Serv-U FTP Server
Serv-U FTP Server provides organizations with FTP and FTPS file transfers, including web and mobile interfaces for viewing, uploading, and downloading files.
What Serv-U FTP Server is
Serv-U FTP Server provides organizations with FTP and FTPS file transfers, including web and mobile interfaces for viewing, uploading, and downloading files. The FTP Server edition supports FTP and FTPS over IPv4 and IPv6; the comparison page also lists HTTP. SSL/TLS encrypts transfers, and users can pause or resume large exchanges, including files larger than 3 GB. Administrators create users and groups, manage permissions and bandwidth, and view transfer details in the management console. They can also set transfer ratios and quotas, limit concurrent sessions, block IPs for timed-out sessions, and use reverse DNS and anti-hammering controls. Automated file management can move or delete files after transfer and disable or reset credentials after a specified number of days. The FTP Server plan is listed at $55 a month, billed annually, with 250 user accounts, 100 concurrent sessions, and three domains. There is no free plan, but a 14-day trial is available. SolarWinds describes this edition as intended for small businesses and project teams needing FTPS, scripted transfers, and a smaller number of users and domains on one server.
Good
- Supports FTP and FTPS over IPv4 and IPv6.
- Large transfers can be paused or resumed.
- Includes web and mobile file access.
- Automation can move or delete transferred files.
- 14-day trial is available.
Watch out
- No free plan is offered.
- Listed FTP Server plan has 250 user accounts.
- Listed FTP Server plan has 100 concurrent sessions.
Who it suits
Serv-U FTP Server suits small businesses and project teams that need FTPS, scripted transfers, and a smaller number of users and domains on one server. It may also suit administrators who need account, quota, and transfer controls.
Verdict
Serv-U FTP Server combines encrypted file transfers with account management, quotas, and automation. Its listed plan costs $55 a month billed annually, and the product has no free plan.
Plans and prices
From Serv-U FTP Server's own pricing page, checked 15 Oct 2026.
| Plan | Price | What it gives you |
|---|---|---|
| Serv-U FTP Server | $55 a month | 3 domains · 250 user accounts · 100 concurrent sessions · Billed annually; per server |
| Serv-U File Transfer Protocol Server | $55 | 3 domains · 250 user accounts · 100 concurrent sessions · Per server, per month. Billed annually. |
| Serv-U Gateway | $111 a month | Reverse-proxy add-on for Serv-U FTP or MFT Server · Billed annually; per server |
| Serv-U Managed File Transfer Server | $335 a month | Unlimited domains · unlimited users · unlimited concurrent sessions · Billed annually; per server; volume discounts available |
The facts
Each one read from Serv-U FTP Server's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- 2026.3 security changes
- The July 2026 release hardened content-security policies, made Permissions-Policy configurable for system administrators and updated OpenSSL to 3.0.21.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Administration
- Administrators can create users and groups, manage permissions and bandwidth, and view file transfer details in the management console.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Authentication
- The MFT edition adds Active Directory, LDAP and database authentication, while FTP Server is aimed at smaller deployments.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Automation
- MFT adds event-driven automation, including actions triggered by server, domain, group and user events.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Critical vulnerabilities
- Serv-U 2026.3 release notes list multiple CVEs rated 9.1 critical, including remote-code-execution, privilege-escalation and insecure-direct-object-reference issues.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation
- SolarWinds publishes administrator help, installation material, system requirements, edition comparisons and versioned release notes in its Success Center.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- The product uses SSL/TLS to encrypt file transfers and help prevent tampering or exposure during transfer.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Extensibility
- Integration libraries can be written as Windows DLLs or shared libraries, with the sample library serving as the API documentation.checked 15 Oct 2026
- File sharing
- MFT provides ad hoc file sharing with password protection, expiration and configurable automatic deletion.checked 15 Oct 2026
- FTP and FTPS
- The FTP edition provides FTP and FTPS transfers over IPv4 and IPv6 networks.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Gateway
- Serv-U Gateway is an optional reverse-proxy component intended to keep data at rest out of a DMZ.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Gateway and compliance
- The optional Serv-U Gateway helps ensure no data is stored in the DMZ and is described as helping meet PCI DSS, HIPAA, FISMA, and GDPR requirements.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Integration API
- The documentation describes an Integration API exposed through a sample Integration DLL or shared library rather than a separately documented public REST API for Serv-U.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Serv-U can use ODBC-compliant databases such as Microsoft SQL Server and MySQL and can integrate with Active Directory or LDAP servers.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Intended users
- SolarWinds describes the FTP Server edition as designed for small businesses and project teams needing FTPS, scripted transfers, and a smaller number of users and domains on one server.checked 30 Sep 2026
- Large files
- SolarWinds states that Serv-U supports multiple simultaneous transfers and large files above 3 GB without a stated file-size limit.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Large transfers
- The product supports multiple and large file exchanges, including files larger than 3 GB, and lets users pause or resume transfers.checked 30 Sep 2026
- License
- Serv-U is proprietary software; SolarWinds' EULA prohibits reverse engineering, redistribution, sublicensing and removal of proprietary notices.checked 15 Oct 2026
The company
- Company facts
- LinkedIn lists SolarWinds as a public software-development company founded in 1999, headquartered in Austin, Texas, with 1,001–5,000 employees.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company legal name
- SolarWinds documentation identifies the maker as SolarWinds Worldwide, LLC.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Company ownership news
- SolarWinds announced in February 2025 that it would be acquired by Turn/River Capital for approximately 4.4 billion USD.checked 15 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1999checked 28 Sep 2026
Money
- Free plan
- Nochecked 21 Sep 2026
- Limit: G2 interface and cost
- G2 reviewers mention an outdated or non-responsive interface, Java dependence and licensing cost concerns.checked 15 Oct 2026
Alternatives to Serv-U FTP Server
- 1
CompleteFTP
Free planWebAPILinuxSelf-hosted7.8$369 one-time - 2
Oracle WebCenter Content
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.7$3,450 one-time - 3

Files.com
AndroidiOSAPImacOS7.5From $199 a month - 4
GoAnywhere MFT
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.1 - 5

JSCAPE Managed File Transfer
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.1 - 6
Serv-U Managed File Transfer Server
AndroidiOSWebAPI7.1From $335 a month
