The need to share data has grown by leaps and bounds in the digital age. Technology has made distance smaller; you can easily communicate and collaborate with anyone. Even the sharing of large files is no longer a significant hurdle.
It is common practice that companies of all shapes and sizes share information with their subsidiaries and partners daily. Hence, this motivated the birth of file-sharing software to facilitate this.
What is WeTransfer, and Why Do We Need Alternatives?
Founded in 2009, WeTransfer is in Amsterdam. WeTransfer is an internet-based computer file transfer and sharing platform and has long been the household name when sharing large files. After all, its free plan allows you to share up to 2GB size files with a simple sign-up.
The platform is widespread, with over two billion files shared each month. The data is transferred via Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption protocol and stored in an encrypted format (AES-256). Also, your recipient accesses the files via unique links.
Despite this, it remains a single platform and may not be everyone’s cup of tea. A single change to the interface could alter your entire experience. If that happens, well, simply go with plan B.
Here are “plan B’s” you can consider instead of WeTransfer.
1. Dropbox
Dropbox is a solid contender as a file hosting service providing cloud storage, file synchronization, and collaboration for personal and work purposes. Dropbox is a tool designed with stress-free file storage and synchronization in mind so that you always get the latest versions of your documents, accessible from any device, supporting Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android.
Also, Dropbox protects files in transit and at rest via encryption. They adopt policies and controls to safeguard your information.
You can easily share and send any file/folder; it is not an issue even though the recipient does not have a Dropbox account. You provide a link for the file/folder in your Dropbox that you can share with anyone you wish. The supported file formats are varied, so you should not face any issues with the popular ones.
Dropbox Pricing
Their free plan, called Dropbox Basic, gives you 2GB of cloud storage that you can store in and access your files across devices. Dropbox’s paid plans are by individuals, households, solo workers, growing teams, complex teams, and larger companies. There’s always a suitable plan for everyone.
2. Google Drive
Google Drive is Google’s cloud storage service. Most would have a Google account. Hence, using Google Drive is a no-brainer. Google Drive proactively scans and removes any malware, spam, or ransomware. You will enjoy encrypted and secure access to, sharing, and storing your files from any device.
Google Drive has enhanced the sharing features by allowing you to share each file or the whole folder with configurable access rights for different people (view/edit). Also, Google Drive integrates seamlessly with Sheets, Docs, and Slides; these cloud-native collaboration apps promote tighter collaboration in real-time and enhance teamwork.
Google Drive Pricing
You can choose the free account that gives you 15GB of secure cloud storage. The Google Meet video and voice conferencing restrict to 100 participants. That said, most would be satisfied with these free account specs. However, if you need more storage space and higher specs, there are other paid plans that you can consider.
3. Smash
Smash is perhaps the ideal alternative to WeTransfer. You get to send files or folders with no size limit and even configure the expiration date (up to 14 days) of the file/folder with other customization features for free! They support most file types and claim to be 5 times speedier than others. Also, having nine regions across the globe to store your files means that your files will remain close to you, a factor for higher speed.
You have the option to password-protect your files and enhance your brand by customizing your background and logo. Additionally, you can customize the sharing link, and no registration is required. All such useful features for free; this is where Smash shines the most. Transfers in transit and at rest are encrypted. They also have security audits done by external providers (Vaadata and NBS System).
Smash Pricing
Smash’s paid plans come in three forms; they differ in terms of the availability duration, the number of users, the ability to do custom branding, and others. However, if you need something simple, the free plan should suffice. After all, their plans do not restrict the file size.
4. Filetransfer.io
Get Filetransfer.io is the better alternative to WeTransfer since they allow up to 6GB of file transfer for free. They support most file formats, and the recipient need not be registered with FileTransfer.io to access the shared file. You can transfer files securely with the password function. Also, you can send file requests to receive files via the FileTransfer.io platform, but this is only available in the Business plan.
Once you have selected the file you wish to transfer, you can choose to do so via email or get a link to be shared. The free plan allows you to store 100GB for up to 21 days and has a 50 download limit.
FileTransfer Pricing
There are two paid plans. If you need more storage and want unlimited downloads, the Plus plan should suffice, but if you must have the file requests function, you cannot escape the highest-tiered plan – Business.
