FileCloud vs ShareFile (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FileCloud grades higher than ShareFile: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
FileCloud grades higher on the free plan and platforms. ShareFile grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FileCloud
Business file sharing and sync you host yourself or buy as SaaS
ShareFile
Secure file sharing and client portals for business teams
Which one is for you
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
Pick ShareFile if
- Fits if you send documents to clients and want portals and tracking
- Works for a firm of 3 or more with a compliance need on the Premium plan
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you're alone: every plan needs at least 3 users
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as there is none
- Tight if you need e-signatures or forms, which start at Premium at $26 a user
- Watch out: storage starts at 3 TB for the whole account, with more in 3 TB packs
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAFileCloudFair | 1.8GPAShareFileWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | D$16.50 a user billed annually is the category's dearest-tenth line, and 3 users minimum makes it $49.50 a month for one person's worth of use. |
| Free plan and trial | CA free trial with no payment details, though the page doesn't give its length. No free plan. | DA free trial on each plan, length not stated, and no free plan. |
| Features | 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. | CSharing and portals are covered, but e-signatures, forms, workflow automation and HIPAA, FINRA and SEC support start at Premium. |
| Ease of use | DThe published $7 plan is the self-hosted one, so you run a server, with no store rating on record. | CNo store rating on record, and portals and permissions to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Linux, iPhone and Android apps, and 6 integrations. | BWeb only is named on the page, with 8 integrations listed. |
| Best for | companies that want to host their own file sharing | client portals and secure sharing for business teams |
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: FileCloud and ShareFile. How we grade
Price against what you get
FileCloud starts at $7 a month for each person and scores 2.3 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. ShareFile starts at $16.50 a month for each person and scores 2.3.
They score the same, and FileCloud starts $9.50 a month lower. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 17 score higher than FileCloud for less, and 22 score higher than ShareFile 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
- FileCloud is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- FileCloud also covers file sync.
- ShareFile also covers workflow automation and forms.
At a glance
| FileCloud | ShareFile | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $7 per user / month, billed annually (Server Essentials) | $16.50 per user / month, billed annually ($18.15 billed monthly) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial, no payment details required | Free trial offered on each plan; length not stated on the pricing page |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | FileCloud | Progress Software Corporation |
| Price read from | filecloud.com | sharefile.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
ShareFile
- No free plan, and each plan needs at least 3 users.
- Plans start with 3 TB of account storage in total; more comes in 3 TB packs.
- E-signatures, forms, workflow automation and HIPAA, FINRA and SEC support start at Premium.
- The pricing page mentions desktop and mobile apps without naming operating systems, so only web is listed.
Key features
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.
ShareFile
- Encrypted sharing
- Files are stored encrypted and shared by link, with link expiration dates and remote lock and wipe for lost devices.
- Client portal
- Clients get a branded place to receive and upload files. Unlimited client users are included on every plan.
- Requests, forms and e-signatures
- Premium and above can collect documents, forms and signatures from clients and route them through automated workflows.
- Email add-ins
- Integrations for Outlook, Outlook Online and Gmail replace attachments with secure ShareFile links.
- Access and security controls
- Multi-factor sign-in, Active Directory single sign-on, activity reports and file-level permissions. Enterprise adds provisioning and monitoring.
Plans
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.
ShareFile
Advanced$16.50
per user / month, billed annually ($18.15 billed monthly)
Encrypted storage and sharing, real-time co-editing, access controls and basic reporting. 3-user minimum.
Premium$26.00
per user / month, billed annually ($28.59 billed monthly)
Adds e-signatures, requests, forms, workflow automation, an enhanced client portal and AI document automation. 3-user minimum.
Enterprise$35.00
per user / month, billed annually ($42.00 billed monthly)
Adds automated user provisioning, data loss protection and security monitoring tools. 3-user minimum.
Virtual Data Room$69.30
per user / month, billed annually ($77.00 billed monthly)
Confidential document sharing with granular access for deals and audits. 1 GB storage per license, 5-license minimum.
Ways to pay less
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.
ShareFile
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FileCloud or ShareFile?
As of Nov 12, 2026, FileCloud is cheaper to start with: $7 a month for each person, against $16.50 a month for each person for ShareFile. FileCloud starts at $7 per user / month, billed annually (Server Essentials), and ShareFile starts at $16.50 per user / month, billed annually ($18.15 billed monthly).
Which has a free plan, FileCloud or ShareFile?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither FileCloud nor ShareFile has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
Which platforms do FileCloud and ShareFile run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only FileCloud lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. 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.