The best WeTransfer alternatives
WeTransfer's free plan keeps shrinking, so a lot of people are shopping around. We compared the leading large-file transfer tools on the things that actually matter — price, privacy, and how generous the free tier really is. Here's how they stack up — including our own DocuChan, so judge that row accordingly.
| Tool | Best for | Free tier | Paid from | End-to-end encrypted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DocuChan | Best for privacy | 5 GB / file | No paid plan | Yes |
| Wormhole | Quick E2E sends | Up to 10 GB · links last ≤24 h | No paid plan | Yes |
| Proton Drive | Encrypted cloud storage | 2–5 GB storage (account) | $4.99/mo (Drive Plus) | Yes |
| WeTransfer | Best known brand | 3 GB / month | $6.99–$25 mo | No |
| Smash | Best for no size cap | No cap (>2 GB queued) | $10/mo (from $4.80 on a 2-yr plan) | No |
| MASV | Best for media pros | 15 GB / month credit | $0.25 / GB | No |
Pricing and limits are indicative as of 2026 and change often — check each provider for current figures.
The rundown
1. DocuChan
Best for privacyOne of the few picks that encrypt in your browser — and the only one here combining 7-day anonymous links, device-to-device Beam and a completely free hosted service. Burn-after-download and password protection are free, there are no ads and no subscription — and when a file is too big to upload, Beam sends it device to device with nothing stored.
2. Wormhole
Quick E2E sendsEncrypts in your browser and needs no account; links expire within 24 hours and files over 5 GB go peer-to-peer, so the sender keeps the tab open.
3. Proton Drive
Encrypted cloud storageEnd-to-end encrypted storage with password-protected share links; needs a Proton account and a storage quota.
4. WeTransfer
Best known brandThe household name. Friction-free and familiar, but the free plan has been cut hard, it isn't end-to-end encrypted, and the free experience carries ads.
5. Smash
Best for no size capPopular with creatives for sending very large files — there's no hard size limit, though free transfers over 2 GB are deprioritized. Clean UX, but the useful features sit behind the Pro plan (about $10/mo, less on a 2-year plan) and it's encrypted in transit only, not end-to-end.
6. MASV
Best for media prosPay-as-you-go and built for huge media workflows. Fast and reliable, but it bills $0.25/GB per download — so one file sent to several people multiplies the cost — and it's aimed at studios, not casual senders.
GigaFile便 & the Japanese alternatives
In Japan, GigaFile便 (gigafile.nu) is the default — your recipients probably already use it. The popular Japanese services move enormous files for free, but they're ad-supported and not end-to-end encrypted: the provider can technically access what you upload.
| Service | Best for | Free tier | Pricing | End-to-end encrypted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DocuChan | Privacy pick | 5 GB / file · 7 days | Free | Yes |
| GigaFile便 | Japan's default | 300 GB / file · up to 100 days | Free (ad-supported) | No |
| firestorage | General-purpose | 300 GB / upload · 14 days | Free (ads) / ¥1,320+ | No |
| データ便 | Business-leaning | 2–5 GB · 3–7 days | Free (ads) / ¥330+ | No (SSL only) |
Honest take: GigaFile便 and firestorage allow far bigger files (up to 300 GB) and longer retention than DocuChan — for moving huge, non-confidential files they're hard to beat, and they're free. DocuChan's edge is confidentiality: genuine end-to-end encryption, burn-after-download, and no ads — the only option in this table where the provider can't read your files. For contracts, IDs, or medical and financial documents, that difference matters.
How to choose
If privacy matters, start with a tool that encrypts in your browser, then match it to the job: Wormhole for a quick send that only needs to live a day, Proton Drive if you want encrypted cloud storage with an account, and DocuChan for links that last up to 7 days without an account, burn after download, or skip the cloud entirely with Beam. If you're a media studio pushing terabytes, a pay-as-you-go service like MASV may fit despite the cost. In Japan, GigaFile便 is the convenient default for huge non-sensitive files — but reach for a real end-to-end-encrypted tool the moment the contents are confidential. Match the tool to how often you send and how private the files are.
Want the private option?
Send 5 GB free, end-to-end encrypted, self-destructing — no account needed.