How to transfer large files online fast.
Services like Dropbox and Google Drive make it easy to store and share files online, but they have limitations. For example, the free version of Google Drive provides only 15 GB of storage (which is a lot for a free service), while the free version of Dropbox provides users with a relatively small 2 GB of storage.
If you need to transfer a huge file larger than 15 GB (for example, an edited video file), then none of these services will cut it. What you need is a dedicated file transfer service. This article will tell you some of the best ways to transfer large files online.
We’ll also offer several ways to make it easier to shuffle huge amounts of data. We have already covered some other services, as well as some for sending large videos. We also looked at WeTransfer, a special way to transfer large files.
MediaFire
MediaFire is a cloud storage system that offers up to 50GB of free storage, with 1TB of storage only $3.75 per month. If you have a free plan, the maximum upload size is 20 GB, but this limit is lifted with one of the paid options.
MediaFire has apps for various devices so you can transfer large files online from your mobile devices as well as your laptop.
pCloud
pCloud is a cloud storage service with a dedicated file transfer system. What can I say, a great choice. There are no limits on download size or download speed. If you have fast internet, you can download large files quickly without the artificial bandwidth bottlenecks created by the service.
pCloud also provides several features that make it even more attractive, such as the ability to distribute your files across multiple services to keep them safe.
pCloud offers a free trial so you can test the service, but you will need to subscribe to continue using the service after this trial period. Subscriptions are available in both monthly and yearly plans, but if you’re looking to save money, opt for an annual payment – it’ll save you a few dollars overall.
Masv
Masv is a handy service for people who need to transfer extremely large files online. It is intended for videos, large graphics, and other types of media that are inappropriate for email. This is a popular service among video editors and freelancers because of the ability to move files larger than 20 GB. Masv is also a bit different when it comes to pricing.
Masv is not a subscription model, but a pay-as-you-go service. You will pay per gigabyte of data. While this may sound expensive, it actually helps cut down on wasteful spending because you only pay for what you actually use.
If you’d like to give Masv a try, there’s a seven-day free trial that gives you 100GB of free data transfer. This is a great way to test a service without being tied to it.
FTP
If you’re more tech-savvy than most, FTP clients will always work. The File Transfer Protocol is an old way of transferring data, but these days it’s more focused on the business side of things.
There aren’t many requirements for using consumer FTP, which means the options available can be a little tricky. If you want to know more, we have a dedicated article on FTP that you should check out.
How To Make Transferring Files Easier
Many people make the mistake of sending files in raw format, but that only makes things harder. Here are some ways to reduce the size of huge files that will make them easier to transfer and save you a lot of hassle without sacrificing the quality of the file itself.
Data compression by archiving
There are several services for converting a regular file to a ZIP file. WinRAR and 7zip are well known not only for their rich history but also for their memes. Let’s face it, the real 1% are those who paid for WinRAR.
You can also compress data on macOS by selecting it, right-clicking, and choosing Compress.
Split files into smaller parts
If you are submitting an unfinished file to an editor, ask if you can submit the files in parts. Splitting a two hour video into 30 minute segments can result in 4 different files, but those files will be much smaller than a single object.
This is an especially useful trick for those with a finicky internet connection; the last thing you want is for the file to almost complete its transfer before a disconnection slows down the entire process.
Check the file type
Some file types are significantly larger than others due to their resolution and quality. Although there are times when you cannot avoid high resolution files, if it is not strictly necessary, then a smaller file type can be used.
For example, JPG is such a popular format because it compresses data very heavily. The downside is that it also loses something in the process. On the other hand, TIF is a “lossless” format that doesn’t result in artifacts, but the files won’t be as small as JPG files.
Paid Versus Free Services
In the modern world, there are a huge number of services that allow you to transfer even giant files for free. For the most part, there are no downsides to using these services. The paid service offers several benefits that you might like, especially if you want to keep things simple. Paid services also have faster transfer speeds and more storage capacity.
There is no right or wrong answer. If you need to transfer files between 15GB and 20GB, you can probably use the free service, but more than that will require payment. Check out the best ways to transfer large files online and choose the one that’s right for you.
How to transfer large files online fast
How to transfer large files online fast