Free Large File Transfer
Which file transfer services a startup can send large files to clients and partners with for free today, the largest free transfer each allows, how long links stay live, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, read from each provider's own page.
Free allowances read on each provider's own pages, all checked on or after . File transfer services change their free plans from time to time: confirm the terms on the provider's page before you rely on it.
File transfer services a startup can use for free today include Filemail (Free Basic: send files up to 5 GB), Send (Free to self-host), SwissTransfer (Free: send up to 50 GB per transfer), Smash (Free: up to 2 GB per transfer), and TransferNow (Free: send up to 5 GB per transfer). Each of the 9 free plans below links to the provider's page that states it, with its main limit, the largest transfer it allows, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs.
Videos, design files, data exports and builds are too big for email. File transfer services send them as a link, most for free up to a set size, and open-source file sharing runs free on your own server.
The headline rarely tells you how far it goes. Free transfers are capped in size and number, links expire after a day to a month, and some free plans are for personal, non-commercial use only. Each service below shows what is free, its main limit, the largest transfer it allows, whether a card is needed and what the first paid plan costs, quoted from the provider's own page with the date we read it.
Which services we picked and the order they appear in are our editorial choices; the terms are the providers'. Some of these providers pay us a referral commission when someone signs up through our link: those links are labeled, and they play no part in which services are listed or where.
File transfer services with a free plan
Send a large file by link, free up to a set size.
- 1
Filemail
Work files up to 5 GB, with no card needed
Filemail Basic sends files up to 5 GB with no credit card required, and allows 2 transfer sessions per 24 hours. Personal is just $4 a month for unlimited transfers.
- Largest transfer
- Up to 5 GB per transfer (source: filemail.com)
- Payment card
- No credit card required (source: filemail.com)
- 2
SwissTransfer
The largest free transfers, from a Swiss provider
SwissTransfer sends up to 50 GB per transfer, free of charge. You can choose an availability period from 1 to 30 days on the free plan.
- Largest transfer
- Up to 50 GB per transfer (source: infomaniak.com)
Start free at InfomaniakTerms read on infomaniak.com on SwissTransfer: the free allowance and how to start - 3
Smash
Quick sends of up to 2 GB to anyone
Smash's Free plan sends up to 2 GB per transfer, valid for 7 days, with no payment required. Pro is $4.80 a month on a 2-year plan.
- Largest transfer
- Up to 2 GB per transfer (source: fromsmash.com)
- Payment card
- No payment required (source: fromsmash.com)
- First paid plan
- Pro: $4.80 a month on a 2-year plan (source: fromsmash.com)
- 4
TransferNow
Simple sends up to 5 GB, kept 7 days
TransferNow's free service sends files of up to 5 GB per transfer, and files stay available for 7 days.
- Largest transfer
- Up to 5 GB per transfer (source: transfernow.net)
Start free at TransferNowTerms read on transfernow.net on TransferNow: the free allowance and how to start - 5
Send Anywhere
One-to-one transfers up to 50 GB
Send Anywhere's free plan covers 1:1 real-time transfers up to 50 GB and links up to 10 GB. Custom expiration dates are 48 hours on the free plan, and Lite is $5.99 a month.
- Largest transfer
- 1:1 up to 50 GB, links 10 GB (source: send-anywhere.com)
- First paid plan
- Lite: $5.99 a month (source: send-anywhere.com)
Start free at Send AnywhereTerms read on send-anywhere.com on Send Anywhere: the free allowance and how to start - 6
Wormhole
One-off sends up to 10 GB, deleted in 24 hours
Wormhole sends up to 10 GB, and files are permanently deleted from the server after 24 hours.
- Largest transfer
- Up to 10 GB (source: wormhole.app)
- 7
WeTransfer
Personal, non-commercial sends only
WeTransfer's free plan shares up to 3 GB a month, but it is for individual, non-commercial use only. The Starter plan is $10 a month, billed monthly.
Start free at WeTransferTerms read on wetransfer.com on WeTransfer: the free allowance and how to start - 8
pCloud Transfer
Quick one-off sends up to 5 GB
pCloud Transfer sends up to 5GB free, and the page says there is no need to register.
- Largest transfer
- Up to 5 GB (source: transfer.pcloud.com)
Start free at pCloudTerms read on transfer.pcloud.com on pCloud Transfer: the free allowance and how to start
Open-source file sharing you can self-host
Run your own file sharing on your own server, free.
- 1
Send
Teams that run their own file server
Send's Mozilla branding is removed so you can legally self-host it, which makes it free to run on your own server.
- What's free
- Free to self-host (source: github.com)
Also useful for founders
Referral links, picked for fit and ordered by fit (70%) and what a signup earns us (30%), at no cost to you. They never change this page's ranking.
AnaraAI research assistant that answers across papers and your own filesFree planReferral link
FabricAI workspace for notes, files and meetings with agents that do the work14-day free trialReferral link
ScraperAPIScraping API that handles proxies, browsers and CAPTCHAs for you1,000 API creditsReferral linkCompare the top options
How this comparison is built
The list covers file transfer services a founder can use for free today without applying to a program. The order and the "best for" notes are our editorial reading of each service's terms. Every term comes from the service's own pricing or help page on the date shown, never from a third-party list; follow each link for the full conditions. A cap on transfer size, links that expire after a few days, a limit on transfers a month, passwords or tracking kept for paid plans can matter more than the headline, so the comparison quotes them wherever the provider states them. Some of these services pay StartupPerks a referral commission, and their links are labeled as referral links; that decides neither whether nor where a service appears, and no service pays for a placement on this page.
Read the full methodologyCommon questions
What is the best free way to send large files?
By the terms each provider states, SwissTransfer sends up to 50 GB per transfer for free, Send Anywhere 1:1 transfers up to 50 GB, Wormhole up to 10 GB, and Filemail, TransferNow and pCloud Transfer up to 5 GB.
What is WeTransfer's free limit?
WeTransfer's free plan allows 3 GB a month across 10 transfers and is for individual, non-commercial use only. Starter is $10 a month billed monthly.
How long do free transfer links last?
Wormhole deletes files after 24 hours, Send Anywhere's free links expire after 48 hours, Smash and TransferNow keep files for 7 days, and SwissTransfer lets you choose 1 to 30 days.
Can I host my own file transfer service?
Yes. Send, an open-source file sharing app, is free to self-host on your own server.
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