Cheaper Alternatives to AWS S3 Transfer Family SFTP Connection
What is AWS Transfer Family?
AWS Transfer Family is Amazon’s managed service for handling file transfers. It supports protocols like SFTP, FTPS, FTP, and AS2, allowing clients to send or receive files directly into AWS storage services such as Amazon S3 or Amazon EFS. However, while AWS Transfer Family delivers strong infrastructure components and security, there are areas where it may fall short for some organizations. Especially when your workflows span multiple storage systems, regulatory environments, and partner integrations.
What is FilePulse?
FilePulse is a cloud-native SaaS platform designed to streamline, secure, and automate file transfers—across systems, cloud providers, and on-premises environments. We built FilePulse because businesses need more flexibility, simpler pricing, and more powerful automation without the complexity of managing many moving pieces.
Why switch to FilePulse?
- Flexibility: Keep files where they belong — S3, Azure, GCP or on-prem — and move them securely without vendor lock-in.
- Ease of use: Build automations with a visual interface instead of wiring Lambda + Step Functions + SQS.
- Cost predictability: Transparent plans and fewer hidden service charges make budgeting simpler.
- Better partner onboarding: Branded upload pages, email ingestion, and expiring links simplify external file exchange.
- Security & compliance: Role-based controls, full audit trails and encryption across targets help meet regulatory needs.
Feature comparison at a glance
| Feature | AWS Transfer Family | FilePulse |
|---|---|---|
| Storage & system integrations | Native to AWS (S3, EFS). External integrations need extra work or custom infra. | Native, first-class connectors to many clouds, SaaS stores, and on-prem systems; no forced data move into AWS. |
| Protocol & transfer | SFTP, FTPS, FTP, AS2 supported. | Same protocol support + flexible inbound/outbound flows, transformation pipeline and sharing tools. |
| Automation & workflows | Possible, but typically requires Lambda, Step Functions, CloudWatch — more setup & maintenance. | Visual workflow builder with event triggers, file ops, and integrations built in — no glue code needed. |
| File intake & sharing | Endpoint-based transfers; limited prebuilt public intake options. | Branded upload portals, email→storage, expiring download links, webhooks and partner onboarding features. |
| Pricing predictability | Pay-as-you-go with endpoint and data transfer charges can be hard to forecast. | Transparent usage tiers and plans designed to avoid surprise endpoint or hidden infra fees. |
| Management overhead | Requires AWS IAM, roles, endpoint setup, domain certs, and ongoing infra maintenance. | Managed SaaS: connect storage, provision users, create workflows — we handle scale and infra. |
| Security & compliance | AWS compliance surface is strong; you remain inside AWS security model. | Enterprise security, end-to-end encryption, RBAC, audit logs and compliance support across all storage targets. |
AWS Transfer Family is a reliable, AWS-native solution — but if your workflows cross clouds, involve many external partners, or require richer intake and automation out of the box, FilePulse was built to fill that gap. It gives multi-cloud connectivity, built-in workflow automation, predictable pricing, and better partner-facing tools — all through a managed SaaS experience.