5. Icedrive
Icedrive is the up-and-coming secure cloud file sharing and storage platform that claims to be the only encrypted cloud storage solution to use the Twofish algorithm; this algorithm uses symmetric encryption with only one 256-bit key, hence is speedy. Icedrive allows you to access, share, and manage your cloud storage from any device.
Security is their focus as all your files/folders are encrypted at your device before moving to the secure cloud. When sharing, your files are double-encrypted in transit over HTTPS. The keys are client-side generated. Hence, only you have access to them.
You can easily share files and password-protect them to increase security. Also, you can configure the sharing duration. File-sharing is supported on the most popular platforms.
Icedrive Pricing
Three paid plans are available. They differ in the amount of storage. However, they have a free plan with 10GB of cloud storage and no client-side encryption.
6. Microsoft OneDrive
OneDrive is a file sharing and cloud storage solution from Microsoft. If you’re a Microsoft fan, OneDrive could be a solid alternative to WeTransfer. You can store your files, edit them, and share them on your devices, anytime, anywhere. Files sync to the cloud and any of your other devices. Even if you lose any of your files on your device, you can still access them on OneDrive.
OneDrive offers business plans, but they seem to emphasize sharing files with friends and family for personal reasons through a link via email or text. Since you are familiar with Microsoft 365, you can also collaborate in real-time with the latest versions of Word, Excel, or any other Office apps.
You can scan documents and store them in OneDrive for easier access in the future. There’s a Personal Vault where the more important files are stored more securely, requiring identity verification; this is available for all plans.
OneDrive Pricing
OneDrive’s paid plans vary depending on your needs. If you already have a subscription to Microsoft 365, you can look at the Microsoft 365 Personal plan that comes with a massive 1TB of storage. Or you can be satisfied with their free version, giving you up to 5GB storage space with no office apps.
7. Hightail
Hightail is an easy-to-use file transfer tool. It not only facilitates file sharing through web and mobile apps but keeps the team organized by streamlining workflows and ensuring everyone is on the same page. There’s the project management, keeping your team informed on the latest progress, and ensuring the project is on track.
Hightail allows you to share and track files; you will know once your files have been delivered or are available for download. To share, you can use the send form, upload the files, and send them to the receiver’s email. Receivers do not need an account to access your shared files. You can also collaborate with others through stored files in “Spaces.”
Files can be synced from other cloud storage platforms like Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, and Dropbox. You can configure your receivers and control the security settings on your shared files via access codes, secured links, and expiration dates. Hightail allows you to create a personal Uplink link so that you can receive files from others.
Hightail Pricing
They have three paid plans that differ by the number of users, uploaded files storage, and other features. However, if your sharing needs are minimal, you can consider their free forever LITE plan; this free plan gives you a maximum of 100MB for your file send size, and 2GB of storage space, although rather dismal, could suffice.
8. Send Anywhere
Send Anywhere is a simple file-sharing tool that allows you to share your files with anyone. Send Anywhere supports web, desktop, and mobile devices. You can share more than one file at a time and choose one of three ways to send your files.
The direct approach allows unlimited file size; it requires you to send a 6-digit key to the receiver in real-time. The receiver inputs the 6-digit key to access the file. The 6-digit key is valid for a specific time, so ensure the receiver is ready at the other end. Or you can opt to create a link and send the link to multiple people. There is a 10GB cap on the file size for sharing via link.
As long as the link is still valid (you can configure the expiration time), the receiver can download the file anytime they want. Finally, you can email large file attachments via their Outlook add-ins, Chrome Extension, and the website.
SendAnywhere Pricing
Sendy Pro at $7.99/month is their new paid plan with 1TB storage and other features. However, you can still use Send Anywhere (free version), but it will be a separate account from the paid ones.
Final Thoughts on Sharing Large Files Online
File sharing is crucial in this digital age. Depending on the tool, file sharing can be a breeze or not, for personal or work reasons. Although WeTransfer is the popular choice among many, some reasons spur people to source for its alternatives. The list above contains WeTransfer alternatives that will make life much easier for you whenever you need to send and receive large files.
