For big file transfers, email is a no-go. Here are the better options we use, even in those cases where we want to keep them a secret (secure).
So how do you send large files online? Well, there are a number of ways.
Share files via cloud storage
The most obvious option is to share files uploaded to a cloud storage account. Dropbox, for example, lets you share your files with people whether or not they’re a member. It offers 2GB online storage free, with up to 16GB extra space with referrals, and has paid plans available.
It’s a similar story for Google Drive – and if you already have a Google account, you have 15GB free space just waiting for you. You can share individual files with others, giving them limited access to your online storage space.
Finally, there’s OneDrive – Microsoft’s answer to Dropbox and Google Drive. It comes with 15GB of storage, and lets you spread files easily with the built-in share button.
Given we were continuously sending the draft image, audio or video files for approval, we found that it didn’t take long before we begun to exceed our quota limit. And then we discovered some alternatives which we hope will help your business.
Send large files without registering
WeTransfer is one such option, letting you upload files of up to 2GB in size. Just enter the email addresses of up to 20 people, and your link will be sent to each contact, valid for a week after uploading.
If 2GB isn’t enough, Send Anywhere is worth a look. You can send a file of up to 4GB in the browser, 10GB via the Outlook plugin or Chrome extension and 20GB via the Android/iOS apps. If you stick to the web version, there’s no need to register.
Share large files securely
If you value privacy and security above everything else, it’s worth looking at Mozilla’s solution: Send. Just go to send.firefox.com and you’ll be able to upload a file of up to 1GB in size that is encrypted client side. The file will then self-destruct in 24 hours, or after it has been downloaded once – whichever comes first – and Mozilla has no access to files uploaded or downloaded.
It’s not much use if you’re looking to share the files with more than one person, but handy for one to one transfers.
It was extremely handy for us.
Let us know if you have come across an alternative.
