SFTPGo vs AWS Transfer Family: 21× cheaper, hosted in Europe
An AWS Transfer Family endpoint runs you $216/month before a single file moves, not counting traffic and S3 storage. Managed SFTPGo on Bunker is €10/month all-in, data in Europe, GDPR-compliant by default.
AWS Transfer Family charges $0.30/hour for each active SFTP endpoint. That's $216/month fixed before a single byte is transferred. Add $0.04 per GB transferred and $0.023/GB for underlying S3 storage. On a modest B2B workload (nightly EDI exchanges, partner invoice drops), the bill climbs past $300/month.
Managed SFTPGo on Bunker is an open-source SFTP, FTPS and WebDAV server hosted in Europe, with encrypted S3 backend and multi-tenant virtual accounts. Flat €10/month, data under EU law, no US CLOUD Act or FISA exposure.
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | SFTPGo France Nuage | AWS Transfer Family |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | €10/month all-in | $216/month per endpoint + transfers + S3 storage |
| Hosting | Europe (French datacenter) | AWS region of choice (us-east-1, eu-west-3, etc.) |
| Legal jurisdiction | EU law exclusively | Subject to US CLOUD Act and FISA |
| GDPR compliance | Native, no extra clauses | Possible with Standard Contractual Clauses |
| Protocols | SFTP, FTPS, WebDAV, HTTP API | SFTP, FTPS, FTP, AS2 |
| Storage backend | Encrypted Ceph S3 (Bunker) | AWS S3 (separate client account) |
| Native multi-tenant | Yes, virtual accounts with per-tenant quotas | Yes, IAM + Transfer Family users |
| Automation API | Full REST API | AWS SDK + CloudFormation |
| Audit and logs | Full audit included | CloudWatch (billed separately) |
| High availability | 3 HAProxy + replicated CNPG Postgres | Multi-AZ AWS |
| Support | European, technical team | AWS Support (English, paid beyond Basic) |
| Open source | Yes (sftpgo.com) | No, proprietary AWS |
| Reversibility | Self-host SFTPGo elsewhere in one command | Migration required to leave AWS |
Pricing: why a 20× gap between the two?
AWS bills every active endpoint hour, regardless of usage. A 24/7 SFTP endpoint costs $216/month fixed. With two endpoints (production and staging), that's $432/month. Add $0.04 per GB transferred in either direction and the underlying S3 storage (~$0.023/GB/month). On 100 GB of active files and 200 GB of monthly transfers, you're past $230/month on a single endpoint.
Bunker charges a flat €10/month covering the SFTPGo infrastructure, Ceph S3 backend, HAProxy high availability, daily backups and European support. No transfer fees, no end-of-month surprises. Storage quota and number of virtual accounts are set per tenant according to what you actually need.
Sovereignty: what the CLOUD Act actually changes
The CLOUD Act (Clarifying Lawful Overseas Use of Data Act, passed in 2018) allows US authorities to compel AWS to hand over data stored with them, even when that data physically sits in Europe. FISA Section 702 adds the option of electronic surveillance on foreign targets without notification. For sensitive B2B data (EDI invoices, commercial contracts, partner HR exports), that's a real legal exposure.
Managed SFTPGo on Bunker is operated by a European entity, on European servers, with no US subsidiary or technical partnership. Your data stays under EU law. For regulated sectors (healthcare, public sector, finance), this is often a hard internal compliance requirement.
When AWS Transfer Family still makes sense
AWS Transfer Family still wins in several cases. If your infrastructure is already on AWS, your applications consume files directly from S3, and sovereignty constraints don't apply, the native AWS integration is convenient. AS2 is also an advantage for normalized EDI flows in retail B2B or automotive.
Managed SFTPGo on Bunker becomes the better choice as soon as you want out of the CLOUD Act, predictable flat pricing, or the option to self-host the service later. The need for WebDAV and European support also tips the balance for ops teams based in the EU.
Frequently asked questions
Can I migrate my AWS Transfer Family accounts to Bunker SFTPGo?
Yes. Our team supports the migration: export your SFTP accounts, collect public SSH keys, recreate via the SFTPGo API, sync existing files with rsync. Allow 1-2 days for a complete migration depending on volume. The DNS of the old endpoint can be repointed without interruption for your partners.
Which protocols does Bunker SFTPGo support?
SFTP (port 32222), FTPS (on request, disabled by default), WebDAV and HTTP API. SFTP works with FileZilla, Cyberduck, WinSCP, rsync, and any standard SFTP client. AWS Transfer Family also supports AS2, which can be an advantage if you have regulated EDI flows. For other use cases, SFTPGo covers what matters.
How is high availability guaranteed on Bunker SFTPGo?
The SFTP endpoint is exposed via HAProxy in 3 replicas across 3 distinct Kubernetes nodes of the Bunker cluster. Metadata (accounts, ACLs, audit) lives in a CNPG Postgres replicated 3 times. Files are stored on Ceph S3 also replicated. No single point of failure on the SFTP layer.
Does Bunker SFTPGo data leave European soil?
No. The entire infrastructure (HAProxy, SFTPGo, Postgres, S3 Ceph) runs on physical servers located in France, operated by a European team. Backups stay in Europe too. No intercontinental transfer, no US cloud provider in the chain.
If I leave Bunker, how do I retrieve my files and accounts?
SFTPGo is open source, so you can export all your files via SFTP/rsync and redeploy the same SFTPGo binary on your own infrastructure or with another host in a few hours. Virtual accounts and their ACLs export as JSON via the REST API. No proprietary format, no lock-in.
Cut your SFTP bill by 20×
Activation within 24h, European support, no commitment.