Why look beyond WeTransfer?
WeTransfer's free tier feels tighter every year: the cap is now 3 GB per transfer, links expire after 3 days, and since December 2024 you're limited to 10 transfers per month . If you routinely send RAW photos, 4K footage, or full project folders, those ceilings hurt, so it pays to know the competition.
What we compared
| Key metric | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Free-tier size limit | Tells you whether you can skip chopping or compressing your project. |
| Retention window | How long recipients have before the link dies. |
| Security options | Passwords or true end-to-end encryption for sensitive work. |
| Daily / monthly caps | Some tools throttle how many gigs or transfers you can push. |
| Ads & UI | A slick, ad-free landing page looks more professional. |
WeTransfer alternative at a glance (free plans)
| Service | Free size limit | Retention | Password | Ads | Stand-out detail |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transfer.zip (Quick) | Unlimited (P2P) | 1 year retention on 7 day trial | No | No | 7-day free trial unlocks cloud storage up to 1 TB |
| Smash | 2 GB per transfer | 7 days | Yes | No | Files >2 GB join a low-priority queue |
| 4Shared | 2 GB per file | Account purged after 180 days idle | Yes | Yes | 15 GB storage if you keep logging in |
| TransferNow | 5 GB | 7 days | Yes | No | Email when recipient downloads |
| Send Anywhere | 10 GB | 48 h | Yes | Some | One-time 6-digit key streams device-to-device |
| pCloud Transfer | 5 GB total (200 MB/file) | 7 days | Optional E2E | No | Browser-side encryption toggle |
| FileMail | 5 GB | 7 days | No | No | 2 transfers/day, 10 downloads each |
| TransferXL | 5 GB | 7 days | Yes (E2E) | Yes | 10 GB daily bandwidth ceiling |
| SwissTransfer | 50 GB | 30 days | Yes | No | Data stored only on Swiss servers |
(Baseline: WeTransfer Free - 3 GB • 3 days • 10 transfers/30 d • passwords included • no ads)
1. Transfer.zip - Instant, limitless P2P plus a 7-day trial
Need to blast a 150 GB project archive to an editor right now? Transfer.zip's Quick Transfer pipes the file straight from your machine to the recipient - nothing ever touches a server, so there's no size ceiling and uploads start instantly. Close either browser tab and the link self-destructs.
Want cloud storage, analytics or branded pages? The paid Starter and Pro tiers add uploads up to 1 TB and retain files for up to 365 days, and both start with a 7-day free trial (no charge if you cancel in time).
Best for: on-deadline hand-offs where every minute counts.
2. Smash
Smash promises "unlimited" file sizes, but on the free tier anything over 2 GB waits in an "economy" queue during busy hours. Under that threshold you get slick, password-protected transfers that live for 7 days, Outlook and Chrome add-ons, plus basic page branding.
Pros: clean UI, no ads, public API.
Cons: uploads can stall during peak hours for huge files unless you pay.
3. 4Shared
An old name in cloud storage. Free users can share files up to 2 GB and keep them as long as they log in at least once every 180 days (or one download happens). Expect a clutter of banner ads, but WebDAV/FTP access is handy.
Pros: long retention, remote-mount protocols.
Cons: mandatory registration, ad-heavy pages.
4. TransferNow
TransferNow balances ease and security: 5 GB per transfer, optional passwords, EU-hosted servers and detailed download tracking. Free links last 7 days; paid plans stretch to 365 days and 250 - 500 GB per drop.
5. Send Anywhere
Designed for one-to-one, time-critical deliveries. Enter the six-digit key on the receiving device and the file streams instantly. Share-link transfers top out at 10 GB and vanish after 48 h.
Pros: direct P2P, iOS/Android/Desktop parity.
Cons: short retention, ads on some platforms.
6. pCloud Transfer
A side service from the Swiss cloud-storage firm: up to 5 GB per job but 200 MB per individual file. You can encrypt everything client-side before it leaves your browser, and both sender and receiver see a clean, ad-free page. Links last 7 days.
7. FileMail
FileMail trades size for speed: free users get 5 GB per transfer for 7 days and resumable, multi-threaded downloads - but you're limited to two transfers per 24 hours and 10 downloads per link.
8. TransferXL
Free accounts allow 5 GB per send, capped at 10 GB total traffic per day. End-to-end encryption is on by default, but download pages carry banner ads. Handy thumbnails for image/video transfers.
9. SwissTransfer
Run by Swiss host Infomaniak, SwissTransfer lets you hurl up to 50 GB at once and keep it live for 30 days - no signup, no ads, optional passwords. All data stays on servers in Switzerland under strict federal privacy laws.
Choosing the Right WeTransfer Alternative
- No size limits? Go for Transfer.zip.
- Longer retention? SwissTransfer offers 30 days.
- Quick, secure transfers? Transfer.zip, Send Anywhere or pCloud Transfer.
Want more options? See our main file transfer alternatives guide.