WeTransfer and Dropbox are the first names most people think of for file sharing. And they work fine — until you hit a limit. WeTransfer’s free tier caps you at 2GB per transfer. Dropbox gives you 2GB of total storage on the free plan. If you regularly share large videos, RAW photo galleries, or project archives, those limits become a wall fast.

The good news: several alternatives offer more generous limits, better security, or both. Here is a practical comparison.

Why People Look for Alternatives

The most common pain points with WeTransfer and Dropbox:

• WeTransfer Free: 2GB per transfer, links expire after 7 days, no end-to-end encryption
• WeTransfer Pro ($16/month): Raises the limit to 200GB, but still no E2E encryption
• Dropbox Free: 2GB total storage — not per transfer, total. One large file and you are full.
• Dropbox Plus ($12/month): 2TB storage, but no end-to-end encryption for shared files

Both services are excellent products with specific strengths. But if you need larger transfers, longer-lasting links, or stronger encryption, alternatives exist.

The Best Alternatives

Stash

Best for: iPhone/iPad/Mac users who want encrypted, unlimited file sharing with no recipient friction.

Feature	Details
Max file size	No limit
Encryption	End-to-end (AES-256-GCM)
Link expiration	No expiration
Recipient account required	No
File compression	None
Platforms (sender)	iPhone, iPad, Mac
Platforms (recipient)	Any browser
Free tier	Yes
Paid plan	Pro (unlimited files)

Why choose it: True end-to-end encryption, no file size limits, links that never expire, and recipients download in their browser without creating an account. The encryption key is in the URL fragment, so Stash’s servers never have access to your unencrypted files.

Trade-off: Sender app is Apple-only. No web upload option.

Google Drive

Best for: Users who already have Google accounts and need integrated collaboration.

Feature	Details
Max file size	5TB
Encryption	Server-side only
Link expiration	Configurable
Recipient account required	For large downloads, often yes
File compression	None (in storage)
Free storage	15GB
Paid plan	Google One from $2/month

Why choose it: 15GB free storage dwarfs Dropbox’s 2GB. Deep integration with Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and the rest of Google Workspace.

Trade-off: No end-to-end encryption. Google can access your files. Recipients may be prompted to create a Google account for large downloads.

OneDrive

Best for: Windows and Microsoft 365 users.

Feature	Details
Max file size	250GB
Encryption	Server-side + Personal Vault (limited E2E)
Free storage	5GB
Paid plan	Included with Microsoft 365 ($7/month)

Why choose it: If you already pay for Microsoft 365, you get 1TB of OneDrive storage included. Tight integration with Windows and Office apps.

Trade-off: No true E2E encryption for shared files. Microsoft can access your data.

Masv

Best for: Video professionals transferring massive files.

Feature	Details
Max file size	15TB
Encryption	In-transit (TLS)
Pricing	Pay-per-GB ($0.25/GB)
Recipient account required	No
File compression	None

Why choose it: Purpose-built for the video industry. Handles 15TB transfers with accelerated upload technology.

Trade-off: No end-to-end encryption. Pay-per-use pricing can add up quickly for frequent transfers.

Smash

Best for: Quick transfers with no file size limit on the free tier.

Feature	Details
Max file size	No limit (free)
Encryption	In-transit only
Link expiration	14 days (free)
Recipient account required	No
Paid plan	From $5/month

Why choose it: Rare combination of no file size limit on the free plan. Simple, clean interface.

Trade-off: No end-to-end encryption. Links expire after 14 days on the free tier.

Tresorit Send

Best for: Security-focused users who want E2E encryption with a web-based sender.

Feature	Details
Max file size	5GB (free)
Encryption	End-to-end
Link expiration	7 days (free)
Recipient account required	No
Paid plan	Tresorit subscription

Why choose it: One of the few services with genuine end-to-end encryption and a web upload option.

Trade-off: 5GB limit on free tier. Full features require a Tresorit subscription.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Stash	WeTransfer Free	Dropbox Free	Google Drive	Smash	Masv
E2E Encryption	Yes	No	No	No	No	No
Max file size	Unlimited	2GB	2GB storage	5TB	Unlimited	15TB
Free tier	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Link expiration	Never	7 days	Configurable	Configurable	14 days	Configurable
Recipient sign-up	No	No	Sometimes	Sometimes	No	No
Compression	None	None	None	None	None	None

How to Choose

• Need E2E encryption + unlimited files → Stash
• Already in Google/Microsoft ecosystem → Google Drive or OneDrive
• Quick one-off transfers under 2GB → WeTransfer Free
• Video industry, massive files → Masv
• Large files, no budget → Smash (free, unlimited size)

Frequently Asked Questions

Is WeTransfer Pro worth the $16/month?

If you regularly share files between 2–200GB and do not need end-to-end encryption, WeTransfer Pro is a solid tool with a clean interface and customizable branding. If encryption or permanent links matter to you, other options offer better value.

Can Dropbox compete with Google Drive on storage?

On free tiers, no — Dropbox offers 2GB vs. Google Drive’s 15GB. On paid plans, both offer 2TB+ at similar price points. Choose based on ecosystem preference (Google vs. Microsoft/Dropbox integrations).

Why is end-to-end encryption not standard across all services?

E2E encryption prevents the provider from accessing file contents, which limits their ability to scan files, build search indexes, generate previews, and use data for AI training. Many business models depend on these capabilities, making E2E encryption fundamentally incompatible with their approach.

What if I need to share with someone on Android?

Every service in this comparison supports Android recipients via browser-based downloads. The recipient opens the share link in Chrome, Firefox, or any mobile browser and downloads the file. No app installation required.