Head-to-Head: WeTransfer Limits vs Smash Limits
Head-to-head, there’s no comparison: Smash has it all over WeTransfer when it comes to limits and constraints.
WeTransfer has long been considered the market leader for file transfer services – but are they still out in front? Competitors now offer many of the same features and services, and even go beyond what many have held to be the standard for transferring large files quickly and securely. Alternatives like Smash have established themselves as equal-to if not out-in-front of WeTransfer with a range of security, user experience, pricing, and support advantages that WeTransfer cannot match.
In this article we consider WeTransfer and Smash head-to-head. We’ll look at four elements where the two file transfer services go up against each other and consider their constraints and limits, specifically:
limits on the free tier for each service
limits on the paid tier for each service
limits on the number of users that can access premium accounts
limits on the pricing or, in other words, what they cost
Read on to learn how these two file transfer services compare!
WeTransfer vs Smash: Free Tier Limits
Both WeTransfer and Smash offer free tiers for users who want to send large files. These free tiers vary in their features, though, and while they might appear the same on the surface, there are some significant differences between the two that are worth keeping in mind.
The biggest differences come in the limits on file sizes and security. With Smash you can send a file of any size and with full password protection. With WeTransfer, it’s limited: 2GB is all that is offered on the free tier and password protection is not extended to free users.
Outside of these key differences, though, the limits are broadly similar. Both services offer top-of-the-line encryption, both services see transfers expire after 7 days, and both offer previews of the files for recipients (though Smash offers previews of some file types that WeTransfer does not).
| WeTansfer | Smash | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum file size | 2GB | Unlimited |
| Encrypted transfers | Yes | Yes |
| Password protected transfers | No | Yes |
| Transfers expire after... | 7 days | 7 days |
| File previews for images | Yes | Yes |
| File previews for videos | No | Yes |
WeTransfer vs Smash: Paid Tier Limits
WeTransfer and Smash offer premium plans that help users step up to greater features and a higher level of service and support. For a monthly or annual fee, users can access these file transfer services and embrace the next level of sharing.
Smash’s premium offer is called Smash Pro and lifts the limits on file availability to 30 days, offers advanced tracking and reporting features, priority support, Outlook plugins, and transfer customization options. WeTransfer, on the other hand, has WeTransfer Pro with a larger file size limit, custom branding, and (finally) password protected transfers.
| WeTansfer | Smash | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum file size | 200GB | 250GB/Unlimited |
| Transfers expire after… | Custom | 30 days |
| Custom subdomain | Yes | Yes |
| Outlook plugin | No | Yes |
| Password protected transfers | Yes | Yes |
WeTransfer vs Smash: User Limits
For many file transfer service users, an account is a personal or professional investment for a single person. However, for some businesses and users, having more than one user with access to an account is essential and having a team plan is a must.
Both WeTransfer and Smash offer a way for teams to manage their file transfers and for administrators to manage those teams. Significantly, though, there is a big difference between how many accounts are included for each plan.
At WeTransfer your business needs to have everyone on the same plan but, once you choose your pricing and service tier, you can add as many team members as you like. It can get pricy, though, with each person costing at least €120 per year. At Smash the Team plan comes with 10 accounts included and those 10 accounts cost €180 per year, or just €18 each! With fewer limits on file sizes and Outlook plugin support, too, Smash is leading here.
| WeTansfer | Smash | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum file size on Pro plan | 200GB | 250GB/Unlimited |
| Cost for 10 users/month | $100 | $15 |
| Cost for 100 users/month | $1,000 | $150 |
| Cost for 10 users/year | $1,200 | $180 |
| Cost for 100 users/year | $12,000 | $1,800 |
WeTransfer vs Smash: Pricing Limits
All the features, all the capabilities, all the components and then there’s one last thing to consider: the price. Like other SaaS products, both WeTransfer and Smash offer subscriptions on a monthly or annual basis to support the ongoing development and support of the product.
WeTransfer has a three-tier system with free, €10 monthly, and €19 month offers (these are monthly breakdowns of the cheaper annual offer). Smash also has three tiers, with free, €6 monthly, and €15 monthly plans (again, monthly backgrounds on annual plans). Smash goes further, though, by offering additional discounts for two-year engagements that start at just €4.80 per month. Across the board, at every tier, Smash is out in front – take a look at the table below to confirm why the alternative comes out ahead.
| WeTansfer | Smash | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | $10 / $19 | $6 / $15 |
| Pro tier for 1 year | $120 | $72 |
| Pro tier for 2 years | $240 | $115.20 |
| Premium/Team for 1 year | $228 | $180 |
| Premium/Team for 2 years | $456 | $288 |
Conclusion: Comparing WeTransfer and Smash
Every file transfer service has limits but when you compare WeTransfer and Smash, it’s clear which one puts the biggest handbrake on sharing your files with others. Whether it’s the free or the paid tier, user limits or pricing of the offers, the constraints you’ll run into at WeTransfer are greater than those at Smash.
With Smash you can send larger files in greater security and at a lower price. With Smash you can add ten team members to your account for not much more than the cost of a single user at WeTransfer, and the stock-standard encryption, file retention, and tracking/reporting functions are comparable across both services. As a result, Smash is clearly the better option for transferring large files online whether as a personal consumer or a professional in a small, medium, or large business.
Smash is available on iOS, Android, or Mac with native apps. There is an API for developers, too, and of course, it is always available online through any browser, whether desktop or mobile. Send a large file for free with Smash today and avoid all the limits of WeTransfer and other alternative file transfer services.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Yep – and there’s no getting around it. WeTransfer limits you to a 2GB transfer unless you pay up – even if you create an account on their site and pass on your personal details! Of course, you can pay to send larger files but, if you prefer to keep things private and affordable, Smash allows you to send a file of any size for free.
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It’s true that you can send any file for free with Smash, but a paid plan offers a whole bunch of extra premium features you might find attractive. You get more tracking and reporting options, customization tools, powerful administration tools, more advanced security options, plugin an add-in support, and help on the phone for if you get stuck.
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Smash has native apps for Mac, for iOS, and for Android – and they are free to all. You don’t need a paid plan or to subscribe to a premium option to benefit, just visit the app store and download the market leading file transfer service app today!
