Kiteworks
Kiteworks secures sensitive data exchange across email, file sharing, and file transfer for regulated enterprises.
Kiteworks is a unified secure communication platform that consolidates email, file sharing, managed file transfer, and data forms into a single solution with consistent security policies. It serves highly regulated enterprises and government agencies that need to protect sensitive data across multiple channels while maintaining audit compliance. The platform unifies disparate communication channels under one Data Policy Engine, provides DRM-enabled file editing, and includes an AI Data Gateway for safe generative AI usage.
Problem solved
Enterprises struggle to securely exchange sensitive data across multiple communication channels while maintaining consistent security policies, audit trails, and regulatory compliance without visibility into who accessed what data.
Target customer
Large enterprises and government agencies in finance, healthcare, law, and pharmaceuticals requiring strict data protection, compliance, and audit capabilities. Typical customers have 1,000+ users and high regulatory requirements (SEC, FCA, HIPAA, GDPR).
Founders
J
Jonathan Yaron
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
CEO since company restructuring. Leadership team includes former personnel from Israel's Unit 8200 military intelligence unit.
Funding history
Series C
$12.1M
December 22, 2011
Led by Unknown
· Unknown
Growth Investment
$120M
April 2020
Led by Bregal Sagemount
· Unknown
Series D
$456M
August 14, 2024
Led by Insight Partners, Sixth Street Growth
· Buyout of veteran investors
Total raised:
$650M
Industries
Pricing
Starts at $15 per user per month. Enterprise pricing is custom-negotiated. Transparent usage-based model with predictable costs for data transfer and user count.
Notable customers
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Pfizer, Harvard, KPMG, NHS, Target, Honda, Shell, Latham & Watkins, MinterEllison, County of Sacramento, Paul Hartmann AG, Dickinson Wright, NSW Land Registry Services. Over 3,650 enterprises and government agencies globally; approximately 25% of top 100 banks, 40% of top 100 law firms, 50%+ of top 20 pharmaceutical companies.
Integrations
DocuSign, Microsoft 365, Amazon S3, Salesforce, HubSpot, SIEM platforms (audit log integration), third-party applications via API
Tech stack
GSAP (JavaScript frameworks)
LazySizes (JavaScript libraries)
jQuery Migrate (JavaScript libraries)
jQuery (JavaScript libraries)
RSS
Open Graph
DocuSign
WordPress (Blogs)
Slider Revolution (Widgets)
Ahrefs (SEO)
DataDome (Security)
Sucuri (CDN)
HSTS (Security)
Google Font API (Font scripts)
Nginx (Reverse proxies)
NitroPack (Caching)
PHP (Programming languages)
Apple iCloud Mail (Webmail)
Microsoft 365 (Email)
Amazon S3 (CDN)
HubSpot (Marketing automation)
MySQL (Databases)
Linkedin Ads (Advertising)
Google Tag Manager (Tag managers)
Salesforce (CRM)
Yoast SEO (SEO)
Yoast SEO Premium (SEO)
Amazon Web Services (PaaS)
DigiCert (SSL/TLS certificate authorities)
WPML (WordPress plugins)
Website
Competitors
Box
Box offers easier multi-tenant deployment but Kiteworks provides superior compliance features and private cloud options with more granular security controls.
Dropbox
Dropbox is broader consumer/SMB-focused; Kiteworks specializes in highly regulated enterprises requiring audit compliance and DRM capabilities.
Microsoft SharePoint
SharePoint dominates document collaboration (63% market share) but lacks Kiteworks' specialized secure external communication and managed file transfer capabilities.
Citrix ShareFile
ShareFile focuses on document management; Kiteworks unifies multiple communication channels (email, SFTP, web forms) with unified policy enforcement and DRM.
Why this matters: Kiteworks reached unicorn status in 2024 with $650M total funding and $130M ARR while maintaining five consecutive years of profitability—rare in enterprise software. The company's recent acquisitions (Zivver, 123FormBuilder), FedRAMP certification, and dominance in regulated industries (finance, healthcare, law, pharma) position it as the specialist solution for enterprises that can't afford data breaches. As AI adoption accelerates in enterprise, Kiteworks' AI Data Gateway for protecting sensitive data during AI usage is strategically important.
Best for: Large regulated enterprises in finance, healthcare, law, and pharma that need unified, auditable, compliant secure communication across email, file sharing, and managed file transfer with strict data governance and DRM capabilities.
