Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Google Drive VS AWS Transfer for SFTP

Compare Google Drive VS AWS Transfer for SFTP and see what are their differences

Google Drive logo Google Drive

Access and sync your files anywhere

AWS Transfer for SFTP logo AWS Transfer for SFTP

AWS Transfer for SFTP (AWS SFTP), is a fully managed service hosted in AWS that enables transfer of files over the Secure Shell (SSH) File Transfer Protocol directly in and out of Amazon S3.
  • Google Drive Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-06-21
  • AWS Transfer for SFTP Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-02-08

Google Drive features and specs

  • Accessibility
    Google Drive is cloud-based, allowing access to files from any device with an internet connection. This facilitates easy collaboration and remote work.
  • Collaboration
    Multiple users can work on the same document simultaneously, which is beneficial for team projects and real-time editing.
  • Integrations
    Works seamlessly with other Google services like Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides, enhancing productivity by providing a unified environment.
  • Storage Space
    Offers 15 GB of free storage which is more than most other cloud storage providers, and you can buy additional storage if needed.
  • File Versioning
    Keeps a version history of all documents, allowing users to revert to previous versions if needed.

Possible disadvantages of Google Drive

  • Privacy Concerns
    Being a Google product, there are ongoing concerns about how Google collects and uses personal data, which can be a significant drawback for privacy-conscious users.
  • Storage Limits
    Although it offers 15 GB free storage, this space is shared between Google Drive, Gmail, and Google Photos, which can fill up quickly.
  • Internet Dependency
    Requires a stable internet connection for optimal use. While offline access is available, it is limited and not as smooth as online access.
  • File Size Restrictions
    Individual file uploads are limited to 5 TB, which may not be suitable for users who need to store very large files.
  • Complex Interface
    For new users, the interface can be somewhat complex and may require time to get used to.

AWS Transfer for SFTP features and specs

  • Scalability
    AWS Transfer for SFTP automatically scales to accommodate the traffic without the need for manual intervention, ensuring consistent performance regardless of demand spikes.
  • Fully Managed
    Being a fully managed service, AWS Transfer for SFTP reduces the operational overhead by handling routine tasks such as server maintenance, backups, and patching.
  • Security
    Supports multiple layers of security, including VPC integration, AWS IAM policies, and encryption for data at rest and in transit, ensuring that data transfer is secure.
  • Integration with AWS Services
    Natively integrates with other AWS services, allowing for seamless workflows with services like S3, CloudWatch, and Lambda.
  • Compliance
    Helps meet compliance requirements as it adheres to various standards and certifications like HIPAA, GDPR, and ISO.
  • Pay-As-You-Go Pricing
    Offers cost-effective usage-based pricing, allowing businesses to pay only for the resources they use.
  • Ease of Migration
    Simplifies the migration process with minimal disruption to existing systems, supporting both file-based and external server migration.
  • Availability
    Ensures high availability and fault tolerance by distributing workloads across multiple regions.

Possible disadvantages of AWS Transfer for SFTP

  • Cost
    Despite its pay-as-you-go pricing model, the costs can add up for high-volume usage, making it expensive for some use cases.
  • Complexity for Beginners
    While it’s user-friendly for experienced AWS users, beginners may find the initial setup and configuration challenging due to the myriad of options and settings.
  • Limited Protocol Support
    Supports only SFTP, FTPS, and FTP; lacks support for other file transfer protocols, potentially restricting its usage scenarios.
  • Vendor Lock-in
    Using AWS Transfer for SFTP ties you to the AWS ecosystem, which may make it difficult to switch to a different provider in the future without considerable effort.
  • Latency
    Some users may experience latency issues, particularly if they are geographically far from the AWS regions hosting their services.

Analysis of Google Drive

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Google Drive is considered a good option for cloud storage and collaboration due to its robust features, ease of use, and integration with a wide range of applications.

Why this product is good

  • Google Drive is a popular cloud storage service that offers seamless integration with other Google services like Google Docs, Sheets, and Gmail. It provides a generous amount of free storage, advanced collaboration tools, and accessibility across multiple devices. Furthermore, its intuitive interface and stable performance make it a reliable choice for both personal and professional use.

Recommended for

  • Students who need to collaborate on projects and store educational materials.
  • Professionals who require seamless sharing and editing of documents.
  • Individuals looking to back up personal photos, videos, and important files.
  • Teams that need efficient collaboration and file management tools.

Analysis of AWS Transfer for SFTP

Overall verdict

  • AWS Transfer for SFTP is a good option for businesses looking to modernize their file transfer workloads without needing to build and maintain their own transfer infrastructure. It is reliable, secure, and integrates well with other AWS services, offering scalability and ease of use.

Why this product is good

  • AWS Transfer for SFTP is a managed service that makes it easy to transfer files directly into and out of Amazon S3 using the Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP). It eliminates the need for server infrastructure management, which can reduce overhead and increase scalability. The service seamlessly integrates with existing authentication systems, supports native file and folder permissions for secure access, and offers encryption for data in transit and at rest, ensuring secure and reliable file transfer.

Recommended for

  • Businesses that need to transfer files securely to and from Amazon S3.
  • Organizations looking to replace legacy SFTP servers with a cloud-based solution.
  • Companies that require compliance with data security standards and regulations.
  • Teams seeking seamless integration with existing AWS environments and services.

