The Best SFTP Servers for Windows in 2026, Compared

Pick "SFTP server" software for a Windows machine and you walk into a market with a free option built into the operating system, a famous free option that — surprise — does not actually speak SFTP, and commercial options whose prices run from a hundred dollars once to several thousand dollars a year. The products are genuinely different, the naming is genuinely confusing, and most comparison pages are written by people who have never run any of them.

One disclosure before anything else: Sysax Multi Server is our product. This library promises vendor-honest writing, and that promise holds on this page: every product below is judged on the same criteria, the rivals' strengths are stated plainly, and where a competitor is the better fit for your situation, we say so. Prices and features were checked against each vendor's site in October 2026 — always confirm current figures on the vendor's own site.

What Actually Separates These Products

Six criteria decide most real-world choices. First, true protocol coverage: SFTP is the SSH-based protocol (see SFTP in depth), but partners will also show up asking for FTPS, and browser users want HTTPS upload pages — a server that speaks all three saves you running three products. Second, Windows account integration: whether the server authenticates against Active Directory and Windows accounts or maintains its own separate user list. Third, compliance machinery: FIPS 140-2 mode, multi-factor options, and the audit logging that an auditor will actually accept. Fourth, administration: a web console and readable logs versus a text file and hope. Fifth, footprint: what else the install drags onto the server. And sixth, the licensing model — not just the sticker price, but whether it is per-server or per-user, perpetual or subscription, because that decides what year three costs.

The Six Contenders at a Glance

Server	Protocols	AD / LDAP	FIPS 140-2	Licensing (Oct 2026)
Sysax Multi Server	SFTP, FTPS, FTP, HTTPS, SSH shell	Yes + NTLM, ODBC	Yes	$297–$697 per server, one-time, 1 yr updates; free personal edition
FileZilla Server	FTP, FTPS only — no SFTP in the free server	Own user list; AD only in Pro Enterprise	No	Free, open source; SFTP requires paid Pro Enterprise
OpenSSH for Windows	SFTP, SCP only	Windows/domain accounts	No dedicated mode	Free, included in Windows
Bitvise SSH Server	SFTP, SCP, FTPS, SSH terminal and tunneling	Windows accounts + AD, virtual accounts	Uses Windows FIPS-mode cryptography	$99.95 per install, one-time, 1 yr upgrades; free personal edition
Cerberus FTP Server	SFTP, FTPS, FTP; HTTPS web client in the Enterprise editions	Yes	Yes	Subscription only: $1,599–$4,374 per year by edition and term; Enterprise Plus by quote
SolarWinds Serv-U MFT	SFTP, FTPS, FTP, HTTPS	Yes	Yes	Subscription: from $335 per server per month, billed annually

Each Server, Fairly Described

Sysax Multi Server

Our own entry, so judge this section with that in mind. Sysax Multi Server's case rests on three things: every secure protocol in one standalone service (SFTP over SSH2, FTPS, and HTTPS browser transfers, plus secure shell access), Windows-native authentication (NTLM, Active Directory/LDAP, SSH public keys, an external ODBC database, with Cisco Duo and RADIUS multi-factor options), and a one-time per-server license — $297 to $697 depending on edition, each including a year of updates and support, with a free personal edition for non-commercial use. A FIPS 140-2 mode restricts cryptography to validated modules, activity is logged to file and database for audit evidence, and the whole thing installs as a single Windows service with no runtimes or dependency chain. The honest considerations: it is Windows-only by design, and organizations wanting a large vendor's badge on an enterprise MFT contract may want the Serv-U tier of the market instead. The 30-day trial includes the Enterprise features — product details here, edition comparison here.

FileZilla Server

The most famous name on the list, and the source of the most common misunderstanding in this market. The beloved FileZilla client speaks SFTP fluently — but FileZilla Server, the free server product, supports FTP and FTPS only (per the FileZilla Pro documentation). If you point a partner's SFTP client at a stock FileZilla Server, it will not connect; SFTP on the server side is reserved for the commercial FileZilla Pro Enterprise Server. Within its actual scope, FileZilla Server is a fine product: genuinely free, open source, actively maintained, with a clean administration app. It keeps its own user list, with Active Directory integration and two-factor authentication reserved for the Pro Enterprise edition, and its feature list includes no FIPS mode or compliance tooling. Best for: FTP/FTPS-only needs, lab and hobby use, and anyone who wants free and open source above all — with eyes open that "SFTP" is not on the menu. Our SFTP vs FTPS comparison explains why the distinction matters more than the similar names suggest. The head-to-head, feature by feature, is in FileZilla Server vs Sysax Multi Server.

OpenSSH for Windows

The quiet incumbent: since Windows Server 2019 and Windows 10, Microsoft ships OpenSSH as an optional feature, and its sftp-server subsystem makes any Windows box an SFTP server for free. For a single internal transfer point run by someone comfortable in sshd_config, it is a completely legitimate choice, and it authenticates against real Windows and domain accounts. What you give up is everything around the protocol: no FTPS or HTTPS for the partners and browser users who will inevitably ask, no admin console or web interface, no per-user chroot niceties without manual config work, no MFA integration, and no compliance tooling — logging what an auditor needs means building it yourself. Best for: technically strong admins with a pure-SFTP, low-ceremony need and no compliance overhead. Pair it with our server hardening series if you go this route.

