Why choose Couchdrop over SFTP To Go?

At Couchdrop, we love a good competitor, it means we are doing something right. We would like to welcome SFTP to Go into the mix, and let's be honest, with a name like that, they deserve a mention. 

SFTP To Go overview

Claiming to be “the ultimate file sharing solution”, SFTP To Go threads the line between being cloud storage and being a cloud SFTP server. And while both are passable, they’re quite basic; cloud storage has the essentials like sharing and permissions, and setting up the SFTP server is simple compared to most options.

But missing some more advanced functionality means that there’s a lot you can’t do, especially on the SFTP side, which makes Couchdrop the better choice in most cases. 

Couchdrop Overview

Couchdrop doesn’t bother trying to be a cloud storage provider, instead taking the opposite route. You bring your own storage, and Couchdrop helps connect them. Transfer files from a Dropbox to Google Workspace. An on-prem file server to a SharePoint site. Whatever you need, with dozens of storage platforms supported, as well as remote FTP and SFTP servers. 

This means security is unmatched, and you have full control of your data. Couchdrop won’t accidentally have a copy of your important files because they’re never stored with us in the first place. Couchdrop is designed for secure and reliable backend file transfers, and in most cases users sign up, create automations for transfers between their storage that need to be done regularly, test that it works, and don’t touch it again, letting Couchdrop work in the background. 

SFTP to Go Features

SFTP To Go has all of the standard features you’d expect, like SFTP and FTPS access. They have a few extra features on top of that like Static IPs, custom branding (in some form), unlimited admin accounts, and chat support in all plans. Higher plans add features like more connections, inbound network rules, versioning, and dedicated instances. 

One major feature they’re missing though is automations. While they have support for webhooks, you can’t build automations in the platform without them, meaning you’re on your own for setting up automated file transfers. Another is that integrations with storage platforms are limited. You can connect with some cloud storage platforms, but it requires having an intermediary account (they recommend Multcloud) and connecting via the FTP integration. This makes sending files between your storage platforms a lot more difficult than when functionality is built in. 

Couchdrop Features

When it comes to features, Couchdrop has all the essentials and plenty of bonuses to help make your transfers easy. The powerful built-in automation suite lets you encrypt, move, delete, and more, with support for multi-step automations that let you tackle complex workflows.

Financial data, HIPAA files, proprietary secrets, Couchdrop puts security first so your most important and sensitive files stay secure. End-to-end encryption means your files are never at risk, and your data is stored in your own storage platforms so you have full control and access. 

If you don’t have a suitable storage platform, you can use Couchdrop hosted storage, in which case your files are stored. This works if you need a place to store files for someone else to access them and aren’t already using a cloud storage solution, although we recommend bringing your own storage if possible for maximum control. 

SFTP to Go Pricing

With six different plans, it’s not always straightforward to find out which one is right for you. The Mini plan is the least expensive, where you get 20GB of storage (total) with 15 user credentials. At the other end, $1000 a month (billed annually) gives access to features like white labeling, unlimited connections, 800 user credentials, and premium support. 

Choose your plan carefully...so many options

If you can figure out which plan gives you everything you actually need, you then have to choose between monthly or yearly billing. Yearly is cheaper of course, but then you’re locked in. Yearly billing gives 2 months free, a little over 15% off the standard rate. 

While SFTP To Go does have a free trial, it requires a credit card that will be automatically charged if you don’t cancel. The free trial is also available when choosing Yearly billing, meaning you can get hit with a huge unexpected charge if you forget to cancel and chose the Yearly option. 

Couchdrop Pricing

Couchdrop believes in simple, scalable pricing that is easy to understand. You don't need to navigate through half a dozen plans or get accidentally locked in to an annual plan.

All plans are month-to-month with no lock-in. 

SFTP To Go Storage Integrations

Competing against the likes of Dropbox and Google Workspace means SFTP To Go is battling some big players. How they differentiate themselves is by emphasizing file sharing with devices that need to connect with SFTP or FTP. For the storage itself, SFTP To Go uses Amazon S3 as the storage layer. This means they store your data, which puts it at higher risk. 

On the cloud storage front, SFTP To Go has what you’d expect like granular file-sharing permissions and rules that can be put on specific folders.  The web portal lets users browse files without an FTP or SFTP client, and view and download directly from the interface. 

A specialty of SFTP To Go is integration with Heroku, so it’s easy to add SFTP/FTP access and cloud storage to Heroku applications. So in this case the cloud storage is great, but lags behind bigger players for typical users.

Couchdrop Storage Integrations

One standout benefit of Couchdrop is that you can connect to the storage platforms you already use like Google Workspace, Dropbox, and SharePoint. Couchdrop simply works as the connector so that you can transfer files securely via SFTP, AS2, SCP, or any other supported protocol. 

Why this matters is because Couchdrop doesn't ever store your data. It stays stored in your own platforms, and Couchdrop simply transfers data between them with end-to-end encryption. This gives you an extra layer of security and control. 

Currently, Couchdrop has built-in integrations for over 20 platforms including AWS S3, Egnyte, and Box. Connecting only takes minutes; authorize the connection, choose a directory in the platform, and mount it as a virtual folder in Couchdrop. You can add as many virtual folders as you need, including from different platforms, allowing you to easily transfer between them. 

Along with cloud storage, you can also connect to remote servers and any system that supports FTP/SFTP. This means Couchdrop can connect to on-prem, proprietary, and legacy systems and transfer files to cloud storage, including the option to completely automate these transfers. 

SFTP To Go Server Setup

SFTP To Go mentions one-click setup, but that isn’t exactly true. First, you have to pick your plan. You’ll also need to include your name, an email, and password (don’t forget your credit card), and choose your region. Then when you click to create your account, you have your SFTP server – with a pre-made domain.

If you want to change the domain, you’ll have to customize that once you sign in. Once you do that, the SFTP server is good to go, which is several more clicks than claimed. 

Couchdrop Server Setup

Setting up an SFTP server used to be so complicated, and even the most advanced users had to go through a fistful of steps just to get started. Couchdrop changed that with the most straightforward SFTP server setup around. 

All you have to do is set up an account. You’ll be asked for a custom domain, a few details for user setup and authentication, and that’s it. Your SFTP server will be set up immediately with your custom domain (this part is one click), using the details you used at sign-up to create an admin user. Simple, straightforward, and takes less than a minute. 

Creating external users is just as easy. You can create them manually from the web interface, or let Couchdrop automatically generate users instantly with the permission levels you set.

Couchdrop is more than an SFTP server

The biggest difference between Couchdrop and SFTP To Go is that SFTP To Go is only an SFTP server in the cloud, while Couchdrop can do that and so much more. 

Comparing similar plans, SFTP To Go Mini is closest to Couchdrop Link. Both give you an SFTP in the cloud that is completely managed through a web interface. SFTP To Go emphasizes the number of users and manual transfers to their storage layer, while Couchdrop Link is ideal for a single secure transfer connection to a user's cloud storage platform. 

As plans scale, the differences grow. On higher tiers, SFTP To Go adds more storage, credentials, and bandwidth. With Couchdrop, you gain additional file intake features, more protocol support, and Premium support access. SFTP To Go becomes one place to both store and manually move files, while Couchdrop becomes a full managed file platform that can automate platforms between the storage you already have.

Our goal at Couchdrop is to make SFTP simple, and we want you to try it for yourself to see just how easy it is. So we made the free trial easy too. Every user gets 14 days free at sign up, with no credit card required. No sales call or required business email either. Just sign up and go. 

There’s an easier way to get a functional SFTP server and much more. Let Couchdrop do the hard work for you and sign up for your trial now.