7 best WeTransfer alternatives in 2026: File-sharing tools compared

Sharing a document is easy enough. You could email it, share it in Google Docs, or AirDrop it if you’re in the same room and using an Apple device. But try to share hours’ worth of video footage with collaborators across the globe, and suddenly sending files isn’t as easy as it looks.

Things have improved, though. Dropbox made syncing your files as simple as putting them in a folder, WeTransfer made sharing them as simple as sending a link, and most of the time you can send files without much thought. But with larger files (footage, raw photographs, document archives, and more), you need sharing tools that let you send the files, complete with expiry rules, privacy settings, and company branding.

WeTransfer covers the basics: Share up to 3 GB of files per month in up to 10 transfers that expire after three days, with unlimited file sharing starting at $23 per month. For other ways to transfer files, we tested file sync services Google Drive, Dropbox’s dedicated Transfer tool, and OneDrive, along with one-off file sharing apps Smash, Filemail, TransferNow, and SwissTransfer to compare the seven best WeTransfer alternatives.

Here are the best tools for uploading files online for free with less hassle than driving a hard drive across town.

7 best WeTransfer alternatives in 2026

1. Google Drive

Ideal for: Sharing files in the Google ecosystem

Google Drive is the file sharing tool that undergirds the Google ecosystem of apps. If you have a Google Docs or Gmail account, you already have a Google Drive, with 15 GB of free storage shared across all your Google apps. You can send larger files as Gmail attachments, with Google Drive storing the file in the background on your behalf. No additional file sharing service is needed.

You can also share one-off files in Google Drive. Drag anything into Google Drive, choose Sharing in the file’s menu, and copy its link to share it with anyone. You can’t password protect files or customize most of the file sharing features, nor can you request files from others. But if you’re already working in Google apps, it’s one of the quickest ways to drag a file into an account you already have and share it with a couple of clicks. And with Jotform’s Google Drive integration, you can build forms and let others upload files directly to your Google Drive.

Google Drive pricing

Free for 15 GB of storage. From $1.99 per month for 100 GB of storage space.

2. Dropbox Transfer

Ideal for: Drag-and-drop file sharing built into a file sync tool

Dropbox is the tool that taught most people what cloud storage is. The idea is simple: You create a Dropbox folder, drop files in, and they’re automatically synced among all your devices. You can share folders with others, so the files you add automatically show up on their computers, too. And you can integrate with other apps, using tools such as Jotform’s Dropbox integration to automatically save files uploaded to forms to your Dropbox account.

Dropbox Transfer brings that same simplicity to sending large files. If you want to send a file to someone and don’t want it to waste space in your Dropbox account forever, drag it into Dropbox Transfer and share it with a link. You’ll need to sign in with your Dropbox account, and then you can choose to be notified when the file is downloaded. With a paid plan, you can add an expiration date and password.

You can manage transfers in Dropbox separately from your other files. You can customize the download page background color for free or add a logo for branding with paid plans. And you can request files from others on both free and paid plans; any files others send you will be automatically saved to your Dropbox account for easy file management.

Dropbox Transfer pricing

Free for sharing up to 2 GB files; from $9.99 per month for Plus plan for 2 TB of storage and up to 50 GB per transfer.

3. OneDrive

Ideal for: Sharing files from Microsoft Office applications

OneDrive is Microsoft’s answer to file sync, backup, and sharing on Windows and in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and the other apps that make up Microsoft 365. With Microsoft’s enterprise focus, it’s only natural that OneDrive’s file sharing includes more options than most other file sync tools. Only here, those features tend to be locked behind paid accounts.

Every OneDrive account can store up to 5 GB of files for free and can share folders and individual files with others. Once you’ve uploaded a file, just copy the sharing link to let others download it, or enable editing on Office files to let them collaborate on your documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.

With a paid account, you can add passwords and expiration dates to files. Those features come on all paid plans, including the $1.99 per month Microsoft 365 Basic account with 100 GB of storage but without Office desktop apps. With a paid Business account, OneDrive also includes a Request Files feature with a shared link where others can add files directly to your OneDrive, tagged with the uploader’s name. For a free workaround, you can use Jotform’s OneDrive integration to build a file request form and automatically save uploaded files to your OneDrive account.

OneDrive pricing

Free for 5 GB of cloud storage. Microsoft 365 Basic costs $1.99 per month, which includes 100 GB of storage.

4. Smash

Ideal for: Sending the largest files for free

Smash, in theory, lets you send files of any size. You just might have to wait for a bit.

Its core features work much like other tools. Drag in files and folders you want to share, add your email address (you’ll need to verify it to send files, too), and then require people to add their email to download the file. You can also add a title and message to share more details about the file. You can keep files for 14 days, add a password, and get notified of downloads, all for free.

The files you upload can be as large as you want. Free plans can upload up to 2 GB of files instantly. If you drag in more than that, you’ll get added to the Smash queue. I tried uploading a 14 GB file, and Smash said I’d need to wait in an upload queue for nearly 16 hours. That would usually require leaving Smash open overnight, but it can be worth it as a free way to share even your largest files.

