European File Transfer Services

A file transfer service solves one problem: a file is too big for email. Mailboxes usually cap attachments at around 20 to 25 MB, so a video, a photo folder or a CAD project bounces. A transfer service uploads the files and sends the recipient a download link instead. The files are deleted automatically after a set time. The services below are run by companies headquartered in Europe, which makes them a practical WeTransfer alternative for large file transfer.

Free limits at a glance

Service	Headquarters	Free transfer size	Account
SwissTransfer	Geneva, Switzerland	50 GB, up to 30 days	not needed
TransferNow	France	5 GB, up to 7 days	not needed
Smash	Lyon, France	2 GB at normal priority, 7 days	not needed
Filemail	Norway	5 GB	not needed
WeTransfer	Amsterdam, Netherlands	3 GB or 10 transfers per 30 days, 3 days	free account

Cloud storage providers offer their own transfer tools too: Tresorit (Tresorit Send), pCloud (pCloud Transfer) and Internxt (Internxt Send) each send up to 5 GB per transfer.

What to look at

• Size and duration: SwissTransfer allows 50 GB per free transfer without waiting. Smash accepts larger files for free too, but above 2 GB they queue behind paying users.
• Encryption: Most services encrypt in transit and at rest on the server. End-to-end encryption, where even the provider cannot read the files, is offered by Tresorit Send, Internxt Send and Filemail's Business plan. SwissTransfer states that its encryption is not end-to-end.
• Hosting location: SwissTransfer stores files only in Switzerland. WeTransfer stores them in the EU or the US depending on the uploader's IP address. Smash uses servers in nine regions worldwide. TransferNow names French providers as well as US ones in its privacy notice.
• Ownership: WeTransfer is a Dutch company, but Bending Spoons (Milan) took it over in 2024.

Which service for which job

• One large file, no account: SwissTransfer.
• Confidential documents: Tresorit Send or Internxt Send, because the provider cannot read the files.
• Video and images for clients: Filemail, whose desktop app speeds up big uploads, or TransferNow with branding on paid plans.
• Regular team use: a paid plan from TransferNow, Smash, Filemail or WeTransfer, or SwissTransfer through Infomaniak kSuite.

Transfer or storage?

Transfer services are built to forget: links expire and files disappear. For files you want to keep and edit, use cloud storage instead.

FAQ

What is a good European alternative to WeTransfer?

SwissTransfer allows far larger free transfers than WeTransfer's free plan and needs no sign-up. TransferNow, Smash and Filemail are French and Norwegian options with paid plans for teams.

Are file transfers private?

Only the people with the link can download, and a password adds protection. Without end-to-end encryption the provider technically holds the keys, so sensitive files belong into an end-to-end encrypted tool.

Can I use these services for work?

Yes. TransferNow, Smash, Filemail and WeTransfer sell team plans with branding and longer retention, and SwissTransfer is available through Infomaniak kSuite plans.