Google Drive videos

Google Drive vs Dropbox!

More videos:

  • Review - Google Drive vs iCloud vs Dropbox vs OneDrive | Pricing
  • Review - What is Google Drive and How Does It Work - Updated for 2019

AWS Transfer for SFTP videos

AWS Transfer for SFTP to S3 | Fully Managed SFTP Service | How to set up SFTP to upload files to S3

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Google Drive and AWS Transfer for SFTP)
Cloud Storage
93 93%
7% 7
File Sharing
91 91%
9% 9
Encrypted Cloud Storage
100 100%
0% 0
File Transfer
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Google Drive and AWS Transfer for SFTP

Google Drive Reviews

  1. FaizaAdeel
    · Owner at Peacock.collection111 ·
    Excellent Cloud storage

    Well first of all its easy to carry as its in my mobile device plus laptop. File sharing is not only secure but also easy to use. giving me all kind of access to google doc, google presentation, data and etc. working on big projects with big teams is being made easy by google drive.

    🏁 Competitors: Dropbox
    👍 Pros:    Storing and collaboration is best feature for me
    👎 Cons:    Nothing, so far

Best MEGA Alternatives in 2024 : These 5 Are Much Better!
Google Drive supports file versioning of up to 30 days, with up to 100 versions of your files. Some of them, however, can be kept forever if you deem them important. Overall, Google Drive is pretty simple to use, and while expensive, it’s still cheaper than MEGA.
Source: www.01net.com
Best Free Cloud Storage for 2024: What Cloud Storage Providers Offer the Most Free Storage?
It would be madness if an article about the best free online cloud storage did not include Google Drive. As our Google Drive review shows, it’s one of the best free cloud services, thanks to its seamless integration with Google Docs. Plus, there’s a generous 15GB storage limit which makes it the best cloud storage for students and free users.
Best Top 12 MEGA Alternatives in 2024
Google Drive is a comprehensive cloud storage and collaboration platform that integrates seamlessly with other Google services. It's an ideal choice for those heavily invested in the Google ecosystem.
Top 5 Solutions for Sending Files Securely in 2023 
Google Drive is a popular cloud storage and file-sharing platform that also offers secured file transfer. Users can share files with specific individuals or groups, and set permissions to control who has access to the files. Google Drive also includes advanced security features such as two-factor authentication and encryption to protect files from unauthorized access.
Source: blaze.cx
11 Top Confluence Alternatives & Competitors For Team Collaboration
A few reasons that make Google Drive worthy are its centralized administration and data loss prevention. The Vault for Drive (an information governance tool) helps you retain, hold, search, and export users’ Google Workspace data.
Source: clickup.com

AWS Transfer for SFTP Reviews

We have no reviews of AWS Transfer for SFTP yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, AWS Transfer for SFTP should be more popular than Google Drive. It has been mentiond 7 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Google Drive mentions (2)

  • Google Drive is syncing stuff from my trash - anyone else noticing this? (Ventura 13, latest beta)
    I'm running the latest beta of Ventura and the Google Drive sync app installed from google.com/drive. Source: over 2 years ago
  • How to use Google Drive for backup files
    Is Google Drive good for backing up files? Safety of personal Data loss is important, choosing Google Drive as means to Store files and folder is key to preventing loss of Data. Backup files to Google Drive are very useful for to managed personal files and making files easier to share with family and friends. How to use Google Drive for backup. Source: about 3 years ago

AWS Transfer for SFTP mentions (7)

  • What is the easiest way to get Python code running on AWS?
    It is not clear the use case. However, if you want to run a FTP server with capabilities to run python scripts, for example, when files arrive… I recommend evaluate AWS Transfer Family leveraging the managed workflow capabilities. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Event-Driven Serverless Data Architecture
    S3/Transfer - Doesn't matter what you work on, it's hard to get away from file-based transfers and S3 and AWS Transfer are great choices for that. - Source: dev.to / about 2 years ago
  • Is there a preferred SFTP tool in this reddit to receive SFTPs?
    Are you in AWS? They have a managed SFTP service. https://aws.amazon.com/aws-transfer-family/. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Upload fortigate gate config directly to s3, possible?
    I bet you could use aws transfer https://aws.amazon.com/aws-transfer-family/. There is a hourly charge so I would setup a small linux server with s3fs but that's me. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Aws internet line
    Are you saying you’re using AWS Transfer Family? Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Google Drive and AWS Transfer for SFTP, you can also consider the following products

Dropbox - Online Sync and File Sharing

GoAnywhere MFT - GoAnywhere is a managed file transfer (MFT) solution that secures and automates the exchange of data. GoAnywhere's interface and workflow features eliminate the need for custom programs, scripts, single-function tools or other manual methods.

Mega - Secure File Storage and collaboration

Cerberus FTP Server - Cerberus FTP Server Enterprise is a professional FTP server that supports encrypted FTPS and SFTP sessions as well as HTTP and HTTPS file...

Microsoft OneDrive - Secure access, sharing & file storage

GlobalSCAPE Enhanced File Transfer - With operational efficiency in mind, Globalscape’s Enhanced File Transfer™ (EFT™) Enterprise features quick and intuitive setup, advanced automation capabilities, real-time visibility into data transfers, and much more.