Look, I'm going to be upfront: we built SecureTransfer, so obviously we think it's good. But this comparison is going to be honest, because you can verify everything here yourself. WeTransfer is a solid product that does some things better than us. We do other things better. Here's the breakdown.

The security question

This is the big one, and it's not even close.

WeTransfer uses encryption in transit (HTTPS) and encryption at rest. This means your files are protected while traveling to their servers and while stored there. But WeTransfer holds the encryption keys. Their systems can access your files, and they do — for virus scanning, content moderation, and to comply with law enforcement requests. Their privacy policy is clear about this.

SecureTransfer uses end-to-end encryption. Your files are encrypted in your browser with AES-256-GCM before they ever leave your device. The encryption key is embedded in the share URL fragment — the part after the # symbol — which browsers never send to the server. We can't read your files. Period.

To be fair: for most people sharing vacation photos or non-sensitive work files, WeTransfer's encryption is perfectly adequate. The question is whether your use case requires true privacy or just convenience.

Features comparison

Where WeTransfer wins

Being honest here:

• Free file size limit. WeTransfer gives you 2 GB free. We give you 25 MB. If you need to send a large file and don't care about encryption, WeTransfer's free tier is more generous.
• Brand recognition. Everyone knows WeTransfer. When you send someone a WeTransfer link, they trust it immediately. We're new.
• Beautiful design. WeTransfer invests heavily in their UI and their creative community. Their backgrounds and artist showcases are genuinely cool.
• Background uploads. WeTransfer has polished their upload experience over many years. Small touches add up.

Where SecureTransfer wins

• Actual encryption. If you're sending anything confidential — legal documents, medical files, financial records, business contracts — the difference between "we encrypt at rest" and "we literally cannot read your files" is enormous.
• Flexible pricing. No subscription. Pay $0.50/GB/month only when you need it. A 2 GB file stored for 7 days costs about $0.12. WeTransfer Pro is $12/month whether you use it or not.
• Download limits. Set a file to self-destruct after 3 downloads. Useful for sensitive documents.
• Custom expiry. Choose any duration from 1 hour to 365 days. WeTransfer free is locked at 7 days.
• Open source. You can audit the code, self-host it, or verify our encryption claims yourself. Trust is earned by transparency.

The bottom line

If you're sharing non-sensitive files and want the biggest free tier possible, WeTransfer is great. No argument.

If you're sharing anything you wouldn't want a stranger reading — client documents, medical records, financial data, personal stuff — use end-to-end encryption. Whether that's us or another E2E service, the principle is the same: don't trust a company to be good when you can make it so they don't need to be.