The file sharing market in 2026 is crowded. Everyone claims to be secure, fast, and easy to use. But when you dig into the details, the differences are significant — especially around encryption, file limits, and recipient experience. Here is an honest breakdown of the top options.

Quick Comparison Table

App	E2E Encryption	Max File Size	Free Tier	Link Expiry	Recipient Account	Compression
Stash	Yes	Unlimited	Yes	Never	No	None
WeTransfer	No	2GB (free) / 200GB (pro)	Yes	7 days	No	None
Dropbox Transfer	No	100MB (free) / 100GB (pro)	Yes	7 days	No	None
Google Drive	No	5TB	15GB storage	Configurable	Sometimes	None
Tresorit Send	Yes	5GB	Yes	7 days	No	None
Smash	No	Unlimited	Yes	14 days	No	None
OneDrive	No	250GB	5GB storage	Configurable	Sometimes	None

Breaking Down the Key Differences

Encryption

Only Stash and Tresorit Send offer true end-to-end encryption on the free tier. Every other service uses server-side encryption, meaning the provider can access your files. If privacy matters to you, this is the most important column in the table above.

File Size Limits

Stash and Smash both offer unlimited file sizes on their free tiers — a rare combination. WeTransfer’s 2GB free limit is the most common pain point that drives users to alternatives. Google Drive offers enormous individual file limits (5TB) but those files count against your storage quota.

Link Expiration

Most free tiers force link expiration within 7–14 days. Stash is the notable exception with no expiration — your links remain active until you manually delete the file. This matters for deliverables that clients may need to re-download weeks or months later.

Recipient Experience

Stash, WeTransfer, Smash, and Tresorit Send all allow recipients to download without creating an account. Google Drive and OneDrive sometimes require sign-in for larger files, which adds friction for recipients who are not already on those platforms.

Best For Each Use Case

Use Case	Best Choice	Why
Confidential business files	Stash or Tresorit	E2E encryption protects contents
Quick transfer under 2GB	WeTransfer	Simple, fast, well-known
Large video files (10GB+)	Stash or Smash	No size limits on free tier
Team collaboration	Google Drive or Dropbox	Folder sharing, real-time editing
Client deliverables that need to last	Stash	No link expiration
One-off transfer, budget-conscious	Smash	Unlimited size, free

Frequently Asked Questions

Which app is the most secure?

For file sharing specifically, Stash and Tresorit offer the strongest security with true E2E encryption. The provider cannot access your file contents even if their servers are breached.

Which app is best for large files?

Stash and Smash both offer unlimited file sizes on free tiers. For enterprise-scale transfers (15TB+), Masv is purpose-built for the video industry but charges per-GB.

Is it safe to use free file sharing apps?

It depends on the app’s business model. Free apps funded by advertising may scan your files. Free tiers of privacy-focused services (like Stash) are genuinely secure — the paid tier simply unlocks additional capacity.