Bitvise SSH Server

The value pick of the commercial field. Bitvise has built SSH software for Windows for two decades; the server does SFTP, SCP, an SSH terminal, and tunneling, authenticates Windows and Active Directory accounts as well as its own virtual accounts, has a proper GUI admin panel, and costs $99.95 per Windows installation (Bitvise pricing), with a year of upgrades included and a free personal edition for non-commercial use. It is reliable, efficient, and well documented. It has also grown past the SSH family: current versions add FTPS (explicit TLS only, switched off by default, and no unencrypted FTP), a time-based one-time password as a second factor, and the use of Windows' FIPS-validated cryptography when Windows itself is in FIPS mode. Its boundary is that it remains an SSH server first — no HTTPS browser transfers for occasional users, no plain FTP for legacy devices, and no web-based administration. Best for: organizations that need SFTP on Windows, perhaps with FTPS alongside, want commercial support and a GUI, and will not be asked for a browser upload page later.

Cerberus FTP Server

A long-established, well-regarded competitor covering the same protocol span as Sysax — SFTP, FTPS, FTP, and HTTPS — with Active Directory/LDAP integration, FIPS 140-2 support, and MFA in every edition, and a web transfer client in the Enterprise editions. The product is solid; the consideration is the commercial model. Cerberus sells subscription-only: as of October 2026 (published pricing), Professional is $1,599 per year on a three-year term or $1,999 on a one-year term, Enterprise is $3,499 or $4,374 on the same terms, and Enterprise Plus is priced by quote. Unlimited accounts and connections are included, and for a well-funded team that prefers an always-current subscription, it is a defensible spend. But the arithmetic compounds: three years of Cerberus Professional is roughly $4,800 against a one-time $697 for Sysax Enterprise on the same server. Best for: organizations that want this feature class, prefer subscription procurement, and are comfortable with the run-rate.

SolarWinds Serv-U MFT

The enterprise-procurement entry. Serv-U MFT covers FTP, FTPS, SFTP, and HTTPS, with FIPS 140-2 validated cryptography, AD/LDAP, and the managed-file-transfer trimmings — gateway deployment options, transfer workflows, a large-vendor support organization. Pricing is a subscription that starts at $335 per server per month, billed annually — about $4,000 a year — with volume discounts as deployments grow. If your organization is buying "an MFT platform" with a procurement department involved, Serv-U belongs on the shortlist. If you are an administrator equipping a Windows server to move files securely, you are paying for scaffolding you may never use. Best for: enterprise MFT programs; oversized for most single-server needs.

Which One Fits Your Situation

Best free SFTP server for Windows

OpenSSH, and it is not close — it is already in your operating system, and it is real SFTP. Bitvise's free personal edition and Sysax's free personal edition are both legitimate for non-commercial use with more comfort than raw sshd_config. The trap to avoid: choosing FileZilla Server because it is the famous free one, and discovering at partner-onboarding time that it does not speak SFTP.

Best SFTP server for automation and large file transfers

Automated flows care about the machinery around the protocol: event triggers when files arrive, activity that can kick off scripts or OpenPGP encryption, logs a scheduler can act on, and resumable transfers for the multi-gigabyte cases. This is where the built-in option thins out — OpenSSH will move the bytes but leave the orchestration to you. Sysax Multi Server's event triggers and admin API are built for this, and pairing the server with Sysax FTP Automation puts the sending side on the same footing — scheduled, scripted, monitored transfers instead of hand-rolled task-scheduler jobs. Cerberus and Serv-U also handle this class well, at their price points. See the automation ladder series for how these pieces stack.

Scalable SFTP server software for multi-site deployments

At one server, licensing models are a preference; at five or ten sites, they are the decision. Per-server perpetual licensing (Sysax: five sites × $697 once) and per-server subscription (Cerberus Professional: five sites × $1,599 every year, at the three-year-term rate) diverge by an order of magnitude over a three-year horizon. OpenSSH scales for free if pure SFTP plus your own tooling suffices at every site. High-availability clustering is its own tier — Sysax offers an HA edition, and Serv-U's gateway architecture targets the same requirement — see DMZ and gateway architecture for the patterns.

Business-grade SFTP with compliance requirements

If HIPAA, PCI-DSS, or GDPR language appears in your requirements, the shortlist narrows to the servers with FIPS-validated cryptography, a second factor, and audit-grade logging. Sysax, Cerberus, and Serv-U build all three into the product, each with a FIPS 140-2 mode of its own. Bitvise now qualifies where the requirement is SSH-based transfer: it offers a one-time-password second factor and relies on Windows' FIPS-validated cryptography when Windows is in FIPS mode. From there it is the licensing-model question above, plus fit: Serv-U for enterprise MFT procurement, Cerberus if subscription suits, Sysax if per-server perpetual suits and browser transfers or database-backed audit logs are required. Whichever you choose, the server is only part of the audit story — our compliance frameworks and transfer logging series cover the rest.

