Free file sharing limits compared (2026): size, expiry and tracking for 14 services
Free file sharing limits, side by side
Free file sharing services limit you in three ways: how big a file can be, how long the link works, and what you can see or control once it's sent. Transfer services like WeTransfer, Smash and SwissTransfer take big files but delete them after 3 to 15 days. Cloud drives keep files but make outside viewers use their viewer. Link hosts like Link in Seconds keep links alive with free tracking and passwords, with a smaller file size. The table below puts 14 services side by side, from each one's own pages.
The short answer
- Biggest free transfer: SwissTransfer, 50 GB for 15 days.
- Most free storage: MEGA (20 GB), then Google Drive (15 GB, shared with Gmail and Photos).
- Links that never expire, with tracking: Link in Seconds, up to 250 MB per file.
- Shortest life: WeTransfer Free (3 days), and Netlify Drop sites you never claim with an account.
Free plan limits, side by side
| Tool | Free size | How long the link lasts | Free storage | Password on free | See who opened it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Link in SecondsAny file, one link | 250 MB per file | Never expires | 500 MB, 50 live links | Yes | Yes: views, time, pages, device |
| WeTransferTransfer | 3 GB per 30 days, 10 transfers | Up to 3 days | None | No (Ultimate only) | Downloaded or not |
| SmashTransfer | No hard cap; over 2 GB is queued | 7 days | None | Not listed | Paid plans |
| SwissTransferTransfer | 50 GB | 15 days, 30 if extended | None | Yes | No |
| TransferNowTransfer | 5 GB per transfer | 7 days | None | Yes | Paid plans |
| FilemailTransfer | 5 GB per transfer | 7 days | None | Paid plans | Not listed |
| Google DriveCloud storage | Up to your storage | No timer | 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Photos | No | No, for outside viewers |
| Dropbox BasicCloud storage | Up to your storage | No timer | 2 GB | Paid plans | Paid plans |
| MEGACloud storage | Up to your storage | While the account stays active | 20 GB base | Not listed | Not listed |
| GofileAnonymous host | Not listed | Can go after 10 days with no downloads | Temporary | Not listed | Not listed |
| tiiny.hostHTML and PDF host | 3 MB, one site | Stays if you log in every 3 months | One site | Paid plans | Paid plans |
| Netlify DropStatic site drop | Static sites | Temporary until you claim it with an account | Needs an account to keep | Paid plans | Not listed |
| PapermarkDocument tracking | 50 documents, 50 links | Not listed | Not listed | Yes | Page by page |
| JumpshareScreen recording and files | 250 MB per file | Not listed | 2 GB | Not listed | Not listed |
Link in Seconds
Any file, one link
- Free size
- 250 MB per file
- How long the link lasts
- Never expires
- Free storage
- 500 MB, 50 live links
- Password on free
- Yes
- See who opened it
- Yes: views, time, pages, device
WeTransfer
Transfer
- Free size
- 3 GB per 30 days, 10 transfers
- How long the link lasts
- Up to 3 days
- Free storage
- None
- Password on free
- No (Ultimate only)
- See who opened it
- Downloaded or not
Smash
Transfer
- Free size
- No hard cap; over 2 GB is queued
- How long the link lasts
- 7 days
- Free storage
- None
- Password on free
- Not listed
- See who opened it
- Paid plans
SwissTransfer
Transfer
- Free size
- 50 GB
- How long the link lasts
- 15 days, 30 if extended
- Free storage
- None
- Password on free
- Yes
- See who opened it
- No
TransferNow
Transfer
- Free size
- 5 GB per transfer
- How long the link lasts
- 7 days
- Free storage
- None
- Password on free
- Yes
- See who opened it
- Paid plans
Filemail
Transfer
- Free size
- 5 GB per transfer
- How long the link lasts
- 7 days
- Free storage
- None
- Password on free
- Paid plans
- See who opened it
- Not listed
Google Drive
Cloud storage
- Free size
- Up to your storage
- How long the link lasts
- No timer
- Free storage
- 15 GB, shared with Gmail and Photos
- Password on free
- No
- See who opened it
- No, for outside viewers
Dropbox Basic
Cloud storage
- Free size
- Up to your storage
- How long the link lasts
- No timer
- Free storage
- 2 GB
- Password on free
- Paid plans
- See who opened it
- Paid plans
MEGA
Cloud storage
- Free size
- Up to your storage
- How long the link lasts
