5 Best ShareFile Alternatives for Secure Business File Sharing

Why Teams Look for ShareFile Alternatives

ShareFile (now owned by Progress Software after Citrix spun off its enterprise division) has been a reliable enterprise file-sharing tool for years. But "reliable" doesn't always mean "right for your team."

The most common reasons teams switch:

• Pricing confusion: ShareFile's plans start at $16/month for individuals but jump to $55/user/month for teams. That adds up fast.
• Dated interface: The UI feels like 2015. Younger team members especially find it clunky compared to consumer tools.
• Integration gaps: If you're not in the Citrix ecosystem, ShareFile can feel isolated from your other tools.
• Overkill for simple needs: Many ShareFile features target legal and financial compliance. If you don't need those, you're paying for capabilities you won't use.

The right alternative depends on what you actually need. Document-heavy workflows? Creative file sharing? Simple team storage? Each alternative below serves different use cases.

Quick Comparison: Top ShareFile Alternatives

Here's how the leading alternatives stack up against ShareFile:

The biggest gap most comparisons miss: pricing models. ShareFile and most competitors charge per user. Fast.io charges based on usage, which can save 70%+ for teams that don't need every person at a full seat.

1. Fast.io: Best for Teams That Share Large or Media Files

Fast.io takes a different approach to team file sharing. Instead of charging per seat, you pay based on actual usage. For teams of 25 or more, this typically costs 70% less than ShareFile.

What makes it different:

• Usage-based pricing: Pro plan includes 25 seats. Add more for $1/month each. You pay for storage and bandwidth, not headcount.
• HLS video streaming: Netflix-style adaptive streaming. Videos play instantly without buffering. ShareFile uses progressive download, which means waiting.
• Organization-owned files: When someone leaves, their files stay. No scrambling to transfer ownership.
• Real-time collaboration: See who's viewing a workspace live. Follow teammates to sync your view during reviews.

Where Fast.io fits best:

Video production teams, creative agencies, and marketing departments benefit most. If you regularly share files over 1GB or need frame-accurate video reviews, the streaming capabilities alone justify the switch.

Limitations:

Fast.io focuses on file sharing and collaboration, not document signing or contract management. If you need e-signatures, you'll pair it with a dedicated tool like DocuSign.

2. Box: Best for Enterprise Integrations

Box has positioned itself as the content management layer for large enterprises. If your company already uses Salesforce, Slack, and dozens of other enterprise tools, Box likely has pre-built integrations.

Strengths:

• 1,500+ integrations: Connect Box to nearly any enterprise tool
• Box AI: Summarize documents, extract data, generate content
• Unlimited storage on Business plans
• Strong compliance options: HIPAA, FedRAMP, and more available

Drawbacks:

• Per-seat pricing adds up: $15-50/user/month means a 100-person team pays $1,500-5,000/month
• Slow interface: Heavy enterprise features can make navigation sluggish
• External sharing limits: Collaborating with external parties requires extra configuration

Box makes sense if you're a large enterprise that needs every integration under the sun. For smaller teams or those primarily sharing media files, it's overkill.

3. Dropbox Business: Best for Teams Who Want Familiar UX

Dropbox built its reputation on simplicity. The desktop sync and familiar folder structure mean minimal training for new team members.

Strengths:

• Everyone knows how to use it: The learning curve is nearly flat
• Smart Sync: Access all files without filling your hard drive
• Paper and Capture: Built-in tools for documents and scanning
• Transfer: Send large files (up to 250GB) even to non-Dropbox users

Drawbacks:

• Per-user pricing: $18/user/month for Standard, $30 for Advanced
• Video limitations: Progressive download, not streaming. Large videos buffer.
• Personal account confusion: Team files can mix with personal files if you're not careful

Dropbox Business works well for general team storage when you don't need specialized media handling. The familiarity saves training time.

4. Egnyte: Best for Hybrid Cloud Needs

Egnyte targets companies that can't go fully cloud. Maybe you have regulatory requirements, legacy systems, or just prefer keeping some data on-premises.

Strengths:

• True hybrid architecture: Mix on-prem and cloud storage in one system
• Industry solutions: Purpose-built for architecture, engineering, construction, and life sciences
• Governance features: Classify data, set retention policies, track access
• Strong security: Encryption, access controls, detailed audit logs

Drawbacks:

• Complexity: More configuration than pure-cloud alternatives
• Pricing: Starts at $20/user/month, custom quotes for larger deployments
• Not ideal for small teams: The feature set targets mid-size and enterprise

Egnyte makes sense if you have specific hybrid requirements or work in industries like AEC where it has specialized features. For pure-cloud needs, simpler options exist.

5. Tresorit: Best for Maximum Security

Tresorit built its entire product around end-to-end encryption. If security is your primary concern and you're willing to trade some convenience for it, this is your platform.

Strengths:

• Zero-knowledge encryption: Even Tresorit can't access your files
• Swiss jurisdiction: Strong privacy laws
• Compliance-ready: Helps meet GDPR, HIPAA-adjacent security requirements
• Policy enforcement: Control where files can be accessed, from which devices

Drawbacks:

• Slower sync: Encryption adds overhead
• Limited integrations: Security focus limits third-party connections
• Higher cost for features: $19-27/user/month, and advanced features need higher tiers

Tresorit works best for law firms, healthcare organizations, or anyone handling genuinely sensitive data. The security comes with trade-offs in speed and flexibility.

How to Choose the Right Alternative

Skip the feature checklists. Start with your actual workflow:

Choose Fast.io if:

• Your team shares video, images, or large design files regularly
• You want to stop paying per seat and switch to usage-based pricing
• Real-time collaboration during reviews matters (follow mode, live presence)
• Files should belong to the organization, not individuals

Choose Box if:

• You need to integrate with 50+ enterprise tools
• Compliance certifications are non-negotiable
• Your IT team prefers established enterprise vendors

Choose Dropbox if:

• Training time is a concern and familiarity matters
• Your files are mostly standard documents (not large media)
• You already have Dropbox personal accounts on the team

Choose Egnyte if:

• You can't go 100% cloud for regulatory or legacy reasons
• You work in AEC, life sciences, or similar industries
• You need granular data governance

Choose Tresorit if:

• End-to-end encryption is required, not optional
• You handle genuinely sensitive data (legal, medical, financial)
• You're willing to trade speed for security

Making the Switch from ShareFile

Migration doesn't have to be painful. Most alternatives offer tools or services to move your data:

1. Export from ShareFile: Use ShareFile's admin tools to download folders or request a data export.

2. Map your folder structure: Before importing, decide if you want to replicate your exact ShareFile structure or reorganize. This is a good time to clean up.

3. Set up permissions first: Create your user groups and permission structure in the new platform before importing files.

4. Import in batches: Don't try to move everything at once. Start with one department or project, verify it works, then continue.

5. Run parallel for 2-4 weeks: Keep ShareFile active while you verify the new system works. This avoids disruption if issues arise.

6. Communicate with external collaborators: If clients or partners accessed files via ShareFile links, give them notice before those links stop working.

Most teams complete a full migration in 2-4 weeks, depending on data volume and complexity.