but given the faith that we put into it from a security perspective to maintain the integrity of our patient information that is being transferred through this system, that's a small price to pay. So, on the surface, it might look like a lot of money, but depending on the need for security, which is where we feel it shines, it's okay price-wise."
"They changed it midstream. We were being charged a certain flat rate for SFTP traffic. For whatever reason, at the beginning of the year, our pricing changed, and we are now being charged more for using a feature of the product than we were when we first bought it. That has been our experience with billing. It turned out to be more expensive than when we started with it."
"The license management is changing and confusing. If I could make one change to it, it would be better license management through the API."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
18%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
8%
Insurance Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
13%
Healthcare Company
7%
Energy/Utilities Company
6%
Government
14%
Financial Services Firm
12%
Computer Software Company
7%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aspera Managed File Transfer?
Aspera Managed File Transfer is an optimal solution for customers who want to transfer large files to remote sites wi...
What needs improvement with Aspera Managed File Transfer?
The solution's pricing calculation needs revision to be more competitive
What advice do you have for others considering Aspera Managed File Transfer?
Aspera Managed File Transfer has superior technology. Overall, I rate Aspera Managed File Transfer a nine out of ten.
What do you like most about Globalscape Managed File Transfer?
It bolsters security with features like Data Loss Prevention and seamless integration with DLP for a safe and complia...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Globalscape Managed File Transfer?
It offers excellent value and its pricing is straightforward, making it easy to acquire, set up, and use. While there...
What needs improvement with Globalscape Managed File Transfer?
If Globalscape has a higher number of tasks, performance issues will occur. It will get hung, and then we need to res...
What is Kiteworks?
Kiteworks is a secured file sharing platform that enables users to collaborate with different parties across a robust...
What do you like most about Kiteworks?
The benefits that Kiteworks has provided to its customers in terms of data sovereignty.
What needs improvement with Kiteworks?
There is room for improvement in terms of support. My team always faces challenges in accessing fast resolution for t...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Globalscape GlobalSCAPE Managed File Transfer
Accellion
 

Learn More

Video not available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Gwinnett County Public Schools, Evonik, Voith, BITMARCK, Oracle
Information Not Available
United States Securities and Exchange Commission, National Health Service, Husch Blackwell LLP, NYC Health + Hospitals, Viatris, MITRE Corporation, Chubb, Kraft Heinz, KPMG, Kohler, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Purdue Pharma, AVL
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortra's Globalscape Managed File Transfer vs. Kiteworks and other solutions. Updated: October 2024.
814,649 professionals have used our research since 2012.