Anvil Graphics Blog

Sooner or later every Internet user tries to email a file, only to find out that the attachment is too large for the email server to handle. What to do? Well to be sure there is no lack of excellent solutions. Savvy users might consider using FTP to transfer the file, which works really great for those with the software and knowledge. The rest of us have a lot of options using online file transfer services.These service generally work this way: You go to a web site and enter your sending email address and the recipients email address, then you select the file you are sending from your computer, and click SEND. Pretty easy.

Here is what you should consider when selecting a service to use when transferring your files, followed by a list of providers.

Many services are free or very low cost, but are often ad supported. Businesses might want to extend their branding to these services by having a customizable interface for you and the recipient – and get rid of the ads. Most of the services hold your file for the recipient from a day to a week or so, then the file is deleted. Other services are more like online data storage, and the file can sit on their servers for a long time. This could even be used as low-budget data backup in some cases. Companies with offices at different locations could use this service in lieu of a corporate intranet to allow sharing of common files, such as a work order or HR policies. Be sure to review the encryption protocols before uploading any sensitive data, particularly if you plan on leaving it there for awhile. Your privacy, and that of your recipients, is a really important issue. Try to avoid sites which sell the email addresses to other companies (which may be the primary reason for offering you free service). Review the terms and policy statement to see if they mention this. It might be better to use a larger more established company with clearly defined privacy policies, and perhaps pay something for the service. Upload speed is almost always slower than downloading, and is often limited by your own internet service provider, so expect sending large files to be slow. I also like a progress bar so that you can tell how far the file is along during the transfer. Your recipient will download them at whatever speed their service allows. Legitimate companies do not allow sending of copyrighted materials, and are particularly sensitive about music and movies. To help prevent illegal peer to peer (P2P) sharing, they limit the number of recipients per file. More expensive plans allow more recipients. As a user, don’t share copyrighted material or bad karma may ensue. Some services offer a desktop application which can be used instead of a web browser to manage the files. I have only used the desktop app from You Send It and can attest that it works well and may increase upload speed. Some services offer drag and drop, but that might come with the desktop app only. Some of the online services let you use your own domain name as part of the service, another important way to brand consistently. Several of the services allow for a place for your customers or vendors to send to you from a customized page which represents your company – pretty neat idea. You will want to use a service which has notification via email, particularly so that the sender knows that the recipient has either rejected or downloaded the file. Be sure this is included in even a basic plan. It is also nice to have a message area so you can include a short note to your recipient, something like, “Just bootlegged the new Star Trek movie just for you”. Just kidding.

Here is a list of a good handful of services, including their cost and allowable file sizes.

• YouSendIt.com – This is the one I have used for a long time. The lite version is limited, but free. You Send It Express is a good desktop application which is super convenient to use. To send files larger than 100MB you will need to upgrade to a $10 to $30 plan, which allows very large file transfers (2GB). Tracking could be cheaper.
• SendThisFile.com – The free service is decent, but for only $5 per month this company offers a pretty good feature set for sending, including from your own web page. No long term file storage. They have been around a long time.
• HeavyMail.com – Desktop app for only $30 per year for up to 10GB of transfer.
• PonBoo.com – This is a nice little free service allowing up to 250MB transfers. From the developers of Heavy Mail.com
• Skootit.com – Starting at only $5 per month, but they offer more advanced plans from $15+.
• SendToPerson.com – Free up to 5 times per month, with a Pro version for $20. Nice service.
• Memeo.com (SEND) – This company offers a lot of different services, particularly with online backup. The file transfer service is called SEND and is listed under the Business services. This can be used for as little as $5 per month and has a free trial. Looks like a nice company to work with.
• TransferBigFiles.com – Free up to 1GB (bigger than most). Simple service.
• Pando.com – Free up to 1GB, Pro levels for $25 per year (pretty good deal there).

• DropSend.com – Lite version is free and allows 2GB transfer. Basic plans as low as $5, other options available.

• egnyte.com – Decent service at all levels, Pro users start at $15 per month.
• FileApartment.com – This appears to be a popular service for very limited use. They allow 1 file for 1 day, and a strange pay as you go system.
• 2big2send.com – Solid service for only $7 per month.
• ShareFile.com – Plans starting at $30 per month aimed at power users.
• FilesDirect.com – $18 per month and up. Smaller file sizes than even many free services.
• SizableSend.com – Great name, big downloads, free
• FileDropper.com – Large transfers, only $0.99 each month – that is a good deal.
• Senduit.com – free service

So, the next time you have a big file to send to a friend, skip burning a CD and send it over the internet instead. If you know of another good service, please let me know. Good luck