Explore
Featured
Social Instagram
Search
How-to guide

WeTransfer alternatives: a comparison of free services

WeTransfer is still the name everyone knows. But there are other free services, with different limits and trade-offs: we compared them using their official pages.

For years, "sending a WeTransfer" was almost a verb: what anyone said when they had to send a file too big for email. Today there are several services for the job, and each has its own rules on how much you can send, how long the file stays online and whether you need an account.

This guide compares WeTransfer, SwissTransfer, Smash and Purpurri Transfer, with Google Drive as a point of reference. There is no ranking: the right service depends on what you need to send, to whom and for how long. The data comes only from the services' official pages and was checked on October 8, 2026.

A note on transparency: Purpurri Transfer is the service we run. That's why for every service we report only data verified on official pages, with the sources listed at the end of the guide.

01

Why look for a WeTransfer alternative

Nothing needs to have gone wrong: often it's simply a matter of different needs. The most concrete reasons, according to the free plan's official terms:

  • You need an account to send. Recipients don't have to sign up; senders do, even on the free plan.
  • The free plan has a usage cap. It's expressed in transfers and total GB over 30 days (details below).
  • The link doesn't last long. Free transfers stay available for up to 3 days.
  • You may need more space or more time. Other free services have different limits.
02

How we compared the services

Five aspects, the same for everyone, read only from official pages:

  • How much you can send for free.
  • How long the file stays downloadable.
  • Accounts: does the sender need one? The recipient?
  • Usage limits stated by the service.
  • Particular conditions worth knowing before you send.

We don't compare speed (it depends on your connection) or features we couldn't verify on up-to-date official sources for every service: in that case we'd rather say nothing.

The best-known service isn't always the one best suited to what you need to do today.
Purpurri editorial team

That's true of WeTransfer, as it is of any tool that has become a de facto standard: name recognition says nothing about how convenient it is to use right now, under its current terms. It's worth reconsidering every so often, especially if how you use it has changed: more files, more often, with different people.

The comparison

The comparison in a table

Four file transfer services, the same criteria for each.

ServiceHow much you can sendOnline forAccount to send?Account to receive?Good to know
WeTransferFree plan Up to 10 transfers and 3 GB in total every 30 days (rolling window). Some pages also state 3 GB per single transfer. Up to 3 days Yes, free No The cap is calculated on the 30-day total, not just on a single send.
SwissTransferInfomaniak Up to 50 GB per transfer. Up to 30 days, with an extension to confirm on day 12 (otherwise files are deleted after 15). No No Email verification on the first send from a new device.
SmashFree plan 2 GB per transfer. Above 2 GB the transfer goes into a queue behind those of paid plans. Up to 7 days No No Sends above 2 GB are not prioritized.
Purpurri TransferOur service Up to 5 GB per send, whole folders included. 14 days No No No ads or banners. Optional password and a notification at first download.

Data checked on October 8, 2026 on official pages. Conditions can change at any time. Google Drive is not in the table: it is cloud storage, not a file transfer service (see below).

Service by service

The profiles

The best known

WeTransfer

Recipients download without an account; senders need a free account. Files aren't compressed, and free transfers stay available for up to 3 days.

The size limit deserves a careful read: the official pages on the free plan state up to 10 transfers and 3 GB of total usage in a rolling 30-day window, and some pages also mention 3 GB for a single transfer. In practice the cap applies to the 30-day total: three 1 GB sends use it up. To keep files longer you need the paid plans.

Best forOccasional, light sends to people who already know the service, when having an account doesn't bother you.
Infomaniak, Switzerland

SwissTransfer

A free service from Infomaniak, a Swiss company. It lets you send up to 50 GB per transfer, with no account for sender or recipient and no limit on the number of transfers. On the first send from a new device you're asked to verify your email address.

On the days, there's an important detail. The maximum expiry is 30 days, but if you choose it, files are deleted after 15 days unless the sender accepts the extension that arrives by email on day 12 and stays valid for 3 days. If you don't confirm it, the link lasts half as long. On the free version the number of downloads per transfer is limited (up to 250, according to Infomaniak's support pages).

Best forVery large files, even tens of GB, without signing up, when you can keep an eye on the expiry.
France

Smash

The free plan doesn't require sign-up. It states 2 GB per transfer and availability for up to 7 days. Above 2 GB you can still send, but the transfer isn't prioritized and is queued behind those of paid plans: you'll need some patience. Paid plans remove the size limit and extend availability to 30 days.

Best forMedium-sized sends without an account, when you're not in a hurry.
Our service

Purpurri Transfer

Free and no account, for both sender and recipient. No ads and no banners: just your file and your link. Up to 5 GB per send, with whole folders and many files in a single link, and a link active for 14 days: twice Smash and almost five times WeTransfer. Optional password and a notification at first download if you want one. Files travel over an HTTPS connection and are stored encrypted.

Best forA video, a folder of photos or a piece of work up to 5 GB to send without signing up and without asking anything of the recipient, with a link that lasts more than a week.
A point of reference

Outside the table

Google Drive is a cloud storage solution, not a file transfer service equivalent to the others.

Google Drive

It's often used for the same purpose, but it works differently. Every Google account comes with 15 GB free, shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos, and single files can reach 5 TB. The file doesn't expire, but it takes up your storage and you have to manage who can open it.

Best forFiles you share often with the same people and want to keep organized over time.
Zoom in ↗ Share this guide
04

When Purpurri Transfer is the right choice

Purpurri Transfer is built to send files without the hassle. It's the most convenient choice if:

  • You don't want accounts, for you or for the recipient. No sign-up and no login: the recipient opens the link and downloads.
  • You don't want ads. No banners and no sponsored backgrounds between you and your file.
  • You need a link that lasts. 14 days of availability, enough for someone who replies slowly or downloads later.
  • You send lots of files together. Whole folders and many files in a single link, up to 5 GB.
  • You want to know when they arrive. Optional password on the link and a notification at first download.
05

How to choose

A few MB
Email is often enough. If the attachment gets rejected, here's why and what to do.
Up to 2 GB, no rush
Every service in the comparison works; what matters most is how many days you need the link.
Up to 5 GB, no account for anyone, no ads, 14-day link
Purpurri Transfer.
Over 5 GB
SwissTransfer, keeping the 30-day extension in mind; or a cloud or a paid service.
Files to keep for a long time or share often
A cloud.
Highly confidential document
Protect the link with a password: Purpurri Transfer works well. For an extra layer, encrypt the file before sending it, with any service.

Before sending, always check the conditions on the official pages: they change. For details on our service, see the FAQ.

Official sources · checked October 8, 2026 WeTransfer: availability, free plan
SwissTransfer: website, limits, FAQ
Smash: plans
Google Drive: files, storage

You don't need an account to send
a file to someone.
Purpurri editorial team
Keep exploring
GuidesFAQSend a file
keep reading

More guides

How-to guide: how to send a file that's too large for email

FAQ: limits, expiry, password and how Purpurri Transfer works