GoAnywhere MFT vs SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server comparison

Fortra and SolarWinds are both solutions in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category. Fortra is ranked #1 with an average rating of 8.5, while SolarWinds is ranked #26. Fortra holds a 7.8% mindshare in MFT, compared to SolarWinds’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 99% of Fortra users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SolarWinds users who would recommend it.

GoAnywhere MFT

Read 119 GoAnywhere MFT reviews

9,419 Views
8,948 Comparison Views

99% willing to recommend

SolarWinds Serv-U File Tran...

Read 1 SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server review

659 Views
659 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

GoAnywhere MFT

SolarWinds Serv-U File Tran...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 22, 2026

GoAnywhere MFT and SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server are secure file transfer products. GoAnywhere MFT is more advantageous in pricing and support, while SolarWinds Serv-U is superior in features, justifying its cost according to data comparisons.

Features: GoAnywhere MFT is noted for its automation capabilities, advanced security settings, and support for a range of protocols. SolarWinds Serv-U excels in scalability, integration with various platforms, and enhances file transfer management effectively. The main difference is GoAnywhere's focus on comprehensive security features, whereas SolarWinds stands out for adaptability and robustness.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SolarWinds Serv-U offers a straightforward deployment model and effective customer support, enabling quick configurations tailored to business needs. GoAnywhere MFT may have a steeper initial setup due to its extensive feature set but benefits from prompt customer support. SolarWinds is easier to operationalize, providing a smoother integration in various environments.

Pricing and ROI: GoAnywhere MFT's competitive pricing model often leads to favorable ROI with its extensive features exceeding initial setup costs. SolarWinds Serv-U may involve higher upfront expenses but provides ROI through comprehensive scalability and platform integrations. The differences arise from GoAnywhere's strategic pricing aligning with robust features, while SolarWinds targets long-term gains through adaptable features.

To learn more, read our detailed Managed File Transfer (MFT) Report (Updated: July 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

July 2026

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

GoAnywhere MFT

Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

119

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SolarWinds Serv-U File Tran...

Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)

26th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

4.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category, the mindshare of GoAnywhere MFT is 7.8%, down from 10.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server is 1.3%, up from 0.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Managed File Transfer (MFT) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
GoAnywhere MFT	7.8%
SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server	1.3%
Other	90.9%

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

Featured Reviews

Anuj Bhagwat

Dev Ops Engineer at a computer software company with 11-50 employees

Has enabled secure, centralized file sharing while saving significant time and resources

The best features in GoAnywhere MFT are that it's fast, reliable, and secure. First, the improvement is that we have resolved one of our security points with compliance. So that compliance point we resolved. And also it's a centralized file sharing system. All the users are able to access the file. There is no one-to-one sharing. It's improved about 80 to 85%. It saves about 80 to 90% resources. In terms of time, we can say 90 to 95% time is also saved because it avoids the one-to-one sharing and simply a user can put one centralized directory and all the users are able to access this solution and access the file. So it's 95%.

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reviewer2292672

Lead Analyst at a integrator with 51-200 employees

The solution can be used for internal file transfer, but its technical support and third-party integrations should be improved

I am comparing SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server, WS_FTP, and Wing FTP for my current company. We use the solution for multiple purposes, and it should be user-friendly when integrating something. We cannot always depend on the support team to come and fix the issues. Overall, I rate SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server a seven out of ten.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"It has become very important to us over these four years, as it is key in our workflow and our workload automation strategy."

"The most valuable features are the automatic processing of files and scheduled execution of the files."

"GoAnywhere MFT provides the best encryption mode in sharing files, which stands out for me compared to other solutions I have seen."

"If it's dealing with SFTP or any kind of secure transfer, we don't hear about it; it's good and everything works."

"What I appreciate most about GoAnywhere MFT is the threat protection feature, whereby before transferring files anywhere, I am able to first make the file analysis and confirm there are no threats or malware in the files."

"When we first started using it, SecureMail, or the ability to securely send mail to end users, as a single file or as a package of files, was very helpful for sending large packets of files. We could not send that through traditional email."

"Another nice feature is that you can invoke a native program from GoAnywhere. That helps you because you don't have to get fancy with agents. If a native program runs on the server that GoAnywhere is running on, like sed or perl, you can use it,"

"GoAnywhere MFT is easier and more stable than IBM Sterling, and it is also more enterprise-friendly."

More GoAnywhere MFT pros

"We use SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server for internal file transfer."

Cons

"I like that you can tweak the interface so much, but it would be nice to be able to tweak it some more. The ability to further tweak the interface would be advantageous, as our end users had some questions about modifications that we could not address."

"One area for improvement in GoAnywhere MFT is that they don't have a real debugger. You have to manually walk through your projects. If you build a big scripting project, you have no way at the beginning to step through; you can't skip straight to a line, nor can you put a breakpoint and say, 'stop here' as in any normal debugging process."

"Initially, the setup was kind of hard for me. I had to take a long time to adapt to the system."

"The support desk has room for improvement. I keep opening tickets and they keep telling me that they're closed, but they're not resolved."

"I want to highlight the user interface as an area for improvement in GoAnywhere MFT, as it is slightly difficult to understand."

"I think GoAnywhere MFT is already strong from the stability and security standpoint, but it can improve more in UI modernization and advanced analytics."

"Its user interface can be improved. The current user interface is a little basic for some of the use cases. We have to use an external component to enhance it. When we need a more appealing user interface, we use an additional component, and that works okay."

"When we restart the agent on each server, it tries to go out to the internet and it takes about a 13-minute timeout before it can move forward. Why is there a 13-minute timeout value when trying to go to the internet? ...If they could limit that timeout or give us a way to modify it so we could have a faster timeout, that would help us at least knock out a half-hour's worth of outage."