Smash pricing

Free for up to 2 GB per transfer with no file size limit (larger files enter a non-priority queue), with files stored for up to 7 days. From €10 per month for the Pro plan, which supports up to 250 GB per transfer, with share links available for up to 30 days.

5. Filemail

Ideal for: Sending and receiving large files

Filemail feels like email redesigned for files. Drag in a file, then add a required subject and a more detailed message if desired; choose to keep your file online for up to a week during the free trial or up to a month or permanently with paid plans; then send your file. You can pause and resume uploads if needed. Once you’re done, the finished sharing page looks much like an email, with your subject and message on top and the attached files underneath.

With an account and Fastmail’s desktop and mobile apps, receiving files is as easy as sending them. You can build a branded file portal with a custom subdomain for clients, customers, and collaborators to upload files, and Fastmail can automatically download those shared files to your computer. It also logs downloads, with full audit trails and HIPAA compliance features, and uses the closest server to your recipients to make downloads as fast as possible. It’s enterprise-focused file sharing that’s as easy to use as any other drag-and-drop upload tool.

Filemail pricing

One week free includes 5 GB per transfer, with up to two transfers per day and files stored for seven days. From $6 per month for Personal plan, which includes 5 GB per transfer and 250 GB total storage, with file storage for 30 days and password protection.

6. TransferNow

Ideal for: Detailed file options, including download notifications and payment tools

TransferNow is as simple to use as other drag-and-drop file sharing tools. Drag in files, add your email address, and click Transfer for an instant upload, no account or email verification required. Your recipients can download files just as easily, though ads are included on the download page on free accounts.

You can customize further if you’d like. Free accounts can add a custom link (for download links like transfernow.net/dl/YOURNAME), set a password, toggle whether the file can be previewed before download, and choose to get notified when the file is downloaded or if the file doesn’t get downloaded before expiry. Paid accounts can customize branding, set longer file expiration time frames, encrypt uploaded files, and add payment options to sell downloads through TransferNow.

TransferNow additionally includes apps for iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux, along with integrations with Gmail and Outlook to quickly share larger files instead of sending them as normal email attachments.

TransferNow pricing

Free for 5 GB per transfer, with files stored for seven days and with password protection. Premium plan is $10 per month for 250 GB per transfer and 1 TB total storage, with files stored for 365 days.

7. SwissTransfer

Ideal for: Sharing up to 50 GB of files for free with password protection

SwissTransfer makes sharing large files or a whole folder of files simple. Drag in your file or folder. Add your email address and a title for your shared files. You have the option to set your expiration date (from one to 30 days), establish a download limit (from one to 250 times), and add a password if you want.

You’ll then need to verify your email with an authentication code. Once that’s done, SwissTransfer will upload your files and give you a link to share.

And that’s it. It offers no accounts, nor does it have options to brand files or let others upload them to your company plan. Instead, it’s a simple way to upload one-off files. There are ads on the sharing page for other services from the company, such as its website builder and domain tool. That feels like a worthwhile trade-off for a free way to share up to 50 GB of files, password protected, for free.

SwissTransfer pricing

Free to send up to 50 GB files with 500 transfers per day, stored for up to 30 days, with password protection. For longer storage and more customization, SwissTransfer’s parent company, Infomaniak, also offers kDrive from €5.54 per month for one user for 3 TB total storage.

How to choose the best WeTransfer alternative

Choose Google Drive if you want the simplest file sync and sharing in one app.

Choose OneDrive or Dropbox Transfer if you need secure cloud storage, sync, and sharing, along with more granular file settings, including passwords and expiration dates with paid plans.

Choose Smash or SwissTransfer to drag-and-drop share the largest files, the latter with a 50 GB cap and the former with no cap but an upload queue.

Choose Filemail or TransferNow for customizable file sharing with desktop and mobile apps, notifications, customizable company file portals, and more.

The best app for sending large files should fit your workflow the best. SwissTransfer is great for quickly sending large files, but it wouldn’t work for businesses that need to customize their upload page, for instance. Google Drive is easy to use, but its lack of expiration dates and per-file passwords would hamper some enterprise use cases. With enough options, though, there’s a file sharing tool for nearly every requirement.

Need more than a transfer link? Collect files with Jotform

Having a drag-and-drop tool to share files with clients or a link where they can send you files just as easily covers most of the issues with file sharing at work. But sometimes you’ll need processes and workflows for those files. You’ll also need to gather more data to link files to the correct person and their contact information.

Jotform’s file upload forms are a great way to both accept file uploads and build them into business workflows at the same time. They’re not designed for the largest files, with uploads capped at 1 GB. But they are built for automation, with standard form fields alongside file upload boxes that can automatically sync uploaded files to Google Drive, Dropbox, and OneDrive. And with optional file upload widgets, customers can scan documents directly from their form. Optical character recognition will recognize scanned text with AI before uploading the files to your team. Plus, with Jotform’s Form Designer, you can customize upload forms with your branding to make them fit in with the rest of your website.

If you just need to drag a file to your browser and then copy a link, WeTransfer and its best alternatives get the job done. But if you need more features, Jotform will give you more tools to help you automate work related to uploaded files than a simple upload link allows.