Filestash

Filestash is an open-source file platform for people who need one browser interface across different storage systems, with the option to serve those files to other clients. It is strongest for organizations that need managed transfers and access controls alongside file sharing; a small personal setup may not need its paid business tiers.

Its breadth makes it a practical fit for mixed storage environments, but businesses should weigh the operational work of self-hosting against the value of its gateways and workflow tools.

Overview

Filestash combines file sharing, document management, managed file transfer, and archiving. Rather than replacing existing storage, it connects to it and gives users a common way to browse, organize, and share files. It can also expose that storage through protocol gateways, extending its role beyond a browser-based file manager.

The product spans individual and company use, but its commercial tiers target organizations with distinct requirements for seats, licensing, compliance, and availability. Hobby supports up to three users; paid options begin with a three-seat self-served plan and extend to an enterprise tier for unlimited users.

Key features

One interface for varied storage

Connections include FTP, FTPS, SFTP, WebDAV, SMB, S3, NFS, Git, SharePoint, Google Drive, Dropbox, and Storj. Users can manage files across those services through the same interface, which is useful when teams work across several storage environments. Folder synchronization and remote file editing add practical file-management capabilities, while SSH key authentication supports key-based access.

Filestash can expose underlying storage through SFTP, MCP, FTP, WebDAV, S3, or AS2 gateways. That makes it more versatile than a browser-only file organizer, particularly when other clients or transfer processes need access to the same storage. The trade-off is that organizations need to decide which connections and gateways to deploy and manage.

Workflow, identity, and security controls

The workflow engine chains actions in response to events and can be extended with plugins; scripting is also supported. This gives teams a way to automate file-related processes, though the value depends on having workflows worth configuring.

Corporate SSO integrations cover LDAP, SAML, and OIDC, and role-based access control can tailor who can do what and where. The enterprise offering adds audit and compliance features: Filestash describes its audit logs as immutable, timestamped, traceable, tamper-proof, and non-repudiable, with support for GDPR compliance. The plugin catalog also includes FIPS-compliant ciphers, activity detection, IP blocking, and ClamAV scanning.

AI capabilities include semantic search, smart folders, and OCR, with support for local models through Ollama. These options broaden the product's reach, but are most relevant to teams that need those functions rather than a simple shared file interface.

Pricing

Filestash uses a freemium model, with a free plan and a free trial. Its paid licenses are monthly subscriptions.

Hobby: Price not listed; supports up to 3 users. This is the clearest fit for individuals or small personal groups that do not need the commercial features of the company tiers.

Self Served: $50 a month, billed monthly. It includes cloud or self-hosted deployment, a commercial license, SSO through SAML, OIDC, or LDAP, RBAC, three seats, and single-node deployment. It suits a small organization needing business identity and access controls, but the three-seat cap and single node constrain larger teams or high-availability needs.

Enterprise Solutions: $290 a month, billed monthly. It includes unlimited users, audit and compliance, whitelabeling, 24/7 support, and high availability. This is the fit for organizations that need those enterprise controls and support rather than simply more seats.

Pro: Price not listed.

The published paid tiers differ substantially in scale and resilience: Self Served is limited to three seats and one node, while Enterprise Solutions includes unlimited users and high availability. Buyers should choose based on those requirements, not just the monthly price.

Platforms

Filestash supports web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. It is also available as self-hosted software, and an API is included among its platform options. The installation guide calls for a Linux server with Docker, Docker Compose, and curl; 128 MB of RAM and one CPU core are described as sufficient except for intensive video transcoding or service to thousands of simultaneous users. That modest baseline can make a small deployment approachable, but self-hosting still entails server setup and upkeep.

Who it's for

Filestash is a strong candidate for teams that need a shared interface over multiple storage services, want to expose those stores through transfer gateways, or need workflows and tailored access controls. Its self-hosted option and low stated baseline resources may also suit organizations seeking to keep deployment close to their own infrastructure.

It is less compelling for individuals who only need a basic file-transfer client, or for companies that need more than three seats but do not need the enterprise tier's broader capabilities. Those users should compare the cost and deployment demands with the narrower job they need software to do.

Pros and cons

Pro: Broad storage connections and several gateway protocols let teams work across existing systems and serve them to other clients.

Pro: SSO, RBAC, event-driven workflows, and a plugin catalog provide meaningful control and automation for organizational use.

Pro: The self-hosted deployment has a modest stated resource requirement for ordinary use, and support services include hardening help, security patches before public disclosure, and consulting.

Con: Self Served includes only three seats and a single node, so it does not fit a growing team or one that requires high availability.

Con: The jump to Enterprise Solutions is substantial for buyers who need unlimited users or high availability but not the full set of enterprise features.

Con: Self-hosting requires a Linux server and Docker tooling, making it a less direct choice for users who want only a standalone desktop transfer client.

Alternatives

Choose Monsta FTP if a self-hosted web client for FTP and SFTP/SCP transfers is a closer match than Filestash's broader storage and workflow platform; it has a free plan and supports web and major mobile and desktop platforms.

Choose FileZilla Client for a free FTP, FTPS, and SFTP client on Linux, macOS, or Windows when a narrower transfer tool is enough.

Xftp may suit Windows users who need an FTP/SFTP client: its free license is limited to personal, home, and educational non-commercial use, while a paid option is $59, paid once for a single-user perpetual license with one year of updates.

Cyberduck is an open-source option for macOS and Windows, licensed under the GPL. Tectia Server offers a paid SSH server with pricing by request, while VShell Server is a paid server product with a Workgroup edition at $599, paid once and an Enterprise edition at 999.00 USD. ExpanDrive offers a free personal plan for up to 10 users or devices per year across 15 cloud services and protocols, with community support.

For a wider comparison, browse SFTP Client Software or File Manager Software.

Verdict

Choose Filestash if your organization needs one access layer across varied storage, with gateways, workflow automation, and configurable controls in the same platform. Its strongest case is the combination of breadth and deployment flexibility; look elsewhere if you need only a straightforward transfer client or if the three-seat self-served tier is too small and enterprise pricing is more than your requirements justify.