A few years back, if you tried to share a large file, you had two options: 1) Copy the file in CD or DVD, 2) If you are sophisticated, you will be doing it through a USB drive. Having said that, we have an open number of possibilities to share files including We Transfer, Skotty.io, Dropbox and much more. To reiterate, file sharing services help users to share/receive files from other computers or devices through the Internet or a local network. Indeed, the cloud storage has made it simple to share the files as well.
Last week, news was rife in the Dutch tech media world about WeTransfer, when the file-sharing website had summoned RTL on Thursday to take an article offline. In a news piece, journalist Daniël Verlaan wrote about Skotty.io, the Dutch file sharing service saying, “We want to be a safe, privacy-friendly, WeTransfer-like service”. A few hours later, when Silicon Canals reported about the incident, Verlaan received apologies about the state of affairs from WeTransfer. Consequently, some Twitter users claimed to use Skotty.io after observing the series of events.
Before you switch to Skotty, we take a look at the differences between WeTransfer and Skotty, at the same time we will also go through some of the popular alternatives available in the basket of online offerings. Let’s dig in!
#1 WeTransfer
WeTransfer offers a way to send files around the world through its platform, especially large files. Founded in 2009, the company has offices in the Netherlands and the US. One of the major benefits over WeTransfer is that users can transfer files without creating an account.
Users can add up to 20 email recipient addresses and can send up to 2GB of files at once. For more storage, users need to subscribe, where they can send up to 20GB at a time. In addition to it, subscribers also get 100GB of storage to keep files that are frequently used.
In addition to it, WeTransfer lets you customise including, creating a look that suits your business model, incorporating your company name into your URL and adding your logo. Talking about the security WeTransfer is based on the European Union that has strict privacy laws. WeTransfer uses AES 256-bit encryption and adheres to the Dutch Personal Data Protection Act.
This platform also lets users restrict links with passwords and automatic expiration dates. Notably, this comes under the subscription model.
#2 Skotty.io
Founded by Mees Boeijen and Oscar van der Vleuten in 2016, another Dutch startup Skotty acts as a file-sharing platform with one of the best security and privacy. With this platform, all calls and shared files are protected with end-to-end encryption, only the sender and receiver have access to the calls. Supported by all the modern web-browser, Skotty is available both for free and subscription.
This platform encrypts your messages, files and conversations with its own unique key, which guarantees perfect secrecy. Moreover, the information on Skotty’s servers are encrypted and back up automatically in case if you lost the mobile.
Talking about the subscription, Skotty.io comes in four types:
- Basic (Free): 1GB of storage space, Share unrestricted messages, End-to-End encryption.
- Pro(€2/month): 100GB of storage space, Share unrestricted messages, End-to-End encryption.
- Company(€4/month): 100GB of storage space, Audit trails, Emergency support, Share unrestricted messages, End-to-End encryption.
- Enterprise  (On request): Unlimited storage space, Customised logo and colours, Real-time support, Compound invoicing.
#3 Dropbox
Dropbox provides secure file sharing, collaboration, and storage solutions. Founded by Arash Ferdowsi and Drew Houston, the company has more than 12 offices around the world.
Dropbox is one of the convenient file sharing platforms with a range of features like shared-link passwords and the ability to send file requests. It lets users share the individual files and invite others to access folders without having to compress them into .zip files. Dropbox makes sure the files are protected using transport layer security. Notably, TLS is a protocol that ensures data integrity between two communicating applications. Dropbox uses AES 128-bit encryption and includes two-factor authentication as well.
Just like WeTransfer, it also offers 2GB of free storage as a basic plan. A Dropbox Plus account is $9.99 per month for 1TB of storage. Additionally, there is a Dropbox Professional plan for $20 with 1TB storage, 120-day versioning and link sharing features.
#4 SendThisFile
Sendthisfile is a service provider that offers an uncomplicated and secure way for computer users to send large files that are too big for typical email servers. This platform uses military grade end-to-end encryption and is only valid for the life of the data. Once the document/file reaches its expiry date, the platform automatically deletes the file from servers without any trace. Talking about the security, SendThisFile complies with specialised regulatory requirements, such as HIPAA, EU Safe Harbor and SAS 70. SendThisFile offers four different pricing rates:
- Starter – $4.95.month: 25GB encrypted transfer, 6-day file access
- Professional – $9.95/month- 50GB encrypted transfer, 8-day file access
- Business – $19.95/month- 100GB encrypted transfer, 10-day file access
- Enterprise – $99.95/month- 500Gb encrypted transfer, 14-day file access
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