Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs VisualCron comparison

Fortra and NetCart AB are both solutions in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category. Fortra is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.9, while NetCart AB is ranked #15 with an average rating of 8.3. Fortra holds a 7.4% mindshare in MFT, compared to NetCart AB’s 1.5% mindshare. Additionally, 100% of Fortra users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of NetCart AB users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 15, 2024

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT and VisualCron are competitors in the managed file transfer and task scheduling domain. Based on ease of use and automation capabilities, GoAnywhere seems to have an upper hand due to its comprehensive workflows and security features.

Features: Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT is known for its comprehensive workflow features, advanced security options, and integration capabilities, facilitating efficient data operations and reducing manual processes. VisualCron is recognized for its strong scheduling capabilities, visual interface, and ability to manage tasks across systems without coding, providing flexibility and efficiency.

Room for Improvement: GoAnywhere MFT could improve its support desk efficiency, navigation UI elements, cloud integration support, and error handling in workflows. VisualCron requires a streamlined user interface and better documentation, along with enhanced support resources and job modification control visibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: GoAnywhere MFT provides deployment options across on-premises, hybrid, and cloud environments. Its customer service is reliable but could benefit from faster resolutions. VisualCron supports on-premises and hybrid setups with proactive customer service, though it lacks comprehensive support resources.

Pricing and ROI: GoAnywhere MFT offers modular pricing and is seen as a valuable investment due to its extensive features, despite being higher priced. VisualCron has a competitive, straightforward yearly licensing model, praised for delivering significant ROI through automation efficiency.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs. VisualCron Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs. VisualCron

December 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Aspera Managed File Transfer

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category, the mindshare of Aspera Managed File Transfer is 3.5%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT is 7.4%, up from 5.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of VisualCron is 1.5%, up from 1.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

Featured Reviews

Michele Illiano

Head of Division at Innovery

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.

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Joel Vinas

Senior Analyst at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees

Created a much better working relationship with our partners and saved a lot of time

While I was happy with the training and support, more of it could be beneficial. We had some basic training and support. I talked with Fortra recently, and they said that they revamped and changed their training support. I have not used it since December. I got support in February and May of last year, and it was not bad. I was just not sure which questions to ask. Trying to learn this stuff on the fly as you are handed a project is always stressful. I like that you can tweak the interface so much, but it would be nice to be able to tweak it some more. The ability to further tweak the interface would be advantageous, as our end users had some questions about modifications that we could not address. Other than that, GoAnywhere seemed to fulfill its role as a simple solution for secure file transfer.

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Sourav-Dutta

Technical Lead - Database Administrator at SMART ENERGY SYSTEMS LLC

It's user-friendly, and I didn't need long to understand the process

We use VisualCron for all our automation needs, like connecting to FileZilla, calling APIs, generating PGP keys, creating encryption files with the PGP key login to Azure, etc. It can automatically log in to SQL Server and execute SQL script jobs in bulk. We had 2,000-3,000 users at my previous…

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"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."

"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."

"Transactions transfer in close to real time. Sometimes it takes a little bit of time because of the volume that we have, but the transactions transfer in seconds to the external platform."

"The user interface is simple."

"It streamlines the files. Anyone can go pick up the file that we give access to. It is great."

"The solution is easy to learn and user-friendly, which makes it accessible even to those without programming backgrounds and extensive scripting training. Newcomers can quickly get to grips with the platform, and as it's a more object-oriented application, it's easier to use and program."

"The best feature of GoAnywhere is that transfers are straightforward if there are no other requirements from the source and destination. It doesn't require much maintenance."

"Another nice feature is that you can invoke a native program from GoAnywhere. That helps you because you don't have to get fancy with agents. If a native program runs on the server that GoAnywhere is running on, like sed or perl, you can use it,"

"The SFTP and encryption functionality works well, and SFTP is the bulk of what we use."

