As email services cling to their web attachment size limits of 1.0 to 25Mb, users in the meantime will need ways to transfer large and large files.
Of course, if security isn’t an issue, there is always cloud storage or files temporarily left behind on your web domain. But if you want a secure way to transfer files over the Internet, you need something more secure.
Below are five secure file transfer options that are also free.
We are transferring
As usual, let’s start with my favorite, which was recommended to me two years ago. I like WeTransfer not only for its simplicity, but also for its fast download and upload speed. I love things that “just work†and WeTransfer is always energetic and cool.
There is a free option and a paid option. The free option allows you to transfer files up to 2 GB in size without the need to register an account. Just upload the file and then add your email address and personal message.
You can email the download link or receive a unique encrypted copy and paste link, for example, in chat messages.
The paid Pro plan ($ 12 / month or $ 120 / year) offers a few more features, such as 20GB file transfer, 100GB file storage space, passwords and expiration dates for your file transfers, and even customize and create your own page WeTransfer and URLs. But if you don’t transfer large video and audio files, your files will never exceed 2 GB. So the paid plan is enough.
Firefox Send
Firefox Send is another option I’ve been experimenting with lately. Built by the same people behind the popular web browser, Firefox Send gives WeTransfer a significant edge for its money. Plus it obviously benefits from a higher name recognition.
Firefox Send raises the stakes on WeTransfer by transferring 1 GB files without registration and 2.5 GB if you sign up for a free account. Once the person on the other end downloads the file, the link will automatically expire, so you don’t have to worry about transferring links and re-uploading your documents. But if you are using a Firefox account to upload 2.5GB, you can keep those links active for a week and share the link with more people.
Files can be password protected for free, and once the file is uploaded, you will be provided with an encrypted link.
RiseUp
Compared to others, RiseUp doesn’t offer as many features. Plus the file size limit is a measly 50MB. But I’ve used RiseUp with great success in the past, and it’s handy for small files.
You just need to drag the file to the window and an encrypted link will be generated that will last one week. Or, if the other person has already told you that they have a file, you can go in right away and delete the file.
RiseUp also has an inserted text section similar to PasteBin Thus, you can copy and paste the plain text into the site and create an encrypted link to send that text to another person.
Onionshare
I’ve already talked about Onionshare, so I’m not going to go into details here. But it would be an oversight not to include it in the file sharing apps article.
I am starting to sympathize with Onionshare because unlike the others, your file is not stored on any central server, waiting for someone to download it. Instead, the other person needs a Tor browser, and when both are open, an encrypted connection is created. The file is then automatically transferred from your computer to theirs.
This is called Peer to Peer (p2p) and is probably the most secure form of transfer available.
The equivalent P2P platform is Resilio, which I’m going to try out.
Signal
I’m going to end this article by mentioning my favorite chat program, Signal Signal is an extremely secure messaging app that is considered by some to be the most secure that has ever existed. So, in theory, sending files over Signal would also be extremely secure and reliable.
In the smartphone app, tap on the contact you want to send the file to. Obviously, this means they need the Signal app too. Then click the “+” icon on the left.
A list of items that can be sent via Signal will appear. In this case, click “Document”.
Where you go next for your document will depend on whether you are using iOS or Android. On iOS, this will be iCloud Drive, so make sure your file is there first, then just navigate to it on your phone. Signal will then send it to your contact.
If you have an Android phone, I’m not sure where your file should be, as I haven’t had Android in eight years. But I can imagine what the default file system is on your phone.
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