WeTransfer is a file-sending service for files that are too big for email. You upload files in your browser or app, and WeTransfer either emails them to your recipient or gives you a download link. The recipient doesn’t need an account. It has been the default choice for designers, photographers and video editors for well over a decade, which is why people still type “we transfer” into Google every day just to reach it.
What has changed is the free plan. It is noticeably tighter than it used to be, and many people only find out when an upload is refused. This guide explains how WeTransfer works today, the current free limits, step-by-step sending on desktop and phone, and the best alternatives when WeTransfer doesn’t fit.
Short version: WeTransfer Free lets you send up to 3 GB per transfer, with a cap of 10 transfers in any rolling 30-day window, and free transfers expire after a few days. If you regularly send bigger files or more often, look at a paid WeTransfer plan or an alternative like SwissTransfer (up to 50 GB free).
What’s in this guide
- How WeTransfer works
- WeTransfer free limits in 2026
- Paid plans in plain English
- How to send files from a computer
- How to send files from a phone
- Receiving and downloading a transfer
- Tips for sending large files without problems
- Is WeTransfer safe? Privacy, scams and the 2025 terms row
- The best WeTransfer alternatives
- Which tool should you use?
- FAQ
How WeTransfer works
The idea is simple. Instead of attaching a 2 GB video to an email (which most mail providers will reject), you upload it once to WeTransfer’s servers. WeTransfer then holds it temporarily and gives the recipient a way to download it.
You can send in two ways:
- Email transfer: you enter the recipient’s address, and WeTransfer emails them a download link. You get a confirmation when they download it.
- Link transfer: WeTransfer gives you a link, and you paste it wherever you like, such as WhatsApp, Slack, a client portal or a text message.
Transfers are temporary by design. After the expiry date, the files are removed, and the recipient will need you to send them again. That makes WeTransfer a delivery service, not a storage service. If you need files to stay available, use cloud storage instead.
Ownership has changed as well. WeTransfer was acquired by Bending Spoons, the Italian company behind several well-known apps, in 2024, and the plan structure was reworked in the period that followed.
WeTransfer free limits in 2026
According to WeTransfer’s own plan limits page, Free users can send up to 10 transfers (or 3 GB in total) in any rolling 30-day window. Its file size guide confirms a 3 GB cap per free transfer.
| Limit | WeTransfer Free |
|---|---|
| Maximum transfer size | 3 GB |
| Number of transfers | 10 in any rolling 30-day window |
| How long files stay available | A few days (currently reported as 3 days); the exact date is shown on your transfer |
| Recipient needs an account | No |
| Upload and download speed | Same as paid plans, according to WeTransfer |
| Intended use | Personal, non-commercial |
The “rolling 30-day window” trips people up. It doesn’t reset on the first of the month. Each transfer counts for 30 days from the day you sent it, so if you send ten files on the 5th, your next free slot opens on the 4th or 5th of the following month.
Before you upload: zip folders into a single archive. One zipped transfer counts once against your allowance, and the recipient gets everything in one download.
Paid plans in plain English
WeTransfer’s paid tiers currently go by these names:
- Starter: keeps the 10-transfers rule but raises the total to 300 GB in a rolling 30-day window. Good for occasional large video or photo deliveries.
- Ultimate: unlimited transfers, custom expiry dates, password protection, branded download pages and access controls. This is the plan freelancers and studios usually need.
- Teams: everything in Ultimate, plus shared workspaces, brand controls and admin tools, with storage up to 5 TB (expandable on request).
- Enterprise: custom contracts for larger organisations.
Prices depend on your country and whether you pay monthly or yearly, and they have changed several times recently, so check the official pricing page before you subscribe rather than relying on figures quoted on other sites.
How to send files from a computer
- Go to wetransfer.com in any modern browser. Free users may be asked to confirm their email address the first time.
- Click the + button (or Upload files) and choose your files, or drag them onto the page. You can also add a whole folder.
- Choose how to send: enter your recipient’s email address, or switch to Get a link.
- Add a title and a short message so the recipient knows what they’re getting.
- Click Transfer and keep the tab open until the upload reaches 100%.
- Copy the link, or wait for the confirmation email that your transfer was sent.
Upload speed depends almost entirely on your internet connection. A 2 GB file on a slow connection can take a long time, and closing the tab mid-upload cancels it. For very large uploads, use a wired connection where you can, and pause any cloud backup software that competes for bandwidth.
How to send files from a phone
WeTransfer has apps for iPhone and Android, and the website also works in a mobile browser.
- Open the WeTransfer app (or wetransfer.com in your browser).
- Tap the option to add files and choose photos, videos or documents from your device.
- Choose email or link, add a message, and send.
- Keep the app open until the upload completes. Phones often pause uploads when the screen locks or the app goes into the background.
Sending from a phone is especially useful for videos. Messaging apps usually compress video heavily, while a WeTransfer link delivers the original file at full quality. The same applies to photos you want to check later with a reverse image search, where a full-resolution original gives much better matches than a compressed copy.
Receiving and downloading a transfer
- Open the email or link and click Download. No account is needed.
- Multiple files normally arrive as a single .zip. Unzip it before opening the files.
