Tarkle vs Files.com: client sharing or managed file transfer
Files.com suits SFTP and automated transfers. Tarkle suits branded file sharing with clients, from $0.
Tarkle vs Files.com comes down to the job. Files.com is better when you move files between systems and partners with SFTP, automations and compliance reports. Tarkle is the better fit when you send files to clients and collect files back under your own name and domain. We make Tarkle, so read this as one vendor's view and check the linked sources. Files.com facts are as we read them on its own pages in October 2026.
What Files.com is
Files.com runs managed file transfer: SFTP, FTP and WebDAV endpoints, automated flows between systems, and connections to remote servers and cloud storage. The buyer is usually an IT, operations or security team that moves files between systems, vendors and partners.
Files.com also shares files with people. A Files.com share link sends files out and is usually temporary. Its inbox page describes a branded upload page where the person uploading never needs a Files.com account. Each person only ever sees their own upload.
What Files.com offers
Plans and prices come from the Files.com pricing page, as we read it in October 2026.
Starter: $199 per month, or $2,099/year. It includes 1 TB of monthly storage and transfer, and extra full users cost $12 per month each.
Power: $499 per month, or $5,269/year. It adds SSO/SAML, a custom domain with a dedicated IP and the AS2 protocol.
Enterprise: custom pricing. From $10k to over $1M annually, sized to your usage. The base quote includes a HIPAA BAA and up to eight storage and compute zones.
The pricing page lists no free plan. It offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required.
The Files.com transfer page says a single file can be up to 5 TB. Its compliance page describes an independent SOC 2 Type II examination.
What Tarkle does
Tarkle lets you share files with clients and request files back. Recipients can open or download shared files without creating a Tarkle account. You can protect a shared file with a password. A one-time download link stops working after its first download, and a view-only transfer lets people look at files without offering a download.
A file request collects files from anyone with one link, into the folder you choose. The client portal is a branded place where each client signs in with their email, sees only what you shared with them and sends files back. The client portal is on Pro and Agency, and portal access is turned on for each client.
Free includes one custom domain and custom branding. On Free, the "Powered by Tarkle" line stays on your pages, and Pro can remove it. Paid transfers let you charge for access to a transfer through your own Stripe account, on Pro and Agency.
Plans belong to your organization. Free is $0, with no credit card required. It includes 1 workspace and 5 GB of storage, uploads up to 1 GB each, and it is for 1 person. Pro is $29/month, or $19/month billed yearly ($228/year). It includes 2 workspaces, 3 TB of storage, uploads up to 200 GB, file versioning, the fully branded client portal and 90-day file recovery. The Pro base plan includes five team seats. Agency is $59/month, or $49/month billed yearly ($588/year). It includes everything in Pro, plus 20 workspaces, counting your own. It also includes 6 TB of storage, the 100% white-label platform and a client provisioning portal.
Workspace files are stored in one of four regions: European Union, United States, Hong Kong (Asia Pacific), or Australia (Oceania). You choose the region when you create a Workspace, and you can change it one time, for a fee shown on your Billing page. Tarkle's safeguards include encryption in transit and at rest, and two-factor authentication or passkeys where they are available.
On Agency, the "Powered by Tarkle" backlink is replaced by your agency name when the organization is active, its owner has turned on White label and the Agency plan is in force. Agency also lets you run Tarkle entirely on your own domain.
Files.com vs Tarkle side by side
Tarkle | Files.com | |
|---|---|---|
Built for | Sending files to clients and collecting files back | Managed file transfer between systems and partners |
Starting price | Free at $0; Pro from $19/month billed yearly | Starter from $199/month |
Free plan | Yes, 1 workspace and 5 GB | No free plan; 7-day free trial |
Recipients | No account needed to open or download a shared file | Uploaders need no Files.com account |
Link protection | Password; one-time links; view-only transfers | Share links that send files out |
Custom domain | One on Free; your own domain on Agency | Custom domain and dedicated IP on Power |
Data regions | Four, chosen per workspace | Up to eight storage and compute zones on Enterprise |
Security | Encryption in transit and at rest; two-factor authentication or passkeys where available | SOC 2 Type II examination; HIPAA BAA on Enterprise |
Who should choose Files.com
Choose Files.com if the job is moving files between systems. That means SFTP or FTP endpoints for partners, automated flows between servers and cloud storage, or single files up to 5 TB. Choose it when a customer asks for an independent SOC 2 Type II examination or a HIPAA BAA, which sits on the Enterprise plan.
A small agency that only sends deliverables to clients will pay for a lot it does not use. A design studio does not need AS2.
Write down the three things a lost deal would hinge on. If any is a protocol, a certification or an automation, start with Files.com. If all three are links, branding and clients, start with Tarkle.
Who should choose Tarkle
Choose Tarkle when the people on the other end are clients. A client gets a link on your domain, with your logo, and can download without an account. Clients on Pro and Agency sign in to the client portal and send files back.
Price is the other reason. Files.com starts at $199 a month. Tarkle's Free plan is $0 and covers one person, with 5 GB of storage and uploads up to 1 GB. Pro, at $19/month billed yearly ($228/year), adds the client portal. These are different jobs, so this is not a claim that one is cheaper for the same work.
For SFTP endpoints, automated flows between systems and compliance attestations such as SOC 2 Type II, keep Files.com. If you serve many clients under your own name, the Agency plan adds the white-label platform. Start for free and send one real transfer to a client.
Switching from Files.com to Tarkle
Pick the files you share with clients. Leave partner feeds and automated jobs on Files.com.
Create a Tarkle workspace, add your logo and set a custom domain.
Upload the files, or import them from Google Drive or Dropbox if they also live there.
Create a file transfer for your first client, or, on Pro or Agency, turn on the client portal for them.
Move the next clients once the first one has downloaded without help.
Send your first client a real transfer with a password. It shows you what the client's side looks like before you move anyone else.
FAQ
These are the questions buyers ask before they compare the two.
Is Files.com free?
Files.com lists no free plan. Its pricing page offers a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. Tarkle's Free plan is $0 and covers one person with one workspace.
How much does Files.com cost?
Starter is $199 per month, or $2,099/year. Power is $499 per month, or $5,269/year. Enterprise is a custom quote. See Tarkle's plans for comparison.
Can Files.com be white label?
Files.com lists a custom domain and a dedicated IP on Power. Tarkle's white-label platform is on the Agency plan. It replaces the "Powered by Tarkle" backlink with your agency name when White label is on and the Agency plan is in force.
Does Tarkle replace Files.com?
For sending files to clients and collecting files back, it can. For SFTP endpoints, automated flows between systems and compliance attestations, keep Files.com.
Do recipients need an account on Tarkle?
No. People who download a shared file need no Tarkle account.
What is the biggest file I can send with Tarkle?
1 GB on Free, and up to 200 GB on Pro and Agency.
Is Tarkle SOC 2 certified?
Tarkle's Terms ask owners to turn on two-factor authentication or passkeys where they are available. If a client requires an independent attestation such as SOC 2 Type II, ask before you buy.
