Ferry vs WeTransfer
Ferry vs WeTransfer: a free alternative with no size cap
Checked October 2026
The short answer
Use Ferry for large or private files: a direct send has no size cap and is never stored, and a Ferry account can also hold a file, sealed, for someone to download later. Use WeTransfer when you need to send to someone who is offline today and you do not have a Ferry account yet, because accounts are opening gradually.
WeTransfer and Ferry solve the same problem in opposite ways. WeTransfer uploads your files to its servers and gives you a download link. Ferry connects your two devices and sends the files from one to the other.
That one difference explains almost everything else on this page: the size limits, the privacy, the speed, and whether the other person has to be there.
Ferry now offers both. A direct send needs no account. A held send, from an optional account, waits on Ferry for the other person, sealed in your browser so Ferry cannot read it.
Side by side
| Feature | Ferry | WeTransfer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free to send and receive. Optional accounts have a free plan, and paid plans from $9 a month | Free tier, with paid plans for larger transfers |
| Account | Not needed to send or receive. Optional, for held files and a history | Not needed to download |
| Size limit | No cap. Limited by free space on the receiving device | 3 GB per transfer on the free tier |
| How often | As often as you like | 10 transfers or 3 GB in any 30 days on the free tier |
| Where files go | Directly between the two devices, never stored. A held send from an account is stored sealed until it expires | Uploaded to WeTransfer and stored there |
| Encryption | End to end, with a 6-digit code both screens show | Encrypted in transit and in storage. WeTransfer holds the keys |
| Timing | Direct sends need both devices open. A held send lets the other person download later | Recipient can download later |
| Link lifetime | 24 hours for a direct send, up to 7 days for a held send | 3 days on the free tier |
| No internet | Yes, on the same Wi-Fi or hotspot | No |
Choose Ferry when
- The file is bigger than 3 GB, or you have used up the monthly allowance.
- The files are private and you do not want a copy on someone else's server.
- Both devices are yours, or the other person is ready to receive now.
- Both devices share a Wi-Fi network, where a direct transfer is much faster than uploading and downloading.
Choose WeTransfer when
- The recipient will download later and you do not have a Ferry account.
- You are sending to many people who will each download at their own time.
- You want a download page with a message and your own branding, which the paid plans offer.
File size and limits
On its free tier WeTransfer allows up to 3 GB in one transfer, and at most 10 transfers or 3 GB in total in any 30 days. Larger and more frequent transfers need a paid plan.
Ferry has no cap because it has no storage to pay for. Files are written to the receiving device as they arrive, so a 40 GB video works the same way as a photo. If the connection drops, the transfer continues from where it stopped.
Privacy
WeTransfer stores your files so the recipient can fetch them later. They are encrypted in transit and in storage, and WeTransfer manages the keys.
Ferry encrypts files on the sending device with keys only your two devices hold. The server passes connection details between the devices and never receives a file, a file name or a key. Both screens show the same 6-digit security code so you can check nobody is in the middle. A held send is stored, but it is sealed in your browser first and the key stays in the link, so what Ferry holds is unreadable.
Speed
With WeTransfer a file travels twice: up to the server, then down to the recipient. With Ferry it travels once. On the same Wi-Fi it does not leave your network at all.
Where WeTransfer is the better tool
A direct send needs both devices open at the same time. If the other person is asleep, in another time zone, or will get to it next week, use a held send from a Ferry account, or WeTransfer if you do not have one. Held sends follow your plan: the free plan holds files up to 100 MB and 500 MB in total, so very large files for later pickup are still easier on a paid WeTransfer plan.
Common questions
Is Ferry a free alternative to WeTransfer?
Yes. Direct sends are free, with no size cap and no account. For download later, a Ferry account can hold a file for up to 7 days, sealed so Ferry cannot read it. WeTransfer stores files on its servers instead.
How do I send a file larger than 3 GB for free?
Open Ferry on both devices, choose Send files, and connect with the QR code or 6-digit code. Ferry sets no size limit, so the only constraint is free space on the receiving device.
Does WeTransfer see my files?
WeTransfer stores the files you upload on its servers and holds the encryption keys. Ferry's direct sends never reach a server. Held sends are stored, but sealed in your browser with a key that stays in the link, so Ferry cannot read them.
Sources
Details about WeTransfer were checked in October 2026 and can change. WeTransfer is a trademark of its owner, and Ferry is not affiliated with it.
Try it with the file you have now.
Open Ferry on both devices and connect them with a QR code or six digits. Direct sends need no account.