Use cases
Secure Third-Party File Exchange in Financial Services
Investment banks and asset managers need to securely share deal documents, financial statements, and due diligence materials with external parties (law firms, auditors, regulators) while maintaining complete audit trails and preventing unauthorized access. Kiteworks' DRM-enabled SafeEDIT technology allows recipients to edit files natively without downloading, while maintaining full access control and tracking.
Healthcare Data Protection and HIPAA Compliance
Healthcare organizations must exchange patient data, imaging files, and treatment records across departments, with external providers, and to patients while maintaining HIPAA compliance and audit readiness. Kiteworks' unified policy engine and normalized audit logs ensure consistent encryption, access control, and compliance reporting across all channels.
Law Firm Client Document Management
Large law firms need to securely share privileged communications, contracts, and discovery documents with clients, opposing counsel, and courts while protecting attorney-client privilege and meeting regulatory requirements. Kiteworks provides managed file transfer, secure email integration, and granular permission controls that prevent accidental data breaches.
Government Secure Communication Infrastructure
Government agencies require FedRAMP-certified secure communication for inter-agency data exchange, citizen communication, and classified information handling. Kiteworks' FedRAMP High Ready Secure Gov Cloud and FIPS 140-3 validation enable compliance with federal security standards.
Alternatives
Box
Choose Box for easier deployment and broader document collaboration; choose Kiteworks for specialized compliance, private cloud, and external secure communication with DRM.
Citrix ShareFile
ShareFile is stronger for internal document management; Kiteworks excels at securing external communications across multiple channels with unified policies.
Tresorit
Tresorit offers consumer-grade encryption; Kiteworks provides enterprise-grade compliance, audit logs, managed file transfer, and regulatory certifications for highly regulated industries.
FAQ
What does Kiteworks do? +
Kiteworks unifies secure email, file sharing, managed file transfer, and data forms into a single platform with consistent security policies and audit compliance. It encrypts sensitive data across all communication channels, tracks all access, and provides DRM-enabled file editing so recipients can view and edit files without downloading them. The platform serves highly regulated enterprises that need to protect sensitive data while maintaining audit trails and regulatory compliance.
How much does Kiteworks cost? +
Kiteworks starts at $15 per user per month for smaller deployments. Enterprise pricing is custom-negotiated based on user count, data volume, and required features. The pricing model is transparent and usage-based, with predictable costs unlike some competitors that charge per access.
What are alternatives to Kiteworks? +
Top alternatives include Box (broader document collaboration but less specialized compliance), Citrix ShareFile (strong internal document management but weaker external secure communication), and Tresorit (consumer encryption, not enterprise-grade). Dropbox serves SMBs well but lacks the compliance and audit capabilities for regulated industries. Microsoft SharePoint dominates document collaboration but doesn't specialize in secure external communication.
Who uses Kiteworks? +
Large regulated enterprises use Kiteworks, particularly in finance (~25% of top 100 banks), law (~40% of top 100 law firms), healthcare, and pharmaceuticals (~50% of top 20 pharma companies). Notable customers include the SEC, Pfizer, KPMG, NHS, Harvard, Shell, Target, and most Western governments. Over 3,650 enterprises and 100+ million end users globally rely on the platform.
How does Kiteworks compare to Box? +
Both are enterprise file platforms, but Kiteworks specializes in secure external communication with managed file transfer, DRM, and audit compliance for regulated industries. Box focuses on internal document collaboration and is easier to deploy multi-tenant. Kiteworks offers private cloud options with stricter security controls; Box uses a multi-tenant model. For compliance-heavy organizations (banking, healthcare, law), Kiteworks is stronger; for general document management, Box is simpler.
What makes Kiteworks unique? +
Kiteworks uniquely consolidates multiple communication channels (email, SFTP, web forms, file sharing) under a single Data Policy Engine, providing unified audit logs and consistent security enforcement. Its SafeEDIT DRM technology allows secure file sharing with third parties without download. The AI Data Gateway lets enterprises use generative AI while protecting sensitive data. FedRAMP High Ready certification and FIPS 140-3 validation enable government use. The company is also extremely profitable ($130M ARR) with deep expertise from Israeli military intelligence backgrounds.
Tags
secure file sharing
compliance
audit trails
managed file transfer
DRM
encrypted communication
regulated industries
data governance
FedRAMP
HIPAA