Cerberus FTP Server vs Kiteworks (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kiteworks grades higher than Cerberus FTP Server: 2.0 against 1.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Cerberus FTP Server grades higher on the free plan. Kiteworks grades higher on value for money, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
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
Kiteworks
Compliance-focused secure file sharing, email and file transfer
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 Kiteworks if
- Fits if you must show auditors how sensitive files leave your company
- Works for teams that need data kept on-premises or in a private cloud
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to see a price before talking to anyone, as none is published
- Too light for large files on Business, which stops at 2 GB a file against 16 TB on Enterprise
- Skip it if you are a DoD supplier chasing CMMC 2.0 Level 2, where the vendor itself does not recommend Business
- Watch out: bring-your-own-keys, forms and the enterprise integrations are Enterprise only, and Business is 5 to 500 users
How we grade them
| 1.4GPACerberus FTP ServerWeak | 2.0GPAKiteworksFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CNo prices are published: Enterprise is call-for-pricing and Business shows only a Buy Now button. Nothing on record to set against the category's $7 middle. |
| Free plan and trial | C25-day free trial and no card is needed. Nothing stays free. | DThe site offers a free trial, but its terms are not stated, so we cannot say it is card-free or longer than a week. There is 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. | CIt covers sharing, secure email, SFTP transfer, policy engine and audit log. The listing shows gaps: Business caps files at 2 GB, and bring-your-own-keys and forms are Enterprise only. |
| Ease of use | DYou install and configure a server, with users, certificates and storage to set up. No store rating is on record. | CA compliance platform that takes setting up, with policies and integrations to configure. No store rating is on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | DThe server runs on Windows only, with a browser client on Enterprise. No Linux or Mac server. | BWeb, with integrations for Outlook, Office, Google Workspace, Salesforce, iManage and Splunk. No desktop or phone apps are listed. |
| Best for | a Windows file transfer server for FTP and SFTP | regulated companies sharing sensitive files with outsiders |
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 Kiteworks. How we grade
Where they differ
- Cerberus FTP Server is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Cerberus FTP Server also covers workflow automation.
At a glance
| Cerberus FTP Server | Kiteworks | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $1,599 per year, billed annually | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 25-day free trial, no credit card required | Free trial offered on the vendor's site; terms not stated |
| Web | ||
| Windows | ||
| Made by | Cerberus, a Redwood Software product | Kiteworks |
| Price read from | cerberusftp.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 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.
Kiteworks
- No prices are published: the Enterprise edition is call-for-pricing and the Business edition shows only a Buy Now button.
- Business covers 5 to 500 users with a 2 GB file limit; Enterprise is unlimited with 16 TB files.
- Bring-your-own-keys, forms and the enterprise integrations are Enterprise only.
- Business is not recommended by the vendor for DoD suppliers seeking CMMC 2.0 Level 2.
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.
Kiteworks
- Secure file sharing
- Folders, version control, desktop sync and external collaboration with retention and expiration policies.
- Secure email and forms
- Email protection with DLP scanning, encryption enforcement, link expiration and content withdrawal, plus secure web forms.
- Managed file transfer and SFTP
- Scheduled workflows, an SFTP server for outside parties and air-gapped configurations are described on the site.
- Policy engine and audit log
- One attribute-based policy engine covers every channel, with a single audit log that can feed a SIEM.
- Encryption and compliance claims
- The vendor says it uses TLS 1.3 and AES-256 with FIPS 140-3 validated modules, and states FedRAMP certification.
- MCP server for AI agents
- A Model Context Protocol server lets AI agents reach governed data under the same access rules as employees.
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.
Kiteworks
Pricing could not be confirmed. See kiteworks.com.
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.
Kiteworks
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Cerberus FTP Server or Kiteworks?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Cerberus FTP Server starts at $1,599 per year, billed annually, and Kiteworks has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Cerberus FTP Server or Kiteworks?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Cerberus FTP Server nor Kiteworks has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do Cerberus FTP Server and Kiteworks run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Cerberus FTP Server lists a Windows app. Both list a web 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.