"It is very easy to use. It is easy to create projects in a graphical environment. The configuration and the setup of the environment is very easy"

More Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT pros

"What I found most beneficial from VisualCron is that you can directly connect it with different databases, user accounts, and credentials. You can run queries from one machine to another using the credentials, unlike PowerShell, that's run by the machine itself. With VisualCron, you can directly ask other machines and run requests through user credentials. Suppose you have an AWS or Azure environment. In that case, you can maintain the connection between on-premises and cloud-based machines, which is the type of setup in the organization I'm working for. You can directly call some of the services via VisualCron on your local on-premises machine, and I found that an excellent feature of the tool."

"It has improved our organization with more automation within the business departments and less administration and development in the IT department. Usually, as the IT department, we are the bottleneck for many requirements within the business. With this tool, the business departments are able to perform many task themselves."

"The ability to clone jobs to shorten the time it takes to implement a process has been invaluable, but its flexibility also gives us the ability to create a job that can handle a multifaceted process with a complex workflow."

"VisualCron is a very powerful program to automate different steps in your business processes. We use it to automate replacing files and inform departments about the replacement."

"I love VisualCron because we previously spent a lot of time writing Power switches to connect to SQL Server. VisualCron makes it easier to execute services or connect to FileZilla by only adding the credentials to the master credentials stored in the solution."

"It helped us reduce manual steps."

"'ve only had a few cases where I've had to request support in the past 12 years of use, but the support response time and resolution were was extremely quick."

"The tool has reduced our operational costs by 40%."

More VisualCron pros

Cons

"The solution's pricing is high and should be reduced."

"Deployment is complex and it was difficult to get support."

"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."

"API functionality wasn't part of our initial unit testing because it wasn't necessary then. However, shortly after implementing GoAnywhere, two different vendors approached us to do API transactions. We checked to see if GoAnywhere could do this and found that it was supposed to have that capability, but it broke down."

"It would be helpful to have a way to actually have a job run without notifying the email addresses you have set up and without posting to the actual FTP... when you need to make a small change to a job that is deployed to production, and test that change, you have to go back and reset everything. It's not really a great way to test."

"On the platform side, I would like to see some improvements in the dashboarding and telemetry data."

"The support desk has room for improvement. I keep opening tickets and they keep telling me that they're closed, but they're not resolved."

"I like that you can tweak the interface so much, but it would be nice to be able to tweak it some more. The ability to further tweak the interface would be advantageous, as our end users had some questions about modifications that we could not address."

"The solution's built-in functions could be better; I want to see easier file transfers and management."

"I want to be able to use GoAnywhere to create customizable reports that I can share with the MSP containing any information related to file transfers."

"Its user interface can be improved. The current user interface is a little basic for some of the use cases. We have to use an external component to enhance it. When we need a more appealing user interface, we use an additional component, and that works okay."

More Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT cons

"The error timeout and info could be better. When making web request calls, it will time out sometimes and we won't get any useful info out of the error response."

"The only problem I face when I use the tool is that it doesn't contain much documentation or it doesn't have many video tutorials on its features."

"The documentation is a bit weak."

"I want to improve the UI in VisualCron, as it's not as user-friendly, particularly when setting up the task scheduler. If you're familiar with the tool, then no problem, but if not, you'll have a problem typing text because sometimes, the cursor points to other places, so there's an issue with text box alignment in VisualCron. That was painful for me when I was just a VisualCron novice, but when you become used to it, there won't be a problem."

"An area for improvement in VisualCron is its cluttered interface. It isn't always easy to find all functionalities, so what VisualCron needs is a user interface expert who can improve the interface. There's a learning curve in terms of finding what you need from the interface of VisualCron. The technical support for VisualCron also needs improvement in terms of response time. Currently, there's no live support or hotline you can call to get quick answers, so this is what I'd like to see in the next version of VisualCron. A less cluttered and more streamlined interface, where you don't need to hunt for some of the features, is also what I'd like to see in the next VisualCron update."

"VisualCron's command console is a little bit difficult to understand and needs to improve."

"I would like for VisualCron to expand audit log to show who changed job variables that are initialized per job run."

"There are some conditions in the mail trigger, but you can only use them as an "AND" condition, not as an "OR" condition. This is an improvement that could be useful. For example, some people put "invoice" in the subject and others put "invoice" in the body. If I want to make a trigger for everybody whose sending invoices, I have to make two jobs for this now."

More VisualCron cons

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."