- Check the expiry date on the download page, and download promptly. Once it expires, only the sender can send it again.
- On a phone, large zips can be awkward. If you can, download big transfers on a computer.
Tips for sending large files without problems
Most failed or frustrating transfers come down to a handful of avoidable issues. Whichever service you use, these habits help:
- Zip and name things clearly. Put everything in one folder, give it a descriptive name such as ClientName_Edit_v3_2026-10, and compress it. The recipient knows what they’re getting, and you stay under transfer-count limits.
- Shrink before you send. Video exports and RAW photos are often much larger than the recipient needs. Export a review copy at a lower bitrate, or JPEGs instead of RAW, unless the original files are specifically required.
- Split very large projects. If you’re over a free limit, compression tools such as 7-Zip can split an archive into numbered parts that the recipient joins back together.
- Use a stable connection. Uploads over mobile data or crowded public Wi-Fi fail more often. A wired connection at home or work is the most reliable.
- Tell the recipient it’s coming. A quick message saying “I’ve just sent the files via WeTransfer” stops your transfer being ignored as possible phishing, and reminds them to download before it expires.
- Keep your own copy. Transfers are temporary. Never delete your originals because you’ve “sent them”.
Is WeTransfer safe? Privacy, scams and the 2025 terms row
The service itself is a long-established, legitimate company, and files travel over encrypted connections. For sensitive material, password protection and custom expiry (available on paid plans) add useful control over who can open a link and for how long.
The terms of service row. In July 2025, WeTransfer faced a backlash over a revised terms clause that many users read as allowing their files to be used to train AI models. The company published an explanation of the change, revised the wording, and now states in its content protection principles that it doesn’t use your content to train AI models or sell it. It is still worth reading the current terms of service yourself if you handle client work or confidential files.
Phishing is the bigger risk. Because WeTransfer emails are so familiar, scammers copy them. Be suspicious if an email:
- says you have files waiting from someone you don’t know,
- links to a page that asks for your email password or Microsoft 365 login before downloading, or
- comes from an address or links to a domain that isn’t wetransfer.com.
A real WeTransfer download never needs your email password. When in doubt, contact the sender through another channel and ask if they sent it.
The best WeTransfer alternatives
SwissTransfer: the big free allowance
Run by Swiss cloud company Infomaniak, SwissTransfer lets you send up to 50 GB per transfer for free, with no cap on the number of monthly transfers. You choose how long files stay online (1 to 30 days), you can add a password and limit downloads (free transfers allow up to 250 downloads), and files are stored only in Infomaniak’s data centres in Switzerland. Neither sender nor recipient needs an account, though senders verify their email the first time they send from a new device.
Choose it when: you need to send big files for free, or you care about where your data is stored.
PairDrop and Snapdrop: device to device
Snapdrop and its open-source successor PairDrop work differently. Instead of uploading to a server for someone to download later, they send files directly between devices that have the page open, much like Apple’s AirDrop but in any browser. Both devices typically need to be on the same Wi-Fi network, although PairDrop adds a way to pair devices so you can share between networks.
Choose it when: you want to move files from your phone to your laptop, or between two computers in the same room, with no size cap from a server plan and no account.
Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox links
If you already pay for cloud storage, a share link may be all you need. Files stay available until you remove them, you can control who has access, and the recipient can preview many file types without downloading. The trade-off is that the file counts against your storage, and access permissions are easy to get wrong.
Choose it when: the file needs to stay available for weeks, or several people will work from it.
Which tool should you use?
| Your situation | Best fit |
|---|---|
| Under 3 GB, occasional, personal | WeTransfer Free |
| 3 GB to 50 GB, free | SwissTransfer |
| Phone to laptop, same room | PairDrop / Snapdrop |
| Client deliveries with your branding and password protection | WeTransfer Ultimate |
| Files that must stay available or be edited by others | Google Drive, OneDrive or Dropbox |
| Confidential documents | A paid plan with password and expiry controls, or your organisation’s approved secure-sharing tool |
Frequently asked questions
Is WeTransfer still free?
Yes. There is still a free plan, but it is limited to 3 GB per transfer and 10 transfers in a rolling 30-day window, and it is intended for personal, non-commercial use.
Do I need an account to use WeTransfer?
Recipients never need one. Senders on the free plan may need to verify an email address, and some features such as password protection require an account or a paid plan.
How long do WeTransfer files last?
Free transfers expire after a few days. Paid plans let you choose a custom expiry date. The exact expiry is always shown on the transfer’s download page.
Why did my WeTransfer upload fail?
Common causes are going over the 3 GB free limit, hitting the 10-transfer allowance, an unstable connection, or closing the tab or app before the upload finished.
Can I send a 10 GB file for free?
Not with WeTransfer Free. SwissTransfer handles up to 50 GB free, or you can split files into smaller parts or use a paid WeTransfer plan.
Is WeTransfer the same as “We Transfer”?
Yes. “We transfer” is simply how many people search for WeTransfer. The official website is wetransfer.com.
Looking for more practical guides? Read our breakdown of how TikTok Coins work, or, if you’re a teacher, our step-by-step guide to hosting a Gimkit game.
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