SFTP To Go: A hosted SFTP that actually saves time

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Updated on: March 13, 2025
Time to read: 9 minutes
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Secure file transfers and storage are non-negotiable, not just in sensitive-data industries like finance and healthcare, but in any business, large or small.

Yet, anyone who’s run an in-house SFTP server knows that user management, security, uptime, firewall rules, and log monitoring can eat up hours. If you’d rather not babysit an SFTP server, SFTP To Go is one of the easiest ways to offload the fuss.

It’s a fully managed SFTP service that handles the hosting, security, and storage for you. No setup, no patching, no worrying about uptime. We’ve tested SFTP To Go across different workflows—using a standard SFTP client, automating transfers with scripts and webhooks, and mounting it with CloudMounter for seamless local access. 

For this review, we’ll focus on how it works with CloudMounter, letting you manage files directly in Finder or File Explorer as if they were stored locally. Here’s how it stacks up.

Table of Contents

Getting started: Fast, straightforward, and no surprises

SFTP To Go offers scalable pricing options, so you pay only for what you need, and every plan offers a 7-day trial period. All plans are feature-packed. We opted for a free trial of their Premium plan.

Signup is painless. There’s no “deployment” phase, no servers to configure—just create an account and log in to the Admin dashboard by signing in to SFTP To Go. 

Create your SFTP To Go account

While the default configuration is highly secure and more than enough for most users to get started, all the options are there for users to implement more advanced security measures such as inbound network rules, public key authentication, and more. These are accessible via the admin dashboard>settings>security.

The Admin interface is simple, with five main tabs:

  • Credentials: This is where the administrator can manage access to folders and files, including users (and their credentials), what folders/files they have access to, and what kind of access permissions they have. 
Credentials
Add credentials
  • File browser: A web-based file manager, where administrators can view their organization’s files, which will include the home directories and subdirectories of every user in their organization, and more. Users may have access to isolated or shared folders, and the folders they can access are all dependent on the permissions you’ve granted.
File browser
  • Share links: Expiring download links for external users, these can be added and removed for chosen directories/files/folders as needed. This is an invaluable feature for professionals and businesses who need a quick, secure way to share files.
Share links
  • Webhooks: Customizable real-time file activity notifications, so you can monitor a range of file events and also trigger events (such as sending an email) when certain criteria are met.
Webhooks
  • Settings: This is where you manage security configurations, network rules, and user access. You can set up custom domains, brand the web portal with your logo, fine-tune authentication settings (including MFA and SSH keys), and monitor usage and billing details—all in one place.
Settings

Everything is where you’d expect it to be. We didn’t have to dig through menus or read a help doc just to  find connection details—navigation is intuitive, even for non-technical users.

Connecting: no mucking about

SFTP To Go supports multiple connection methods, and setting them up is straightforward.

SFTP

For anyone used to managing SFTP servers, this part is refreshingly simple. You just:

  1. Open the Credentials tab.
  2. Copy the host, username, and password (or use SSH keys) for your chosen user profile.
  3. Paste them into your SFTP client. We use CloudMounter, which lets you manage those files straight through Finder or File Explorer. 
  4. Connect/Mount.
Copy the host, username, and password (or use SSH keys) for your chosen user profile

That’s it. No troubleshooting, no firewall headaches. The default port is 22, but there are alternates (2222, 22000) if needed. We tested it with both password and key authentication, and connections were fast and stable. No weird timeout issues or permission errors. Using CloudMounter, we were able to connect to the SFTP To Go via SFTP and access its storage directly through Finder (or File Explorer, for Windows users) as if it were a local drive.

Connect to the SFTP To Go via SFTP

FTPS: if your workflow needs it

If you need FTPS (explicit mode, passive transfers), it’s supported on all plans. You grab the host, username, and password from the Credentials tab, connect via port 21, and you’re in, similar to the process for SFTP.

To learn more, read this.

Amazon S3: direct storage access

SFTP To Go provides secure cloud storage backed by Amazon S3, ensuring high availability and durability. Each account includes an allocated storage space that grows with your plan, with files accessible via SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, and optionally, Amazon S3 APIs. 

