Fortra&#39;s Globalscape WAFS vs Kiteworks comparison

Fortra's Globalscape WAFS

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Fortra's Globalscape WAFS and Kiteworks based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortra, BMC, IBM and others in Managed File Transfer (MFT).

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

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

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Helped 900,747 peers since 2012

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

Fortra's Globalscape WAFS

Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)

20th

Average Rating

4.0

Reviews Sentiment

5.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Kiteworks

Ranking in Managed File Transfer (MFT)

8th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Enterprise Content Management (16th), Email Security (26th), Content Collaboration Platforms (14th), Secure Email Gateway (SEG) (9th)

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Managed File Transfer (MFT) category, the mindshare of Fortra's Globalscape WAFS is 1.4%, up from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Kiteworks is 4.4%, down from 10.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Managed File Transfer (MFT) Mindshare Distribution
Product	Mindshare (%)
Kiteworks	4.4%
Fortra's Globalscape WAFS	1.4%
Other	94.2%

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

Featured Reviews

it_user2754

IT Manager at a construction company with 51-200 employees

We dropped the product because of the corruption issue.

Two main issues. 1) It can be a bandwidth resource hog over a small WAN link. We would routinely saturate a 3Mbps link with WAFS. This can be mitigated with tuning what gets replicated. 2) In some cases, it can look like the files get replicated because the files have the correct date, file size, etc. However, the file itself was actually all nulls. In our replication case, we had more than 10,000 files get corrupted this way (out of 1.2 million). GlobalScape support basically said that there were issues with W2K8 R2 but the problem actually dated back to 2008 on a W2K3 server.We dropped the product because of the corruption issue.

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KishoreT-Review

Associate Consultant at a tech consulting company with 10,001+ employees

Streamlined global file sharing with user-friendly interface and self-service capabilities

I'm not a network expert, however, there must be some room for improvement. Perhaps there could be a notification to users about their bandwidth or network packet loss. If users receive such notifications, they can understand any disruptions are due to issues with their network or bandwidth rather than the site or Kiteworks. Additionally, I work from offshore India, and I told my client manager to communicate with the Kiteworks forum salesman regarding one feature. I noticed the Kiteworks login UI is very basic, lacking customization. Allowing more HTML tags to add hyperlinks or user-friendly information on the home page would be very useful.

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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

"When it works, WAFS is a good way to keep data synchronized between multiple servers in multiple locations."

"As a file-sharing application, it's an absolute 10 out of 10."

"We can see when people are sending things. We can definitely see who is sending to whom. From the administrative logs, we can see who is sending to an outside entity, and those logs are retained for quite a while."

"The best part of this solution is that we can generate multiple reports about how the data is transferred and about user information or IP."

"The solution can be used remotely, including from mobiles, and it's easy to upload and share files."

"Kiteworks is easy to manage and maintain with a user-friendly interface and I recommend it to anyone that requires a file-sharing system that supports SFTP."

"The most valuable aspect of Kiteworks is undoubtedly the private content network. This feature is particularly beneficial for us. Furthermore, it serves as a centralized platform that enables us to track and manage our information exchange."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to allow end-users to manage their own information and data with minimal administration. That's the best feature from my perspective."

"The most useful feature of this solution is to share files with external parties and we can use this functionality to share files internally too."

More Kiteworks pros

Cons

"In some cases, it can look like the files get replicated because the files have the correct date, file size, etc. However, the file itself was actually all nulls."

"The one feature, which I have also requested directly to Kiteworks, is to have a scheduled upgrade function. Currently, one of my engineers logs in after hours for the upgrade. We're a hospital, and we're 24/7, but the primary users are seven to five. So, we log in the early evening just to push a button to tell it to do the update. It would be nice if that could be very easily scheduled."

"We have experienced some issues with stability due to bugs."

"It could be more stable. In the next release, it would be better if it was more stable with improved performance."

"Kiteworks could benefit from enhancing the proposal knowledge base section, specifically regarding the type of work involved. Currently, the knowledge base seems insufficiently dedicated to this topic, making it challenging for new users to access the relevant administrative law. Improving the visual aids and providing clearer explanations could alleviate this issue."

"Perhaps there could be a notification to users about their bandwidth or network packet loss."

"I noticed the Kiteworks login UI is very basic, lacking customization. Allowing more HTML tags to add hyperlinks or user-friendly information on the home page would be very useful."

"In my experience, their technical support can be a little slow."

"The system is extremely stable, but because it is a "COTS" system access is restricted and you must use the solution's support to make even simple changes, which increases the downtime."

More Kiteworks cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available

"It is not really expensive. I mean, to me it's obviously expensive, but it's worth it."

"I believe it's a little costly, but given the faith that we put into it from a security perspective to maintain the integrity of our patient information that is being transferred through this system, that's a small price to pay. So, on the surface, it might look like a lot of money, but depending on the need for security, which is where we feel it shines, it's okay price-wise."

