Guide
SFTP gateway vs MFT: choose by scope, not category labels
An SFTP gateway puts SFTP in front of storage. An MFT platform adds broader protocols, workflows, portals, and governance. Use the requirements to decide which one fits.
An SFTP gateway and a Managed File Transfer platform can both move files, but they solve different sizes of problem. Start with the requirements, not the category name.
SFTP gateway
An SFTP gateway is a focused layer between SFTP clients and a storage backend, usually cloud object storage. Typical requirements are straightforward: separate user credentials, path restrictions, and an audit trail around uploads and downloads. See what is an SFTP proxy.
The useful question is whether SFTP is the interface you need and whether the storage system already exists.
MFT platform
An MFT platform is a broader suite. The products in this category can include multiple transfer protocols, end-user portals, no-code workflows, format conversion, EDI, SaaS connectors, governance tooling, and hosted storage. The source examples for this guide include GoAnywhere, Files.com, and Couchdrop.
That breadth can be valuable when file transfer is part of a larger workflow rather than the whole job.
Match the requirement
| You need… | Pick |
|---|---|
| SFTP onto a bucket you own, per-user access, audit | SFTP gateway |
| Files to stay in your own cloud storage | SFTP gateway |
| End-user web portals, sharing links, e-signatures | MFT platform |
| No-code workflows, EDI translation, format conversion | MFT platform |
| Connectors to SharePoint, Drive, Dropbox, and many SaaS systems | MFT platform |
| A broader governance program with formal attestations | MFT platform |
Do not generalize the price
MFT products bundle more capabilities, but their pricing models vary too much to turn that into a useful category-wide number. Compare the price of the specific MFT product and tier you need with the cost of a gateway for your actual transfer volume.
A gateway can be the simpler purchase when the requirement is just “SFTP in, object storage out, with access control and audit.” An MFT platform earns its larger scope when the requirement includes transformation, routing across several systems, a user portal, or other workflow features.
Where Firepipe fits
Firepipe is an SFTP gateway. It puts SFTP in front of Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Storage, or S3-compatible storage you own. Users get separate passwords or SSH public keys and path prefixes, and transfer activity is logged and exportable. File contents live at rest in your bucket, with no lasting copy kept by Firepipe.
The free tier includes 5 GB of transfer per month and 5 users. If that focused model matches the requirement, see SFTP to S3. If the requirements call for the broader MFT feature set, use the broader platform.
Try it on your own bucket
Connect a bucket you already own, Amazon S3, Azure Blob, Google Cloud Storage, or an S3-compatible store, and hand out a clean SFTP endpoint in minutes. Your files stay in your cloud.
Start free