YouSendIt is a web-based FTP site that is designed for both personal and business use, with a free Lite account available to users with a tight budget. The most distinctive features of the service are its 'DropBox' and 'SiteDrop' that allow your users to send you files through a customized site or seamlessly through your website.

In addition to these features, YouSendIt offers the ability to send files through Outlook and has several applications that interact with various programs such as Microsoft Office, Photoshop CS3, Acrobat and Final Cut Pro. YouSendIt plans start at $9.99 per month for Pro accounts and range from $29.95 per month per user to $2999.99 per year for businesses.

Strengths: There is no software to download onto your computer to use YouSendIt. Their web-based applications easily allow interact with the programs you need, like Microsoft Office, Acrobat and Outlook. They have several accounts designed for personal users and offer several different account to fit businesses with a limited number of users that are packed with security and features. YouSendIt offers a free Lite account to get you started.

Weaknesses: For companies with several users, the Business and Corporate Suite plans are expensive on a per user basis, between $29.99 and $9.99 per month per user. With the Corporate Suite plans starting with a minimum of 5 users, it is not as cost effective as other services. Users in their corporate suite account are limited to between 4GB and 2.4GB of storage per user on average, so companies with large storage requirements will also find YouSendIt not as competitive as other services.

Start your free trial of YouSendIt | Visit the YouSendIt Website

DropBox is a file transfer, file synchronization and storage solution that is designed for personal or business users looking for a secure and easy way to transfer and synchronize files using the Internet. The most distinctive features of the service are the program that you download to your system that allows you to access your account from your computer icon tray and from a web-based interface on any system.

In addition to these features, DropBox has the ability to upload and download the only the parts of files that are changed once a file is in the system, instead of completely reuploading or downloading the whole file, and your files are encrypted when stored or transferred. DropBox has a free account with 2GB of storage and a Pro account with 50GB of storage for $9.99 per month or $99 per year

Strengths: Your files are stored and transferred with DropBox's 256-bit encryption on multiple servers to ensure your data is safe. DropBox works with Windows, Mac and Linux PCs and creates a folder on your system while providing internet access to your files. It has a clean and simple interface, with the downloaded program automatically updating itself to keep you current.

Weaknesses: This service doesn't seem to support multiple users on one account and although you can share files and folders, companies would need an account for every necessary employee. With Pro accounts costing $99 per year, the cost to businesses could be very expensive and not as feature-heavy as other services. There is also software that must be installed on your computer to access and use DropBox.

Start your free trial of DropBox | Visit the DropBox Website

Box.net is a web-based FTP site that is designed for both personal and business use, with a free Lite account available to users with a tight budget. The most distinctive feature of the service are its "Open Box" applications that allow you to add features to your account, including document and photo editing, e-signing and creating new documents all within your account.

Box.net is a little bit weak when it comes to desktop power tools. It lacks a desktop tool for uploading files like the YouSendIt Express tool and also does not have an MS Outlook PlugIn that many services now have, such as YouSendIt and ShareFile. Box.net plans start at $7.95 per month for personal accounts (with free accounts available as well) and $15 per month per user for businesses.

Strengths: There is no software to download onto your computer to use Box.net. Their web-based applications easily allow you to open, create, view, and edit files that are stored on your account. Of all the FTP Sites we evaluated, Box is probably the strongest when it comes to partnering with 3rd party software providers to offer additional functionalty to its users.

Weaknesses: For companies with several users, the Business plans are pricey on a per user basis at $15 per month per user. With the Business plans starting with a minimum of 3 users, it is not as competitive as other services. The lack of desktop tools such as an Outlook PlugIn, along with a somewhat cartoonish interface, make the site feel like it is better suited for consumer use than business use (though Box definitely does offer business plans).

Start a free trial of Box.net | Visit the Box.net Website