"The license management is changing and confusing. If I could make one change to it, it would be better license management through the API."

"They changed it midstream. We were being charged a certain flat rate for SFTP traffic. For whatever reason, at the beginning of the year, our pricing changed, and we are now being charged more for using a feature of the product than we were when we first bought it. That has been our experience with billing. It turned out to be more expensive than when we started with it."

"The solution is very expensive because we are buying with Malaysian Ringgit and it's sold in US dollars."

"The price of Kiteworks is reasonable."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

No data available

Financial Services Firm

13%

Government

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	3
Large Enterprise	11

Questions from the Community

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What is Kiteworks?

Kiteworks is a secured file sharing platform that enables users to collaborate with different parties across a robust offering of secured protected channels. Users have the option of virtual privat...

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What needs improvement with Kiteworks?

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What advice do you have for others considering Kiteworks?

Scalability is impressive. It can be highly available, resilient, and scalable infrastructure. I can confidently give it a nine. It suits any level of organization, whether a small setup with two a...

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Comparisons

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Compared 44% of the time

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Compared 32% of the time

Axway AMPLIFY Managed File Transfer vs Fortra's Globalscape WAFS

Compared 13% of the time

Aspera Managed File Transfer vs Fortra's Globalscape WAFS

Compared 11% of the time

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Compared 7% of the time

GoAnywhere MFT vs Kiteworks

Compared 7% of the time

Hygraph vs Kiteworks

Compared 7% of the time

Varonis Platform vs Kiteworks

Compared 5% of the time

Sterling Commerce Connect:Direct vs Kiteworks

Compared 5% of the time

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Product Reports

Managed File Transfer (MFT)

Download Fortra's Globalscape WAFS product report

Download Kiteworks product report

Also Known As

No data available

Accellion

Overview

Fortra's Globalscape WAFS is a robust file sharing and synchronization platform designed to ensure secure, reliable data access across distributed networks, enhancing operational efficiency and data protection for businesses.

With GlobalScape WAFS, organizations can securely share and synchronize files across locations, eliminating the complexities of traditional file sharing. Its advanced data replication and backup capabilities provide seamless access and reduced data latency, optimizing performance in real-time collaboration. This helps maintain data integrity and secure communications, facilitating a secure environment for sensitive business information.

What key features define Fortra's Globalscape WAFS?

Real-Time Synchronization: Instant updates across networks for timely data access.
Data Compression: Efficient file transfer reduces bandwidth usage.
Secure File Sharing: Encryption maintains data privacy and security.
Scalability: Easily adapts to growing storage requirements.

Which benefits should users consider in reviews?

Improved Collaboration: Enables seamless inter-departmental communication.
Cost Efficiency: Reduces need for physical infrastructure and maintenance.
Enhanced Security: Protects sensitive data with strong encryption.
Increased Productivity: Minimizes downtime through reliable data access.

In industries such as healthcare, finance, and manufacturing, Fortra's Globalscape WAFS aids in maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements by providing secure and reliable data management. It supports remote work scenarios, ensuring critical files are accessible while safeguarding sensitive information from unauthorized access.

Fortra

Kiteworks provides secure enterprise file sharing with mobile access and collaboration tools, supporting up to 100 GB transfers. It ensures data safety with encryption and offers a smooth interface for independent data management.

Kiteworks is tailored for effective large-scale data transfers using SFTP, email, and web. It supports two-factor authentication, antivirus scanning, and seamless integration with SSO to minimize administrative tasks. Users benefit from a centralized platform that offers visibility and control over data exchanges, receiving activity notifications and managing encryption keys independently. Despite its strengths, technical support and interface stability need improvement, along with the introduction of automated LDAP syncing and expanded knowledge resources.

What features make Kiteworks stand out?

Mobile Access: Facilitates secure data handling on-the-go.
Enterprise File Sharing: Enables large file transfers with up to 100 GB limit.
Collaboration Tools: Streamlines team efforts and file sharing.
Enhanced Security: Includes two-factor authentication and antivirus scanning.
SSO Integration: Reduces administrative tasks for efficient user management.

What ROI benefits should users seek in reviews?

Data Security: High level of encryption ensures sensitive data protection.
Efficient Management: Independent data handling and activity alerts improve workflow.
Administrative Ease: SSO and centralized logs simplify oversight and reduce complexity.

Organizations in sectors like healthcare and finance utilize Kiteworks to securely share and transfer sensitive data, from medical records to credit card information, ensuring compliance and data integrity. Industries benefit from its automated data transfer and secure communication capabilities, critical for operations ranging from air quality monitoring to banking transactions.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

United States Securities and Exchange Commission, National Health Service, Husch Blackwell LLP, NYC Health + Hospitals, Viatris, MITRE Corporation, Chubb, Kraft Heinz, KPMG, Kohler, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Purdue Pharma, AVL

Managed File Transfer (MFT)