The problem with "just email it to me"
Collecting files from other people is the worst direction of file transfer. Your client's raw photos are too big for email, so they trickle in across four threads, two chat apps, and a Drive link with the wrong permissions. You spend the kickoff week playing archivist.
A request link fixes the whole category: one URL where the other person drops files, which arrive organized on your side. Here are the three main ways to set one up.
Method 1: Transfer.zip File Requests
With a Transfer.zip account (7-day free trial):
- In the dashboard, open Requests and create one, with a name and a short description of what you need ("Final logo files + brand fonts").
- Share the link, or have Transfer.zip email it to specific people directly.
- They open it in a browser and upload. No account, no app on their side.
- Everything lands in your Received tab, grouped under that request.
The upload page can carry your logo and branding (Pro plan), so the request looks like your studio's intake process rather than a third-party site. And because uploads go to your plan's storage (up to 1 TB per transfer on Pro), a videographer can drop the entire shoot on you in one go.
Create your first file requestMake the description do the work: list exactly what you need and in what format. The person uploading sees it right above the upload button, which cuts the back-and-forth to zero.
Method 2: Dropbox File Requests
Dropbox's version is solid if you already live there: create a request, pick a destination folder, share the link. Uploaders don't need a Dropbox account, and uploads land in your folder, visible only to you by default.
The plan-shaped catches:
- Uploads count against your Dropbox storage. A free 2 GB account fills instantly, and uploaders get an error when you're out of space.
- Per-file upload size: 2 GB on Basic, Plus, and Family; the 250 GB ceiling is reserved for work plans.
- Deadlines for requests are also work-plan features.
Method 3: WeTransfer File Requests
WeTransfer added file requests to its current lineup, and they work in the familiar WeTransfer style. The expiry rules are the thing to check: on Free and Starter plans, files someone sends you this way expire after 3 days, extendable to 30 days only on the ~$25/month Ultimate and Teams tiers. Miss the window during a busy week and the upload is gone.
What about Google Drive?
Drive has no native file request feature. The standard workaround is a Google Form with a file-upload question, which comes with a dealbreaker for external work: uploaders must sign in to a Google account. For collecting files from clients or the general public, that requirement alone usually kills it.
Requests at a Glance
| Transfer.zip | Dropbox | WeTransfer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uploader needs account | No | No | No |
| Max per file | Up to 1 TB (Pro) | 2 GB (Basic/Plus), 250 GB (work plans) | Plan-dependent |
| Received files last | Up to 365 days (Pro) | Until you delete them | 3 days (Free/Starter), 30 (Ultimate) |
| Branding on upload page | Yes (Pro) | No | Paid tiers |
| Storage consumed | Your plan's storage | Your Dropbox quota | Your WeTransfer storage |
FAQ
Does the person sending me files need an account? No, on all three services above. That's the point of a request link: the uploader just opens the link and drops files in the browser.
How do I request very large files, like raw video? Plan ceilings decide this. Transfer.zip Pro takes up to 1 TB per transfer; Dropbox consumer plans stop at 2 GB per file; WeTransfer depends on tier. For a one-off huge handoff while you're both online, a Quick Transfer in the other direction also works: they select files, you receive, no accounts at all.
Is a file request secure? The link is the access: anyone holding it can upload (not view others' uploads). Share it directly with the people involved, and close or expire the request once you have what you need.
Can I collect files from multiple people with one link? Yes. Everyone uploads through the same link, and the uploads arrive grouped under the request on your side.
Bottom line: Requesting files by email is asking for chaos with attachments. Send one request link instead. Transfer.zip sets one up in a minute, takes uploads at real-world sizes, and keeps your brand on the page.
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