"Pricing is based on a one-time license."

"The cost is fine. It is probably the best software that I've had for the money that we spend for it. I am not aware of any costs in addition to the standard licensing fees. I don't pay for it. IT pays for it."

"Its pricing is fair. It is not the most expensive, and it is not the cheapest. For what we get in our environment, the pricing model works pretty well."

"The product's pricing is reasonable."

"GoAnywhere's price is justified by its features and the time it saves me."

"To have a solution like this for the price we're paying makes it cheap. Considering the time that it has saved us, and considering the development that we don't need to do, such as connectors and handling servers, the price is really affordable."

"It would be good for the company to explore a modular approach to selling the product so it could be cheaper and more attractive to users."

"Licensing can be expensive and it depends upon which features you want to buy."

More Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT pricing and cost advice

"The pricing is extremely fair, and because of that I recommend purchasing multiple instances to split out the processing load across multiple application servers."

"ROI is 95 percent."

"VisualCron is correctly priced because it wasn't very cheap, and it wasn't overly expensive, so the price for it was set correctly. When my previous company bought VisualCron, it was €800 per server per year. On a scale of one to five, I would rate the pricing for VisualCron a five because it was just right. The tool was affordable, and it has one of the most competitive pricing in the market."

"We are fine with a rather cheap setup. Licensing with VisualCron is fair. You have a simple one-year licence in different sizes. There isn't a licensing jungle with hundreds of options and opt-ins."

"The price is a bit high."

"ROI is one month."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

20%

Manufacturing Company

12%

Computer Software Company

Insurance Company

Financial Services Firm

13%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

27%

Financial Services Firm

15%

Healthcare Company

Insurance Company

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...

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What needs improvement with Aspera Managed File Transfer?

The solution's pricing calculation needs revision to be more competitive

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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.

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What do you like most about Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

GoDrive eliminates the need to use the exchange server for file sharing.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

If anyone feels that the price for this product is too high, I would like to know what else they are using. When it c...

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What needs improvement with Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

While I was happy with the training and support, more of it could be beneficial. We had some basic training and suppo...

See all answers

What do you like most about VisualCron?

The tool has reduced our operational costs by 40%.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for VisualCron?

The price is a bit high. However, it is okay.

See all answers

What needs improvement with VisualCron?

The documentation is a bit weak. The tool must provide a better set of documentation.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 77% of the time

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs Aspera Managed File Transfer

Compared 15% of the time

Axway AMPLIFY Managed File Transfer vs Aspera Managed File Transfer

Compared 9% of the time

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IBM Sterling File Gateway vs Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 15% of the time

MOVEit vs Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 11% of the time

JSCAPE by Redwood vs Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 10% of the time

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 8% of the time

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Microsoft Power Automate vs VisualCron

Compared 43% of the time

Control-M vs VisualCron

Compared 19% of the time

Stonebranch vs VisualCron

Compared 7% of the time

OpCon vs VisualCron

Compared 7% of the time

AutoSys Workload Automation vs VisualCron

Compared 4% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

November 2024

Download Aspera Managed File Transfer product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT

December 2024

Download Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT product report

Buyer's Guide

VisualCron

November 2024

Download VisualCron product report

Also Known As

No data available

HelpSystems GoAnywhere MFT, GoAnywhere MFT, GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer,

No data available

Learn More

IBM

Fortra

NetCart AB

Overview

IBM Aspera takes a different approach to tackling the challenges of big data movement over global WANs. Rather than optimize or accelerate data transfer, Aspera eliminates underlying bottlenecks by using its proprietary fasp technology that fully utilizes available network bandwidth to maximize speed and quickly scale up with no theoretical limit. Using fasp, transfers are secure end-to-end and are largely unaffected by file size, transfer distance, or network conditions, making transfer times up to 100Xs faster than TCP-based protocols.

IBM Aspera offers SaaS, on-prem, and hybrid solutions to meet the needs of modernizing infrastructures. All solutions offer robust security and compliance, intuitive file sharing, workflow automation, central administration, and real-time visibility. Quickly and easily initiate transfers across hybrid infrastructures, including support for cloud-to-cloud transfers. IBM Aspera offers unmatched transfer speeds, end-to-end security, reliability, and exceptional bandwidth control.