More GoAnywhere MFT cons

"The solution’s technical support should be improved."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For what we pay to GoAnywhere every year, we are getting a fantastic deal. From a dollar perspective, it provides very good value."

"The product is not cheap, but it is not expensive."

"GoAnywhere's price is justified by its features and the time it saves me."

"To have a solution like this for the price we're paying makes it cheap. Considering the time that it has saved us, and considering the development that we don't need to do, such as connectors and handling servers, the price is really affordable."

"GoAnywhere was the most attractively priced product that met our needs. In our PoC it really came down to MOVEit and GoAnywhere, and GoAnywhere's pricing was about 30 percent less."

"When it comes to secure systems that we have used, the price point can get a whole lot higher. You might end up saving in the short term with other solutions, but are you getting a secure product? Do you feel confident in that? Will you be able to get any support afterward? From my experience, based on the price point and the service that we got, it was a good value for our money."

"Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT is an inexpensive solution."

"The cost was definitely within reason and it has definitely been worth the cost, based on how much we can automate. It has exceeded my expectations."

More GoAnywhere MFT pricing and cost advice

"The pricing of the solution is INR 3,00,000."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Outsourcing Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	116
Midsize Enterprise	34
Large Enterprise	58

No data available

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

Our experience with GoAnywhere MFT's pricing, setup cost, and licensing structure has been highly positive because it is completely module-based. Instead of hitting us with a rigid, monolithic ente...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

Regarding the reporting about the logs, sometimes there is too much information. When looking for the exact way to find and troubleshoot different errors, the log can be very difficult to understan...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Fortra's GoAnywhere MFT?

My usual use cases for GoAnywhere MFT are for automatic processes with SFTP.

See all answers

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Comparisons

MOVEit vs GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 8% of the time

Kiteworks vs GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 7% of the time

Control-M vs GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 7% of the time

IBM Sterling File Gateway vs GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 6% of the time

Aspera On Demand vs GoAnywhere MFT

Compared 3% of the time

More GoAnywhere MFT Competitors

MOVEit vs SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server

Compared 37% of the time

WS_FTP Server vs SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server

Compared 17% of the time

JSCAPE by Redwood vs SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server

Compared 9% of the time

More SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

GoAnywhere MFT

August 2026

Download GoAnywhere MFT product report

Buyer's Guide

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

July 2026

SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server report

Download SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server product report

Also Known As

HelpSystems GoAnywhere MFT, GoAnywhere MFT, GoAnywhere Managed File Transfer,

Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server, Serv-U FTP Server

Overview

GoAnywhere MFT offers an intuitive interface with advanced workflows, robust security, and seamless integration across platforms. It automates file transfers, supports multiple protocols, and ensures strong encryption and centralized management for secure and efficient data exchange.

GoAnywhere MFT provides automation for secure file transfers using SFTP, FTPS, and HTTPS protocols. It supports comprehensive logging, auditing, and threat protection. The platform's encryption and scalability enhance data exchange and operational efficiency in sectors like finance and healthcare. Users appreciate its integration capabilities with AWS, Azure, and Salesforce, reducing manual tasks and maintaining security with robust encryption through connectors.

What are GoAnywhere MFT's most important features?

Intuitive Interface: Easy navigation, facilitating better user experience
Advanced Workflows: Streamlines processes to save time
Robust Security: Strong encryption and threat protection
Seamless Integration: Connects with platforms like AWS, Azure, and Salesforce
Automation Capabilities: Reduces manual tasks, improving efficiency
Multiple Protocol Support: Utilizes SFTP, HTTPS, and FTPS for secure transfers

What benefits should users expect in reviews?

Enhanced Efficiency: Automation reduces manual processes
Data Security: Features strong encryption and comprehensive threat protection
Scalability: Supports large data volumes efficiently
Compliance Support: Meets industry-specific data regulations

GoAnywhere MFT is widely implemented in industries like finance and healthcare for secure data transfers and workflow management. It simplifies internal processes and enhances communication between systems, integrating seamlessly with platforms such as AWS and Salesforce, thus ensuring speed and security.

Fortra

SolarWinds Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server offers reliable and secure file transfer solutions tailored for businesses managing large volumes of data.

Designed for secure, accessible, and easy management of file transfers, SolarWinds Serv-U FTP Server is a valuable tool for IT professionals. It ensures that file transfers are handled with robust security measures, providing a seamless user experience for end-users and administrators alike. Its comprehensive nature allows it to cater to the needs of different organizational structures.

What are the key features of SolarWinds Serv-U FTP Server?

Secure File Sharing: Ensures data is protected with encryption and security protocols.
Web-based Interface: Simplifies management with a web-client for ease of use.
LDAP and Active Directory Support: Streamlines user management and authentication.
Automated File Transfers: Schedule and automate processes to reduce manual tasks.
Detailed Reporting: Provides insights into file transfer activity for better decision-making.

What benefits should users anticipate?

Efficiency Improvement: Automates file transfers, saving time and reducing errors.
Data Security: Maintains high standards for encrypting file transfers.
Scalability: Adapt to increasing demands with ease, supporting growth.
Cost-effectiveness: Optimizes resource allocation, which can reduce expenditures.

SolarWinds Serv-U FTP Server finds widespread use in industries such as finance, healthcare, and technology, where secure and efficient file transfers are essential. In finance, it manages sensitive transactions securely, while in healthcare, it ensures patient records are transferred with strict compliance standards. In technology firms, it supports vast data transfer needs, maintaining security and efficiency across all operations.

SolarWinds

Sample Customers

McKesson City of Modesto, California Kwik Trip Northwestern University Charter Communications

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

July 2026

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