- While the account stays active
- Free storage
- 20 GB base
- Password on free
- Not listed
- See who opened it
- Not listed
Gofile
Anonymous host
- Free size
- Not listed
- How long the link lasts
- Can go after 10 days with no downloads
- Free storage
- Temporary
- Password on free
- Not listed
- See who opened it
- Not listed
tiiny.host
HTML and PDF host
- Free size
- 3 MB, one site
- How long the link lasts
- Stays if you log in every 3 months
- Free storage
- One site
- Password on free
- Paid plans
- See who opened it
- Paid plans
Netlify Drop
Static site drop
- Free size
- Static sites
- How long the link lasts
- Temporary until you claim it with an account
- Free storage
- Needs an account to keep
- Password on free
- Paid plans
- See who opened it
- Not listed
Papermark
Document tracking
- Free size
- 50 documents, 50 links
- How long the link lasts
- Not listed
- Free storage
- Not listed
- Password on free
- Yes
- See who opened it
- Page by page
Jumpshare
Screen recording and files
- Free size
- 250 MB per file
- How long the link lasts
- Not listed
- Free storage
- 2 GB
- Password on free
- Not listed
- See who opened it
- Not listed
Checked October 2026 against each service's own pricing, help and support pages. "Not listed" means the service doesn't state it clearly; we don't guess. Paid prices are left out because they change by billing term and currency.
What do the limits mean in practice?
Size: per file, per transfer or per month
The headline number isn't always per file. WeTransfer Free allows 3 GB in total over a rolling 30 days, across at most 10 transfers. Filemail and TransferNow cap each transfer at 5 GB. Cloud drives let a file be as big as your free storage. Before you pick a service for a big video, check which of these it means.
Lifetime: the limit most people hit
A transfer service deletes the file on purpose, that's how it stays free. That's fine for a one-time handover and a problem for anything printed, posted or sent to someone who opens it next month. If the link has to keep working, use storage or a link host. More on this in share links that never expire.
Tracking and controls
Knowing whether someone opened a proposal, a CV or an invoice is usually a paid add-on. Papermark and Link in Seconds include it free, and Link in Seconds also shows time per page, device and QR scans. Passwords follow the same pattern: free on SwissTransfer, TransferNow, Papermark and Link in Seconds, paid almost everywhere else.
Which one should you use?
- Sending something huge, once: SwissTransfer or TransferNow.
- Working on files with a team: Google Drive or Dropbox.
- A link that keeps working, with views and a password: Link in Seconds.
- Pitch decks and data rooms: Papermark or Link in Seconds.
- A tiny HTML page: tiiny.host or Link in Seconds.
Quick answers
Which free file sharing service has the biggest limit?
For one-off transfers, SwissTransfer: 50 GB per transfer for free, kept for 15 days. For storage that stays, MEGA (20 GB) and Google Drive (15 GB, shared with Gmail and Photos). Smash has no hard cap on free, but sends over 2 GB wait in a queue.
Which free file sharing link never expires?
Cloud drives like Google Drive and Dropbox have no timer, but outside viewers land in the drive's viewer. Link in Seconds links never expire on any plan and open the file directly in the browser, up to 250 MB per file on Free. Transfer services delete files after 3 to 15 days.
Can I password-protect a file for free?
Yes, on SwissTransfer, TransferNow, Papermark and Link in Seconds. WeTransfer keeps passwords for its top paid plan, and Dropbox, Filemail and tiiny.host keep them for paid plans too.
Which free tools show who opened my file?
Papermark and Link in Seconds show opens on their free plans, including time per page. WeTransfer only tells you whether a transfer was downloaded. Google Drive does not show outside viewers, and Smash, TransferNow, Dropbox and tiiny.host keep tracking for paid plans.
How often is this table updated?
We re-check each service's own pricing and help pages and update the table when a limit changes. Every row was last checked in October 2026. If a service's pages contradict each other, the cell says so instead of guessing.
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