Comparison · Updated October 2026
The best file transfer services in 2026, compared fairly.
Six services people use to send large files, side by side: free limits, prices, maximum transfer size and how long files last. Including the places where Send Atlas isn’t the best choice.
Why these five
We picked the services people most often weigh against each other when sending large files to someone else: four dedicated transfer tools (Smash, SwissTransfer, TransferNow and Filemail) and Dropbox, the storage service most creative teams already have. Google Drive, MEGA and Send Anywhere solve a different problem, so they each get their own page instead. Every figure comes from the company’s own plans or help pages as of October 2026. We make Send Atlas, so we’ve marked where others do better.
The comparison table
| Feature | Send Atlas | Smash | SwissTransfer | TransferNow | Filemail | Dropbox |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Built for | Client delivery | Transfers | Free transfers | Transfers & teams | Transfers | Storage & sync |
| Free transfer size | 15 GB with a free account · 5 GB without | 2 GB prioritized · larger queues | 50 GB | 5 GB | 5 GB | Basic: 2 GB total storage |
| Account needed to send free | Only for 15 GB | No | No | No | No | Yes |
| Free link availability | Up to 7 days | Up to 7 days | 15 days, extendable to 30 | Up to 7 days | 7 days | 7 days (Transfer) |
| Entry paid plan | $14.99/mo flat | Pro $10/mo ($6 annual) | Pro option offered | Premium from ~€10/mo | Pro ~$10–12/mo | Plus ~$11.99/mo |
| Max transfer, entry paid plan | 1 TB | Unlimited | 50 GB (free service) | 250 GB | 250 GB | 50 GB (Transfer on Plus) |
| Paid link availability | Up to 30 days, renewable | Up to 30 days | — | Up to 365 days | 30 days | 7 days on Plus |
| Password on free plan | Yes, with an account | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Receive files from others | Pro | Paid plans | Not confirmed | Yes, incl. free | Pro and higher | File requests (2 GB on Basic/Plus) |
| Download notification | Email receipt (Pro) | View & download tracking | Download tracking | Notifications | Email on download (paid) | View/download counts |
| Native apps | Web | macOS, iOS, Android | iOS, Android, web | Desktop, web | Desktop, web | Desktop, mobile, web |
“~” means approximately; euro prices are as published by each company. Plans, limits and prices change; check each provider’s site before you buy. Swipe sideways on mobile to see every column.
Which one should you use?
Send Atlas
Best for regular client delivery from 15 GB to 1 TB
One flat US-dollar plan sends up to 1 TB per transfer, with delivery receipts, photo previews and branded pages. A free account sends 15 GB at full priority. Not end-to-end encrypted, and no native apps or team seats yet. See pricing.
Smash
Best value for unlimited transfer size
At $6/month billed annually, Smash Pro is the cheapest way here to send files of any size, and it has native apps and an Outlook plugin. Free transfers over 2 GB wait in a queue. Send Atlas vs Smash.
SwissTransfer
Best for big free sends
50 GB free with no account and Swiss data hosting is the most generous free tier in this group. Fewer pro features, and the “Download all” zip stops at 10 GB. Send Atlas vs SwissTransfer.
TransferNow
Best for long retention and small teams
Paid files can stay up to a year, the Team plan covers 10 accounts, and password protection and file requests are free without an account. Transfers top out at 250–500 GB. Send Atlas vs TransferNow.
Filemail
Best for truly unlimited sizes on a business plan
Filemail Business removes the size limit entirely, and its desktop apps suit very large sends. Single-user Pro stops at 250 GB. Send Atlas vs Filemail.
Dropbox
Best if your team already works in shared folders
If you need sync, collaboration and version history, Dropbox does far more than a transfer tool. Dropbox Transfer on Plus caps at 50 GB and links last 7 days. Send Atlas vs Dropbox.
File transfer comparison FAQ
What is the best free file transfer service?
For the largest free sends without an account, SwissTransfer (50 GB) is hard to beat. Smash accepts larger free transfers but queues anything over 2 GB. Send Atlas sends up to 15 GB free at full priority with a free account and adds passwords, expiry and download limits.
Which service sends the biggest files?
Smash Pro and Filemail Business have no transfer size limit. Send Atlas Pro sends up to 1 TB per transfer on a flat single-user plan; TransferNow and Filemail Pro cap at 250 GB, and Dropbox Transfer at 50–250 GB depending on the plan.
Why aren’t Google Drive, MEGA and Send Anywhere in the table?
They solve a different problem: Google Drive and MEGA are storage services and Send Anywhere focuses on device-to-device transfers. We compare each of them with Send Atlas on its own page: Google Drive, MEGA and Send Anywhere.
Is this comparison biased toward Send Atlas?
We make Send Atlas, so read it with that in mind. We used each company’s published plans and help pages, included the areas where others are better, and will correct anything that’s wrong. Tell us if you spot an error.
More side-by-side comparisons
Want the short version? See all the top services in one table.
Try Send Atlas free.
Free up to 15 GB per transfer with an account, no card required. Flat $14.99/mo when you need up to 1 TB.