If you’ve just finished making a home film or the ultimate mixtape – a digital version of that old classic, of course – you’ll undoubtedly want to show it off to your friends and family.
This can be an issue depending on the size and quantity of files you need to transmit. Gmail, for example, enables you to attach files to email messages that are no more than 25MB in total. Large files will rapidly eat up your storage space capacity while hiding in your Sent folder, to say nothing of the fact that they will eat up your storage space quota while lurking in your Sent folder!
There are many effective methods to transfer large files online without getting into problems, and we’ve selected 12 of the finest below, the great majority of which are free.
Use a VPN
“What?” I get what you’re saying. What does a virtual private network (VPN) have to do with exchanging big files? Many people are unaware that certain internet service providers (such as Virgin Media) utilize broadband traffic management to restrict upload capacity (rather than download).
When you use a VPN, such as ExpressVPN, your ISP won’t be able to tell what kind of files you’re uploading, and hence won’t be able to apply traffic shaping on your account.
The one sort of material that is most likely to be flagged and pushed down the priority lines is P2P (peer-to-peer), one of the most popular and dependable ways for transmitting huge amounts of data. We’ve put together a list of the finest VPN services on the market. Keep in mind that your results may vary and that utilizing a VPN might slow down your connection.
File compression
Using file compression software, such as the cross-platform application 7-Zip, is one of the simplest solutions to the problem of transferring big files. This is especially useful if you have a lot of files since you can put them all in one folder and compress them all at once. A large file will transmit quicker than a folder containing smaller files of the same size, as a matter of thumb.
7-Zip is file compression software for Windows, Mac, and Linux that can compress files in both the standard ZIP format and its own somewhat more efficient 7ZIP format. Without any additional software, most major operating systems can extract ZIP files. 7-Zip also allows you to password-protect your files so that you may safely share them. Keep in mind, however, that uploading excessively big files may cause the system to stall out.
Use a specialized service
There’s a new type of browser-based file transfer service with built-in proprietary technologies to speed up the upload of large files. Masv is one of them (the others being Aspera and Signiant), and it specializes in the cloud transmission of large (20GB+) data.
It charges $0.25 for every downloaded GB and operates on a pay-as-you-go approach. There are no subscription fees, contracts, or support costs, and there are no user or file size/bandwidth limitations.
Google Drive
Although Gmail messages may only include attachments up to 25MB in size, if your files are larger than that, Google will let you save them to your Google Drive and provide you a link to share them. Users of Gmail may exchange files and folders that are up to 10GB in size. Given that Google’s free tier provides 15GB of storage, you may exchange huge files on a regular basis at no cost (assuming you delete, rinse and repeat).
You may choose whether you want to generate a link that can be shared with anybody or one that is only available to the recipients of the email containing the link. Premium plans start at $1.99 per month (£1.55) for 100GB of storage.
FTP
When compared to cloud services like Dropbox and Google Drive, FTP (File Transfer Protocol) is still one of the most dependable ways to upload and download data.
FTP is supported by all operating systems, and many websites and add-ons, such as FireFTP, allow you to upload and download files directly from your browser. Cyberduck, a free desktop FTP client for Windows and Mac, is also available.
The main disadvantage is that you’ll require access to a distant server (like a web hosting service). Many firms, such as DriveHQ, give free storage space (5GB), and their pricing is competitive with cloud storage providers.
Media fire
MediaFire is a pioneer, as its name suggests. If you sign up for a free account, you’ll get 10GB of storage. Connect your Facebook and Twitter accounts, download the app, and then refer friends to get up to 40GB of free storage. You may upload files directly from your computer or from the internet, and then produce a link that allows people to download them from the MediaFire website.
Paid memberships start at $3.75 per month (about £3) and feature 1TB of storage space, a 20GB file size restriction, and the removal of irritating Captchas and advertising. One-time links are another useful premium feature that ensures that after your receiver receives your files, they are no longer accessible.
You can find applications on media fire that are not available at Google Play Store, for example Lynx TV APK. It is a third party app which helps you to watch unlimited live channels, but you have to install it from Media fire or any third-party website.
Hightail
Hightail was designed specifically for corporate users. You may establish specific “spaces” for various files and projects after registering, which you can subsequently share with others. You can also utilize the useful ‘PipPoints’ function to take notes on documents as you and others work on them.
Hightail’s free Lite edition only allows you to share files up to 100MB in size. The Pro membership costs $12 per month (about £9.50) and includes limitless workspaces as well as support for files up to 25GB in size. The number of individuals who can view a file at any given moment is likewise unrestricted.
Resilio Sync
This useful tool, formerly known as BitTorrent Sync, syncs data instantly across your devices using the BitTorrent protocol, which was developed particularly for sharing large files. This peer-to-peer link can connect two or more devices, such as a phone and a computer.
Resilio Sync also allows you to create secure links that your contacts may use to download things from your folders. This implies that in order for them to access your device, it must be online at the moment. The software is free to use, and there are no restrictions on the amount of data you may send or keep.
It’s worth noting that only Sync for people is completely free. Sync Home is $60 and has extra functions, while Sync for Family is $100 and includes up to five family members.
