ExaVault alternative: keep files in your own bucket, from free

ExaVault is a managed FTP/SFTP platform, now part of Files.com. It’s a solid hosted product, but it’s built around a different model from Firepipe: ExaVault provides the storage and the platform, with paid plans starting around $99/mo (check their current pricing, which scales up from there). If what you actually need is SFTP onto a bucket you own, at a lower price, a focused gateway is worth a look.

The core difference

• ExaVault is a hosted file-transfer platform: your files live on their service, accessed through a web UI and FTP/SFTP, with features like SSO/2FA, SSL registration, and tiered support. It’s priced as a platform, from roughly $99/mo upward.
• Firepipe is a focused gateway: SFTP in front of a bucket you own (Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Storage, or S3-compatible). Your files stay in your own cloud account, and pricing starts free, then $19/mo.

When ExaVault is the better choice

• You want the vendor to host storage rather than bring your own bucket.
• You need the broader platform: a polished web UI for end users, built-in user-facing file sharing, SSO/2FA, and phone/chat support tiers.
• You have advanced compliance or SIEM needs that ExaVault’s higher support tiers target.

When Firepipe is the better choice

• You want files in your own cloud. Firepipe keeps data in a bucket on your AWS, Azure, or Google account, with nothing custodied on the gateway. Nothing to migrate, no lock-in.
• You want focused SFTP, not a full platform, at a fraction of the price, from free and $19/mo rather than $99/mo and up.
• You already have object storage (S3, R2, Backblaze B2, Wasabi, and so on) and just want a clean SFTP front door for it.
• You want per-user credentials, path jails, an exportable audit trail, instant revoke, and source-IP pinning without the platform overhead.

The honest summary

ExaVault is the better fit if you want a hosted platform that stores your files and bundles a broad feature set with enterprise support. Firepipe is the better fit if you want to keep files in your own bucket and pay for a focused SFTP gateway rather than a full suite. Pricing and features on both sides change, so verify against current docs before you decide.

See SFTP to S3 to start, or the Files.com alternative comparison, since ExaVault and Files.com are now the same company.