When trying to evaluate the cost of FTP hosting providers, there are many factors you need to consider that directly affect the cost. Because companies of different sizes and in different industries have their own unique needs and budgets, many file sharing solution providers offer numerous solution tiers with varying capabilities based on cost. In this article, we’ll explore the different FTP hosting costs associated with each tier offered by a top provider.
File Sharing Solution Tiers
Learn more about the different solution tiers offered by FTP Today and the FTP hosting costs associated with each one.
Small Office
$50/month
Even if your company doesn’t employ thousands of people, you can’t afford to compromise on data security. Fortunately, the FTP hosting cost for this solution is affordable for most small businesses, and many companies choose small business file sharing solutions that accommodate a few users. (In the case of FTP Today, ten users is the starting point for the Small Office plan.) The Small Office tier also offers 1 GB of storage. However, you can add more storage space for $5 for GB and more user accounts for $5 per 5 additional users as needed.
Custom Business
$100/month
The Custom Business tier is perfect for midsize businesses that want to engage in secure file sharing and storage. This tier starts at 25 user accounts and 10 GB of storage. The big benefit that this tier has over the Small Business tier is greater software customization options, such as Email Notifications, File Retention Controls, Password Enforcement Controls and more. You can also add 10 GB of storage for an additional $25 per month. A major point of flexibility comes in the form of additional user accounts. If your company wants more than provided 25 user accounts for your solution, you can add 5 users at $5 per month, 25 users at $25 per month, or an unlimited number of users for an just $75 per month.
Compliant Enterprise
$250/month
With the Compliant Enterprise tier, you start to get into more compliance-based considerations for your file sharing and storage solution. Maintaining compliance isn’t just prudent; in many cases, it’s essential. This tier offers full compliance measures like Encryption at Rest and also includes strong user location controls. It comes with unlimited user accounts and 25 GB of storage, though you can add an additional 25 GB for $25 a month. It also is compliant with the following regulations:
Platinum Enterprise
$500/month
Compared to the previous tier, the Platinum Enterprise tier provides ten times the storage for two times the price. This tier includes every software feature and accommodates an unlimited number of users; and provides a significant amount of storage space – 250 GB. You can add another 250 GB for $125 per month. The Platinum Enterprise tier offers all of the compliance accommodations that the Compliant Enterprise tier offers.
GOVFTP Compliant
$400/month
Now we come to the file sharing tiers designed for organizations that need to be compliant with government regulations. The GOVFTP Compliant tier is ideal for government agencies, military contractors and subcontractors who are required to align with strict government compliance regulations, including:
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FedRAMP JAB P-ATO
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NIST SP 800-53
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NIST SP 800-171
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DFARS 252.204-7012
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DoD Impact Level 2 P-ATO
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CJIS
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ITAR / EAR
This tier provides 25 GB of storage (you can add 25 GB more for $40 per month), and unlimited user accounts.
GOVFTP Platinum
$800/month
Like the GOVFTP Compliant tier, the GOVFTP Platinum tier aligns with all the above compliance requirements, and is best suited for government-associated organizations. This tier offers the ultimate package, with 250 GB of storage, an option to add 250 GB more for $200 a month, and unlimited user accounts.
In addition to the most obvious differences between each of the GOVFTP tiers like FTP hosting costs, storage capacity, and number of users, there’s a variation in what goes on behind the scenes. For example, only the GOVFTP options provide Cisco Firepower Network IPS, Trend Micro Virus and Spyware Protection, and Standby Disaster Recovery. It’s also important to note that paying the annual subscription fee for any tier saves you 10% off your final FTP hosting cost.
As your business changes and develops, keep in mind that you can always upgrade your solution to better accommodate your business needs. Each of these tiers has a specific set of features ideal for different organizations. Explore the different features you should consider for your file sharing solution requirements. With a better idea of what you need, you’re sure to make the right decision.
Factors to Consider Choosing a File Sharing Option
Platform Compliance
Compliance with applicable government regulations is crucial, especially when you regularly send and receive digital data. Non-secure, sensitive data could pose a threat to your company, your contractors, and your customers. There are different levels of compliance that you may need to follow, depending on your industry. Various platform compliance capabilities you may need to consider include:
Storage – 1GB to 250GB
Running out of storage, especially in the middle of an important upload or transfer, can have a serious impact on your productivity. You never want employees to compromise data security in favor of preserving storage space. So, you should think carefully about the amount of storage you need to keep your business storing and sharing files efficiently. FTP Today offers storage amounts ranging from 1 to 250 GB.
User Accounts – 10 to Unlimited
The number of user accounts your organization requires is dependent on the number of employees that should have access to your solution. FTP Today can accommodate anywhere from ten to an unlimited number of users.
Cloud-Level Features
Using a cloud-based file sharing solution, as opposed to building your own in-house solution, brings better functionality to your team. Because you’re accessing the solution via the cloud, you don’t have to invest in hardware or software to operate the solution or keep files secure. The solution provider does all the hard work for you. Here are some features you’ll have access to with a top cloud-based solution.
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Dedicated Network Firewalls
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Host-based Intrusion Detection
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High Availability Servers
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Vulnerability Scanning and Remediation
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Offsite Backup
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Trend Micro Virus and Spyware Protection
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Standby Disaster Recovery
Site-Level Features
The following site features are valuable both in terms of security and usability. Security features like encryption and country access restrictions help you ward off hackers, while having branded web user interface validates your solution with users. These site features protect your data from the Internet-entry point, while still presenting a site that is still usable.
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Web UI (HTTPS)
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FTP, FTPeS, FTPS, and SFTP
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File Sharing Links
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Data in-transit Encryption
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Country Access Restrictions
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Dedicated IP Address
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Wildcard SSL Cert
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Custom Domain and Matching SSL Cert
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Branded Web UI
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Data at-rest Encryption
User-Level Features
These user-level features do the heavy lifting when it comes to verifying user identities and preventing unwanted parties from accessing your solution. Prompting your team members to use effective passwords and employing various authentication methods ensures that the person signing into an account actually is who they claim to be.
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Multiple User Roles
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Password Authentication
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SSH Key Authentication (SFTP)
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Multi-Factor Authentication
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Password Enforcement
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User IP and Protocol Restrictions
Folder-Level Features
For administrators, the ability to control who has access to which files is imperative for data security. Below are some folder-level controls you should look for:
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Flexible Directory Structure
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Limited Folder Views per User
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Granular User Permissions
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Email Notifications
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File Retention Controls
Activity-Level Features
Tracking user activity is essential if you want to maintain compliance with your file sharing solution. These activity tracking capabilities allow your administrators to archive who accessed which files, a valuable tool in the event of an audit or a data breach.
Now that you know more about the different tiers of a file sharing solution and the essential features you need in your own solution, you can evaluate the FTP hosting costs associated with each one and determine the right option for your needs.
Find out more about choosing the best FTP solution for your business. Download this free comparison guide now.
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