Cerberus FTP Server vs FileCloud (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FileCloud grades higher than Cerberus FTP Server: 2.0 against 1.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FileCloud grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Cerberus FTP Server
Windows file transfer server for FTP, FTPS, SFTP and HTTPS
FileCloud
Business file sharing and sync you host yourself or buy as SaaS
Which one is for you
Pick Cerberus FTP Server if
- Fits if you run an on-premises transfer server on Windows
- Works for teams that prefer one flat license over per-user pricing
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you just need basic FTP, at $1,599 a year on Professional
- Not for you if you run Linux or Mac servers, as the server is Windows only
- Too light for sharing links on Professional, because the browser client, SSO and automation are Enterprise
- Watch out: Enterprise Plus has no published price, and the page also shows $1,999 and $4,374 beside the lower figures
Pick FileCloud if
- Fits if you run an IT team and want files on your own server
- Works for a company with 20 or more people to put on it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're one person or a small team: Server needs 20 users and Online needs 10
- Skip it if you don't want to run a server, because the $7 plan is self-hosted and you supply the storage
- Watch out: Advanced, FedRAMP and service-provider plans have no published price
- Watch out: some compliance features need professional services of at least 3 days to switch on
How we grade them
| 1.4GPACerberus FTP ServerWeak | 2.0GPAFileCloudFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D$1,599 a year works out near $133 a month, far above the category's dearest-tenth line of $29.99. Unlimited users is the reason it is flat, and that is all the listing offers for it. | D$7 a user sounds cheap, but Server Essentials needs 20 users and Online Essentials needs 10 at $14, so the floor is $140 a month for either. Advanced plans are quoted. |
| Free plan and trial | C25-day free trial and no card is needed. Nothing stays free. | CA free trial with no payment details, though the page doesn't give its length. No free plan. |
| Features | CSeveral transfer protocols, cloud storage backends, automation and audit logs. The browser client, ad hoc sharing, SAML SSO and automation need Enterprise, so the entry tier is plain. | CFile sharing, sync and workflows, but base storage on Online Essentials is 5 TB with 3 workflows, and some compliance features need 3 or more days of services. |
| Ease of use | DYou install and configure a server, with users, certificates and storage to set up. No store rating is on record. | DThe published $7 plan is the self-hosted one, so you run a server, with no store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe server runs on Windows only, with a browser client on Enterprise. No Linux or Mac server. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. |
| Best for | a Windows file transfer server for FTP and SFTP | companies that want to host their own file sharing |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Cerberus FTP Server and FileCloud. How we grade
Price against what you get
Cerberus FTP Server starts at $133.25 a month when paid by the year and scores 1.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. FileCloud starts at $7 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
FileCloud scores higher and starts $126.25 a month lower. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 64 score higher than Cerberus FTP Server for less, and 22 score higher than FileCloud for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Cerberus FTP Server also covers workflow automation and reports.
- FileCloud also covers file sync.
At a glance
| Cerberus FTP Server | FileCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $1,599 per year, billed annually | $7 per user / month, billed annually (Server Essentials) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 25-day free trial, no credit card required | Free trial, no payment details required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Cerberus, a Redwood Software product | FileCloud |
| Price read from | cerberusftp.com | filecloud.com |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Cerberus FTP Server
- The server application is built for Windows; there is no Linux or Mac server.
- The browser client, ad hoc sharing, SSO and automation need Enterprise or above.
- Enterprise Plus has no published price and is bought through a quote.
- A non-production license for testing or disaster recovery is 50% off on Professional and Enterprise.
FileCloud
- Only Essentials has a published price; Advanced, FedRAMP and service-provider plans are quoted.
- Server Essentials requires at least 20 users, and storage is supplied by you.
- Online Essentials limits base storage to 5 TB and workflows to 3.
- Some compliance features need professional services of at least 3 days to enable.
Key features
Cerberus FTP Server
- Many transfer protocols
- Serves FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP and HTTP/S, and the vendor lists FIPS 140-3 validated cryptography for SSL and SSH.
- No per-user charge
- Every edition allows unlimited user accounts and connections; users come from a built-in manager, Active Directory or LDAP.
- Cloud storage backends
- Virtual directories can point at Amazon S3 or Azure Blob Storage instead of a local disk.
- Automation and retention
- Enterprise adds event-driven transfers and a Folder Monitor that deletes files by age.
- Audit logs
- Logs track client, file and administrator activity; Enterprise adds searchable audit reports by user and date.
FileCloud
- Server or SaaS
- Run FileCloud Server on Windows, Linux or a public cloud such as AWS, or use FileCloud Online, where the vendor runs it for you.
- Desktop sync and virtual drive
- Sync clients cover Windows, Mac and Linux, with selective folder sync and a mapped virtual drive for remote files.
- Controlled sharing
- Share links can be public, private or time-limited, with granular folder permissions, password protection, and access revocation after sharing.
- Security and compliance
- Features listed include audit trails, encryption at rest and in transit, 2FA, SSO and SCIM, remote wipe, and ransomware and antivirus scanning.
- Data-loss prevention
- Rules-based DLP, content classification, OCR-based PII search and screenshot or print protection are listed on the pricing page.
- Office co-authoring
- Office and Google Docs files can be edited together in real time, with file locking and unlimited versioning.
Plans
Cerberus FTP Server
Professional$1,599
per year, billed annually
FTP, SFTP and FTPS, unlimited users and connections, 9-5 email and phone support. The page also shows $1,999.
Enterprise$3,499
per year, billed annually
Adds a browser client, ad hoc sharing links, file retention rules, SAML SSO and event automation. The page also shows $4,374.
Enterprise PlusCustom
Quote only. Adds 24/7 severity 1 support, one non-production license and rogue-transfer detection.
FileCloud
Server Essentials$7
per user / month, billed annually (minimum 20 users)
Self-hosted on your own infrastructure; you provide the storage. Unlimited external users and file size.
Online Essentials$14
per user / month, billed annually (minimum 10 users)
Vendor-hosted SaaS with 5 TB of base storage included and up to 3 workflows.
Server AdvancedCustom
Self-hosted, 10-user minimum; priced by quote.
Online AdvancedCustom
Vendor-hosted SaaS with 10 TB of base storage and a 10-user minimum; priced by quote.
Online FedRAMP HighCustom
FedRAMP High authorized hosting with 10 TB of base storage and a 10-user minimum; priced by quote.
Ways to pay less
Cerberus FTP Server
- Other savings
Half-price non-production license
Professional and Enterprise customers can add a disaster-recovery, test or development license at a 50% discount at checkout.
FileCloud
- Other savings
Education and public-sector pricing
The pricing page links separate quote requests for educational, government and public sector, and service-provider or OEM buyers.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cerberus FTP Server or FileCloud?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cerberus FTP Server starts at $1,599 per year, billed annually, and FileCloud starts at $7 per user / month, billed annually (Server Essentials). One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Cerberus FTP Server or FileCloud?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Cerberus FTP Server nor FileCloud has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Cerberus FTP Server and FileCloud run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only FileCloud lists macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app and a Windows app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.