WeTransfer free limits explained: how the quota works

As of October 2026, the WeTransfer free plan allows 10 transfers or 3 GB in total within any rolling 30-day window, whichever you reach first. Free transfers stay available for up to 3 days, you need a free account to send, and the plan is reserved for individual, non-commercial use, according to WeTransfer’s pricing page and help centre.

Many people still remember the old “2 GB for free, kept 7 days” offer, so these limits can come as a surprise in the middle of a delivery. This article explains each limit in plain terms, with examples of how the 30-day quota plays out, what the paid plans change, and which free alternatives fit if the new limits do not work for you.

WeTransfer free plan limits at a glance

How the 3 GB and 10-transfer quota works

The key word is rolling. WeTransfer does not reset your allowance on the first of the month: it looks at the last 30 days at any given moment. Each transfer counts against the quota for 30 days after you send it, then drops out and frees up its share.

In other words, the free plan fits occasional personal sends: a few photo albums, a document pack, a short video. It does not fit a single 4 GB video, or a busy week of client deliveries. If you are unsure what 3 GB holds, our file size guide gives concrete examples.

Three common misunderstandings

1. “The quota resets on the first of the month.” It does not: the window rolls, so the date of each past transfer matters.
2. “3 GB means 3 GB per transfer, as often as I like.” The 3 GB is a total over 30 days, shared by all your free transfers.
3. “Zipping will get my files under the limit.” Photos, videos and most PDFs are already compressed, so a ZIP barely shrinks them; see should you zip files before sending?.

How long do WeTransfer files last on the free plan?

Free transfers stay available for up to 3 days. After that the download link stops working and the recipient sees an expiry message. Three days is enough when the recipient is waiting for the files, but tight for a client who only checks email once a week, or across a weekend. Paid plans extend availability, with custom or unlimited expiry on the top tiers.

A few habits avoid expired links: tell the recipient the files are coming and when they expire, avoid sending on a Friday afternoon if they will only look on Monday, and ask them to download to a computer and keep a copy rather than relying on the link. If your recipients regularly need more time, a service with a longer free availability, such as 7 days on Transfr or up to 30 days on SwissTransfer, saves the “can you resend it?” email.

Do you need an account to use WeTransfer?

To send, yes: WeTransfer has required an account for all senders since November 2024. To receive, no: recipients just click the link and download. Creating a free account takes a minute, but it is an extra step if you only send files once in a while, or when you are helping someone who just needs to send a file now.

Can you use WeTransfer Free for work?

WeTransfer describes its free plan as “for individual, non-commercial use only”. Freelancers, agencies and businesses delivering work to clients are expected to use a paid plan. This matters less for the occasional personal send and more for anyone who was using the free plan as their daily delivery tool.

What do WeTransfer’s paid plans add?

Prices can differ by country and currency, and they change from time to time, so check WeTransfer’s pricing page for your region before subscribing. Note that the Starter plan raises the volume but keeps the 10-transfer count and the 3-day availability.

What happens when you hit the free limit?

• You cannot send another transfer until enough older transfers have left the 30-day window, or you upgrade.
• A transfer larger than your remaining allowance has to wait, and a transfer over 3 GB cannot go through on the free plan at all, even if you have sent nothing else recently.
• Expired transfers are gone on the free plan (recovering expired transfers is an Ultimate feature); you would have to send them again, which counts against the quota.

Free alternatives when WeTransfer’s limits are too tight

Each service has its own trade-offs; our guide to the best free file transfer services compares them in depth, including security, ads and how they handle large files. For a side-by-side with WeTransfer specifically, see Transfr as a WeTransfer alternative, and for the official numbers in a quick format, the page on WeTransfer limits.

Which option fits your situation?

• A few personal files now and then, under 3 GB in a month: WeTransfer Free is fine, as long as the recipient downloads within 3 days.
• One file over 3 GB, without an account: a free service with a higher cap, such as Transfr (100 GB) or SwissTransfer (50 GB).
• Regular client deliveries: a paid plan, wherever you go; on Transfr, Pro removes the size limit per transfer and keeps files up to 60 days, with download tracking and your own branding.
• Confidential files: look for password protection and end-to-end encryption; see our secure file transfer checklist.
• Big video deliveries: plan the upload time first with our upload time table, whichever service you use.