# Files.com vs Cerberus FTP Server: which do AI models recommend for MFT, October 2026

IT AI Recommendation Index, October 2026 Edition, Managed file transfer. Four of fourteen models named Files.com first on the direct prompt; zero named Cerberus FTP Server. Page: https://it-ai-index.com/it-data/managed-file-transfer/files-com-vs-cerberus-ftp-server/

| | First-choice share | Rank | Negative rate | Labels | Models naming it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Files.com | 43% | #1 of 15 | 0% | 40 | 14 of 14 |
| Cerberus FTP Server | 6% | #3 of 15 | 0% | 13 | 9 of 14 |

## The direct prompt, model by model

- Gemini 3.5 Flash: files.com first (first choices: Files.com) (alternatives: Cleo Integration Cloud, Couchdrop, Fortra GoAnywhere MFT)
- Mistral Small: files.com first (first choices: Axway Managed File Transfer, Files.com) (alternatives: IBM Sterling Secure File Transfer, SEEBURGER Managed File Transfer)
- GPT-6 Luna: files.com first (first choices: Files.com) (alternatives: Axway MFT Cloud Services, Cleo Integration Cloud, MOVEit)
- Muse Glimmer 30B: files.com first (first choices: Files.com) (alternatives: Cleo Integration Cloud, GoAnywhere MFT)
- GPT-5.4 mini: neither first, one named (first choices: Fortra GoAnywhere MFT, Progress MOVEit Transfer) (alternatives: Diplomat MFT, Files.com, IBM Sterling Secure File Transfer, JSCAPE MFT Server, SFTP To Go)
- Grok 4.1 Fast: neither first, one named (first choices: GoAnywhere MFT) (alternatives: Cerberus FTP Server, Diplomat MFT, Files.com, Progress MOVEit Transfer)
- DeepSeek V4 Flash: neither first, one named (first choices: Fortra) (alternatives: Axway SecureTransport, Files.com, Progress MOVEit Transfer)
- Kimi K2: neither first, one named (first choices: Diplomat MFT) (alternatives: Cerberus FTP Server, Files.com, GoAnywhere MFT, JSCAPE MFT Server)
- MiniMax M2.5: neither first, one named (first choices: Cleo Integration Cloud, Fortra GoAnywhere MFT) (alternatives: Files.com, Progress MOVEit Transfer)
- Claude Haiku 4.5: neither named (first choices: Progress MOVEit Transfer) (alternatives: Cleo Integration Cloud, Diplomat MFT, Files.com MFT, JSCAPE MFT Server)
- Perplexity Sonar: neither named (first choices: Progress MOVEit Transfer) (alternatives: Cleo Integration Cloud, GoAnywhere MFT)
- Llama 4 Maverick: neither named (first choices: Cleo Integration Cloud) (alternatives: Axway SecureTransport, Diplomat MFT, TDXchange)
- Qwen 3.7 Flash: neither named (first choices: Seeburger) (alternatives: Axway SecureTransport, FalconX.io, GoAnywhere MFT)
- GLM 4.7 FlashX: neither named (first choices: GoAnywhere MFT) (alternatives: Kiteworks MFT, MOVEit)

## What the models said about Files.com

- "If you want predictable, transparent pricing with minimal up‑front cost, Files.com ($199/month Starter) is one of the most straightforward options." (GLM 4.7 FlashX, budget prompt, first choice)
- "Files.com - They offer a cloud-based SFTP server with end-to-end encryption, two-factor authentication, and compliance with industry standards." (Llama 4 Maverick, paraphrase prompt, first choice)
- "Files.com is the top recommendation for most small businesses due to its low monthly cost and fully managed cloud platform" (Mistral Small, budget prompt, first choice)

## What the models said about Cerberus FTP Server

- "start with Cerberus FTP Server Professional if you want on-prem Windows SFTP with AD/LDAP integration, FIPS 140-2 cryptography and unlimited users at ~$1.6k/yr" (Muse Glimmer 30B, paraphrase prompt, first choice)
- "I'd recommend starting with Cerberus FTP Server if you prefer on-premise control with comprehensive features" (Claude Haiku 4.5, paraphrase prompt, first choice)
- "Cerberus is often quoted as the best value on-premise option for small to mid-sized business" (Muse Glimmer 30B, budget prompt, first choice)

Share is the count of first choices across the direct, paraphrase, budget and scale prompts over all fourteen models, for a mid-market B2B company; rank is within the category. Comparisons are drawn for the top eight products in each category. Published under CC BY 4.0; the output is the models' output, and nothing here is a recommendation by the index.