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT facilitates secure file transfers across platforms like Windows, Linux, and cloud environments, automating movements and supporting SFTP, FTP, and HTTPS protocols.

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT manages secure file transfers between trading partners and internal systems, enhancing data exchanges in financial, healthcare, and regulatory sectors. It automates batch jobs, report exports, and maintains security and compliance. The platform integrates with external services, reducing reliance on custom scripts and enabling efficient handling of complex processes. Features such as advanced workflow management, encryption, IP filtering, and real-time notifications are highly valued.

What are the key features of Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

Advanced workflow management: Streamlines processes with automated workflows
Robust security: Ensures data protection with encryption and IP filtering
Ease of integration: Seamlessly connects with external applications and services
Intuitive interface: User-friendly design for simplified operation
Comprehensive auditing: Tracks and logs all file transfer activities

What benefits or ROI should users look for in the reviews?

Automated file transfers: Reduces manual intervention and errors
Efficient process handling: Manages complex operations with ease
Reduced custom scripting: Lowers development and maintenance effort
Real-time notifications: Keeps users informed of transfer statuses
Data centralization: Consolidates file transfer operations for better control

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT is widely used in industries such as finance, healthcare, and regulation to securely handle sensitive data. It automates batch job processing, exports critical reports, and ensures compliance with stringent security standards. While it excels in data centralization and protocol support, areas like DNS support, user interface, and integration with antivirus solutions require improvement. Enhancing JSON parsing, CSV writing performance, and documentation for cluster environments can further elevate its utility across sectors.

VisualCron automates tasks like file encryption, scheduling SQL jobs, system integration, data workflow management, and application triggering, making it ideal for handling nightly syncs, FTP server file replacements, job scheduling, and invoice processing.

VisualCron provides an efficient automation solution with features like error and status reporting, API connections, PGP key generation, encryption file creation, and bulk SQL script execution. It simplifies task automation through its mail and event triggers, job variables, conditional execution, and logging with error alerts. Users benefit from its integration capabilities, scheduling flexibility, visual interface, and support for databases and credential management without extensive coding.

What are the most important features?

Simplicity: Easy-to-use interface for seamless automation.
Mail and Event Triggers: Automate tasks based on specific events.
Job Variables: Customize tasks using various input variables.
Conditional Execution: Execute tasks based on predefined conditions.
Error Alerts: Logging and error reporting to ensure task reliability.
Integration Capabilities: Easily connect and integrate with systems and APIs.
Scheduling Flexibility: Create complex schedules with ease.
Visual Interface: User-friendly GUI for efficient management.
Database Support: Manage and automate database tasks efficiently.
Credential Management: Securely handle credentials for various tasks.
PowerShell Commands: Execute PowerShell commands directly.

What are the benefits or ROI users should look for in the reviews?

Efficiency: Streamline and automate repetitive tasks to save time.
Cost Savings: Reduce manual labor and associated costs.
Reliability: Ensure consistency and accuracy in task execution.
Integration: Enhance workflows by integrating with different systems.
Flexibility: Adjust quickly to changes and handle complex scheduling needs.
Support: Benefit from extensive post-sales support and configuration options.
Innovation: Foster innovation by eliminating the need for coding.

Industries like finance, healthcare, and logistics implement VisualCron to automate data workflows, secure file transfers, and schedule critical tasks. It is used to streamline invoice processing, manage large-scale data operations, and ensure compliance through encryption and error reporting. VisualCron enhances operational efficiency, scalability, and security in various sectors, making it essential for businesses requiring robust automation capabilities.

Sample Customers

Gwinnett County Public Schools, Evonik, Voith, BITMARCK, Oracle

McKesson City of Modesto, California Kwik Trip Northwestern University Charter Communications

7 Eleven, ABB Sécheron SA, Adobe Systems Incorporated, Amazon Europe Core, Apple, Assa Abloy, Aston Martin, Banco Santander, BMW (Australia)

Buyer's Guide

Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs. VisualCron

December 2024

Free Report: Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs. VisualCron

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT vs. VisualCron and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.

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