Best File Transfer Services in 2026
Updated
In short: AWS Transfer Family is ranked #1 of 105 as of 5 October 2026, ahead of SendSafely and rclone. The best-ranked option with a free plan is SendSafely. The lowest first paid tier on this page is AWS Transfer Family at $0.04/mo.
Moving files through a service can involve more than transfer size: link controls, tracking, and workflow options may also matter. Compared on maximum file size, link expiry, download tracking, desktop apps, API access, and custom branding, these entries cover several ways to assess how a transfer fits your needs. AWS Transfer Family, SendSafely, and rclone are among the services shown. Check free-plan availability and paid-from pricing, too. Consider the files you need to send and whether you want oversight after sharing or integrations with other workflows.
105 file transfer services ranked on what their makers publish — plans and prices, free tiers, platforms and the facts on their own pages.
22 of the 25 here have a free tier you can use, 0 have open-source code on record, and 0 have full bars: free, open, on most of your devices and documented.
| # | App | Signal | Free tier | Open code | Devices | From | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS Transfer FamilyWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.04/mo | 7.9 | |
| 2 | SendSafelyWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.9 | |
| 3 | rcloneWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.8 | |
| 4 | ExaVaultWeb · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $99/mo | 7.6 | |
| 5 | pCloudWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 5 of 6 | Free | 7.6 | |
| 6 | Wing FTP ServerWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone · Self-hosted · API | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | $199/mo | 7.6 | |
| 7 | Send AnywhereWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Three bars | — | 6 of 6 | Free | 7.4 | |
| 8 | FileFastWeb · Mac · Android · iPhone · API · Extension | Three bars | — | 4 of 6 | $5.99/mo | 7.4 | |
| 9 | WeTransferAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.2 | |
| 10 | TransferNowAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | €0.20/mo | 7.2 | |
| 11 | FilestackWeb · Android · iPhone · API | Three bars | — | 3 of 6 | $69/mo | 7.2 | |
| 12 | SmashAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $10/mo | 7.1 | |
| 13 | SendThisFileWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $5/mo | 7.1 | |
| 14 | MyAirBridgeAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 7.1 | |
| 15 | SFTPGoWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Self-hosted · API | Two bars | — | — | 4 of 6 | €50/mo | 7.0 |
| 16 | ProjectSendWeb | One bar | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 7.0 | |
| 17 | HeaveAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | $10/mo | 7.0 | |
| 18 | TresoritWindows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | — | 5 of 6 | — | 6.9 |
| 19 | Limagito File MoverAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | €285/mo | 6.9 | |
| 20 | PairDropWeb · Self-hosted | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | Free | 6.9 | |
| 21 | ForceTransferWeb | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $24/mo | 6.9 | |
| 22 | AlterSendWeb · Windows · Mac · Linux · Android · iPhone | Two bars | — | 6 of 6 | $32.50/mo | 6.9 | |
| 23 | OpenText Managed File TransferWeb · API | One bar | — | — | 1 of 6 | — | 6.8 |
| 24 | DropsAPI | Two bars | — | 0 of 6 | Free | 6.8 | |
| 25 | SendSecurelyWeb · API | Two bars | — | 1 of 6 | $0.99/mo | 6.8 |
Compare all 25 in a table
| # | App | Score | Free plan | From | Free plan | Paid from | Max file size | Link expiry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AWS Transfer Family | 7.9 | Free plan | $0.04/mo | No | — | 50 GB | — |
| 2 | SendSafely | 7.9 | Free plan | — | Yes | $10/mo | — | — |
| 3 | rclone | 7.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 4 | ExaVault | 7.6 | Free plan | $99/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 5 | pCloud | 7.6 | Free plan | — | Yes | $9.99/mo | — | — |
| 6 | Wing FTP Server | 7.6 | Free plan | $199/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 7 | Send Anywhere | 7.4 | Free plan | Free | Yes | $5.99/mo | 20 GB | — |
| 8 | FileFast | 7.4 | Free plan | $5.99/mo | Yes | $5.99/mo | 300 GB | 90 days |
| 9 | WeTransfer | 7.2 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | 3 days |
| 10 | TransferNow | 7.2 | Free plan | €0.20/mo | Yes | — | 10 GB | 30 days |
| 11 | Filestack | 7.2 | Free plan | $69/mo | Yes | $69/mo | 20 GB | — |
| 12 | Smash | 7.1 | Free plan | $10/mo | Yes | — | — | 30 days |
| 13 | SendThisFile | 7.1 | Free plan | $5/mo | Yes | $5/mo | — | 14 days |
| 14 | MyAirBridge | 7.1 | Free plan | — | Yes | $3.59/mo | 50 GB | — |
| 15 | SFTPGo | 7.0 | No | €50/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 16 | ProjectSend | 7.0 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 17 | Heave | 7.0 | Free plan | $10/mo | Yes | $10/mo | 250 GB | 14 days |
| 18 | Tresorit | 6.9 | No | — | Yes | — | — | — |
| 19 | Limagito File Mover | 6.9 | Free plan | €285/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 20 | PairDrop | 6.9 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 21 | ForceTransfer | 6.9 | Free plan | $24/mo | Yes | $24/mo | 50 GB | — |
| 22 | AlterSend | 6.9 | Free plan | $32.50/mo | Yes | — | — | — |
| 23 | OpenText Managed File Transfer | 6.8 | No | — | — | — | — | — |
| 24 | Drops | 6.8 | Free plan | Free | Yes | — | — | — |
| 25 | SendSecurely | 6.8 | Free plan | $0.99/mo | Yes | $7/mo | 5 GB | 30 days |
Is your app on this list?
Numbered spots on this list can be sponsored, and a sponsored row is labelled as paid.
Questions about this list
Which file transfer service is ranked first on Freedom251?
AWS Transfer Family is ranked #1 of 105 with a score of 7.9. SendSafely is second and rclone third.
How many of these have a free plan?
22 of the 25 on this page publish a free plan on their own pricing pages.
Which is the cheapest paid option?
On this page, AWS Transfer Family has the lowest first paid tier we found: $0.04/mo.
How is this list ranked?
Ranked free-and-open first: a usable free tier and open-source code, then the platforms it runs on and its documentation.