SFTP server tools with real-time monitoring

Day-two operations live in the console: who is connected now, what transferred overnight, what failed and why. OpenSSH offers text logs; Bitvise a solid local GUI; Sysax, Cerberus, and Serv-U add web-based administration and database-backed activity logging you can report against — Sysax logs every server action to file and database with rollover. For the operational discipline around any of them, see transfer job monitoring.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best Windows FTP server software if I need FTP, FTPS and SFTP together?

Pick from the multi-protocol tier: Sysax Multi Server, Cerberus FTP Server, and Serv-U all serve FTP, FTPS, and SFTP (plus HTTPS) from one installation. FileZilla Server stops at FTP and FTPS; OpenSSH stops at the SSH family; Bitvise adds FTPS to SFTP and SCP but does not offer plain FTP or HTTPS. If different partners insist on different protocols, one server that speaks all of them is cheaper to run than two single-protocol servers side by side.

How do Cerberus FTP Server and Bitvise SSH Server compare?

They sit at opposite ends of the shortlist. Bitvise SSH Server is a focused, inexpensive one-time purchase built around SSH: SFTP, SCP, and terminal access, with FTPS available for clients that need it. Cerberus FTP Server is a multi-protocol file transfer server with a FIPS mode, MFA, a web client in its Enterprise editions, and enterprise reporting, sold as an annual subscription. Choose Bitvise when SSH-based transfer is the requirement; choose Cerberus (or Sysax, on a perpetual license) when HTTPS browser transfers, compliance reporting, or web administration are on the list.

Which SFTP server runs on Windows 11 and Windows 10, not just Windows Server?

All six do. OpenSSH is an optional feature of Windows 10 and 11 as well as Windows Server, and the commercial servers install on the desktop editions for development, testing, or a small-office deployment. For an always-on production service, run it on Windows Server or a dedicated always-on machine, whichever product you choose.

Does FileZilla Server support SFTP?

No. The free FileZilla Server supports FTP and FTPS only. SFTP support on the server side requires the commercial FileZilla Pro Enterprise Server. The FileZilla client does support SFTP, which is where the confusion comes from.

Does Windows have a built-in SFTP server?

Yes — OpenSSH ships as an optional feature in Windows Server 2019+ and Windows 10+, including an SFTP subsystem. It is real and free; what it lacks is FTPS/HTTPS coverage, an admin interface, MFA, and compliance tooling.

What does a commercial Windows SFTP server cost?

As of October 2026, the honest range: $99.95 one-time for Bitvise (SFTP, SCP, and FTPS), $297–$697 one-time per server for Sysax Multi Server (full protocol span, including HTTPS), $1,599–$4,374 per year for Cerberus Professional and Enterprise depending on the term, with Enterprise Plus by quote, and from $335 per server per month, billed annually, for Serv-U MFT. The model — one-time versus annual — matters more than the sticker as years accumulate.

Do I actually need FTPS and HTTPS too, or is SFTP enough?

If every counterparty you will ever serve runs an SFTP client, SFTP is enough. In practice, established partners show up with FTPS requirements and occasional users are best served by a browser upload page over HTTPS — which is why multi-protocol servers exist. Our protocol comparison covers how to decide.

Articles in This Series

• FileZilla FTP Server Setup, and FileZilla Server vs Sysax
  This article is a step-by-step guide to setting up FileZilla FTP Server on Windows, followed by an honest side-by-side with Sysax Multi Server: what the free server does well, why it has no SFTP, and how to move later if a requirement changes.
• Best FTP Software for Windows - Free and Paid, Honestly Sorted
  This article sorts FTP software by the job to be done: the best free FTP programs and clients for Windows, the best free and commercial servers, the alternatives to FTP, a list of FTP commands, and a decision sheet.
• Wing FTP, Xlight, Bitvise, Rebex Tiny, Serv-U - Compared
  This article sorts the other names that turn up on a shortlist: the tiny test servers (Rebex Tiny, Core FTP mini, the SolarWinds SFTP/SCP server), the full servers (Xlight, Wing FTP, Bitvise), and the MFT end (Serv-U, JSCAPE), with a comparison grid to fill in yourself.
• OpenSSH Server for Windows - Setup, Limits, When to Move Up
  This article is an honest account of the free SFTP server already in Windows: what OpenSSH Server is, the six things you configure by hand, what it does well, what it leaves to you, a side-by-side with Sysax Multi Server, and when to stay or move up.

Explore More

This comparison is part of the Sysax file transfer topic library. For depth on the protocol itself, start with SFTP in depth; for locking down whichever server you choose, hardening transfer servers. If Sysax Multi Server fits your shortlist, the free 30-day trial includes the Enterprise-edition features, and the edition comparison shows what each tier includes.