Data is encrypted in transit and at rest, and access is managed through user credentials with configurable permissions. Whether you’re storing daily file transfers or integrating with automated workflows, the storage remains reliable, scalable, and easy to manage directly from the web portal or your preferred client.

Using the web portal when CloudMounter isn’t installed

If you’re away from your usual setup and need to access SFTP To Go without CloudMounter, the web portal gives you a straightforward way to manage files directly from your browser over HTTPS.

  • Secure login: Use your credentials or email-based sign-in with multi-factor authentication if enabled.
  • Direct file access: Browse, upload, and download files without an SFTP client (when you’re on another device, and don’t have CloudMounter).
  • Folder management: Create, rename, move, and delete folders within your home directory.
  • Bulk actions: Select multiple files for batch copy, move, or delete operations.
  • File preview & sharing: Open supported file types in-browser or generate share links for external access.

 

It’s a reliable alternative when you need to grab or organize files but don’t have CloudMounter handy. Just head over to settings and ensure the web portal is activated.

Portal login link

Webhooks: no more polling for file updates

One of the biggest perks of SFTP To Go is webhooks—they let  you get real-time notifications when files are uploaded, modified, downloaded, or deleted.

Setting up a webhook takes a minute:

  1. Go to the Webhooks tab.
  2. Click Add webhook and define whether you actually want to trigger a webhook or send some kind of notification.
  3. Pick which events you want to track (uploads, downloads, etc.).
  4. Enter a URL/email etc. where the notifications should be sent. You can set it up to trigger a webhook, or send an email, Slack notification, or an MS Teams message.
Add webhook

This is great for automating ETL jobs, syncing files, or kicking off workflows without delay.

Sharing files: permanent or expiring download links

For quick, one-off file shares. Share links let you generate secure, temporary or permanent download links. It’s dead simple:

  1. Click the Share links tab.
  2. Select a file and generate a link.
  3. Set an expiration time (none, minutes, hours, or days).
  4. Send the link to whoever needs it.
Add share link

No accounts, no passwords—just a link. It’s a good alternative when someone outside your organization needs a file but doesn’t have an SFTP client like CloudMounter.

Security & compliance: No shortcuts

SFTP To Go takes care of the security side of file transfer and storage, so you don’t have to worry about encryption, access controls, or audit logs. Of course, you’ll still need to set up your user permissions and authentication options initially. Here’s what’s built in:

  • AES-256 encryption for files at rest.
  • TLS encryption for FTPS, HTTPS (S3, web portal).
  • SSH encryption for SFTP connections.
  • Granular user permissions (read/write, read-only).
  • SSH key authentication (recommended over passwords).
  • Audit logs to track file access for all users.
  • Fully HIPAA and GDPR compliant.

 

If you’re dealing with sensitive data, this is easier, safer, and less costly than securing an in-house SFTP server.

Security & compliance

Notable features

These features stood out to us because they solve real-world headaches:

  • Instant webhooks and custom notifications: Instant notifications and custom triggers on file changes/ events is a game-changer. This alone makes administration and automation so much cleaner.
  • Share links: Quick, temporary download links without setting up users? Super handy.
  • Multi-protocol support: SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS, and S3 access means you’re not locked into one method.
  • Built-in secure storage: SFTP To Go comes with built-in S3 cloud storage, ranging from 20Gb to unlimited storage, depending on your plan.
  • No-maintenance security: Compliance, encryption, access controls, expert maintenance and support, it’s all there without extra work.

 

Basically, the stuff you normally have to script, configure, or work around? It’s already handled.

So, who should use SFTP To Go?

This is a solid, no-maintenance solution for teams that need a reliable cloud-hosted SFTP server without the headache of managing one.

Use it if you:

  • Need secure file transfers but don’t want to maintain your own server.
  • Want automation and webhooks instead of manually checking for new files.
  • Handle sensitive data and need compliance-ready storage.

 

Skip it if you:

  • Just need a one-time file transfer solution, there are simpler tools for that.
  • Want complete control over an SFTP server, with custom configurations.

 

For most businesses handling recurring file transfers, SFTP To Go makes life easier. No servers to maintain, no uptime worries—just connect and transfer. For CloudMounter users, this is one of the most secure, mountable storage options available, and we recommend it!