Is Msafe an alternative to Zivver? Since Zivver became part of the Kiteworks group in June 2025, some organizations have been reconsidering their approach to secure file sharing. The reason is not necessarily that there is “something wrong” with Zivver, but that an acquisition may force a new consideration of risk. Think corporate governance, supply chain responsibility and (potential) jurisdiction may change. That while requirements from AVG/GDPR, NIS2 and industry-specific frameworks are actually getting stricter.
We now regularly get the question: is Msafe Secure File Transfer an alternative to Zivver? To answer this properly, it is important to understand that they are fundamentally two different solutions.
Technical differences: secure e-mail versus secure file transfer
At its core, Zivver is a secure e-mail solution that enriches your e-mail client (Microsoft 365/Outlook or Gmail) with encryption, recipient authentication and human error prevention (data loss prevention / human error prevention). In addition, Zivver can send large files via a secure link.
Msafe Secure File Transfer is, at its core, managed file transfer / secure file sharing: a controlled exchange lane for documents with strong encryption, access control, revocable access and extensive audit trails (who shared what, when accessed, downloaded, etc.).
Briefly:
- Zivver primarily secures the email channel (with strong prevention before sending).
- Msafe primarily standardizes document exchange (with governance, logging and policy in place).
Management differences
Zivver you can implement along two main tracks:
- Client integration (Outlook/M365 or Gmail): users continue to work in their mail client, with Zivver features in the workflow.
- Zivver Encryption Gateway: you enforce policy via mail flow rules in Microsoft Exchange (Online or Server) or Google Workspace. This is relevant if you want to enforce secure mail “policy-first,” or if applications (HR/ERP/CRM) need to send secure mail via SMTP without a user manually turning anything on.
Operationally, this usually means: designing policies (what should always be secured, when to alert), testing with mail flow rules (including exceptions to avoid loops) and setting up recipient authentication as a standard process. Management puts a strain on the IT/Security team.
Msafe: file-first with identity integration
Implementing Msafe Secure File Transfer is easy and fast. Msafe runs on a proprietary platform and is maintained entirely by Msafe engineers. In enterprise environments, this usually includes identity and lifecycle management: SSO via Microsoft Entra ID and SCIM for provisioning/deprovisioning.
The practical effect: you add a controlled file-transfer layer (often using Outlook as the front end), while centrally managing governance (retention/expiration, revocation, audit export).
Usage Differences
Fundamentally, these are two different approaches. Msafe believes that e-mail, by definition, is not a secure medium. No matter how well you protect it. All over the world there are millions of mailboxes full of, confidential, documents. Data leakage often occurs through a hacked e-mail account.
Zivver users thus have to jump through a number of hoops to share confidential documents and sharing. The same goes for external users, by the way. There is a lot of criticism about how they have to get to the shared document.
Msafe Secure File Transfer is there exclusively for sharing (large and/or confidential) documents. With a company policy in place, all users know to use Msafe when sharing or accessing files. This is clear and does not cause confusion.
Msafe and Microsoft as a combination
Msafe is especially a logical alternative when you want to standardize file exchange with externals with strong governance and EU hosting as an explicit starting point.
When you want to prevent human error before shipment, organizations can use the Purview compliance portal from Microsoft. You then set up automatic confidentiality labeling and data loss prevention (DLP) policies. Consult with your Microsoft specialist to set this up properly for your organization.
Want to know more? Book an informal meeting to discuss the best options for your organization.
