Guides
Sending big files, answered.
One question per page, answered in the first sentence. Real file sizes, real steps, and an honest word on when another tool fits better.
Sending
How to send large files
Use a transfer link, not email. Which tool fits which size, and what to do so a 200 GB upload doesn't die at 63%.
The best way to send large video files
Ranked by job, from a whole shoot over hotel Wi-Fi to a cut that needs notes. Prices, limits and what happens when the upload breaks.
How to transfer raw footage to your editor
Send the whole card folder, untouched, through a transfer that resumes. How to prepare it so your editor can start cutting.
How to send RAW photos to a client
Send the folder of originals as a download link and keep your gallery for proofing. Don't forget the XMP sidecars.
How to send a Pro Tools or Logic session
Collect every audio file into the session folder first, then send the whole folder. What to include so your mixer can open it.
Alternatives and comparisons
MASV pricing explained, with worked examples
Free 15 GB, then $0.25 per GB leaving the network, plus bundles, credits and storage. What a real month costs.
WeTransfer alternatives for large files
Six services ranked for big files, with prices, limits and what happens on a drop.
MASV alternatives for large files
Flat plans against per-GB pricing, and who should stay with MASV.
Dropbox Transfer alternatives for large files
What to use when a delivery is bigger than your Dropbox plan's Transfer cap, and when to stay.
Google Drive alternatives for sending large files
Drive is storage, not delivery. What to use for big one-off sends, and when Drive is fine.
Smash alternatives for large files
When Smash's free queue or a stuck upload is the problem, and when Smash is still the cheapest good option.
Filemail alternatives for large files
Filemail resumes through its desktop app. What to use if you'd rather not install one, and when Filemail is still right.
Frame.io alternative for sending files
Frame.io is a review tool. For handing over camera originals, a transfer is cheaper and simpler, and many teams use both.
Aspera alternatives for small studios
IBM Aspera is built for enterprises on long, lossy links. What a small studio can use instead, and who should keep Aspera.
WeTransfer vs MASV pricing for large files
Plan caps against per-GB billing, worked out for 50 GB to 3 TB a month, with an honest verdict per use case.
By file type
How to send ProRes files
Send the .mov files untouched, in their folders, through a transfer that resumes. Apple's own numbers for how big ProRes gets.
How to send BRAW footage
Send the card folders with every .braw clip, its .sidecar file and its proxy side by side. Blackmagic's own numbers for how big it gets.
How to send R3D files to an editor
Send the whole RDM folder, never loose .R3D files. RED's data rates for V-RAPTOR [X] and KOMODO-X, and what that means for upload time.
How to send wedding photos in full resolution
Export full-size files, sort them by part of the day, and send the folder as a download link. Galleries and chat apps can hand over smaller copies.
How to send stems to a mixer
Every stem full length from the same start point, at the session's sample rate and bit depth, no normalising, sensible names, one folder and a notes file.
When an upload fails
WeTransfer file too big? What the limits are and what to do
WeTransfer counts a 30-day total, not just file size. The real limits per plan and what to do when your file is over them.
Google Drive upload keeps failing on a large file? Here's why
The 750 GB daily cap, full storage, and a browser tab Google never documents. How to tell which one it is and fix it.
Dropbox upload stuck? How to get a large upload moving again
Dropbox warns that browser uploads past 350 to 375 GB can time out. The fixes Dropbox documents, and what to do with Transfer.
How to resume an interrupted upload, and why uploads fail at 99%
Why long uploads die near the end, what each service actually documents about resuming, and exactly how Tranzfer picks up again.
Sizes and upload times
How long does it take to upload 100 GB?
About 4 hours 27 minutes at 50 Mbps and 2 hours 13 minutes at 100 Mbps, at full speed. What slows it down and how to plan.
How to send a 100 GB file online
Free plans and email are out at 100 GB. Which services take it, upload times at five speeds, and how to keep a drop from costing you hours.
How to send 300 GB of video footage
A 300 GB shoot is an overnight upload on most home lines. Keep the cards intact, send proxies first, and use a transfer that resumes.
How to transfer 1 TB of files
A terabyte is a multi-day upload on most home lines. How to plan the days, when to split it into several deliveries, and when to ship a drive instead.
How to send 4K footage to a remote editor
An hour of UHD ProRes 422 HQ is about 318 GB. A two-step handover with proxies first, originals overnight, and a folder the editor can relink from.
How long does it take to upload 500 GB?
About 22 hours at 50 Mbps and 11 hours at 100 Mbps, at full speed. The speed you need to finish overnight, and what slows a day-long upload.
How long does it take to upload 1 TB?
About 22 hours at 100 Mbps and almost two days at 50 Mbps, at full speed. The speed a deadline needs, and when shipping a drive wins.
How to send large files free
Every free plan's real limit, side by side with sources. Free works up to about 20 GB at a time. Past that, every option has a catch.