VitalSend vs. WeTransfer — A different idea entirely
WeTransfer is one of the most-used file sending tools in the world. It is fast, free, and works without an account. For most people, most of the time, it is the right choice.
VitalSend is built for a narrower situation: when the file must not outlive the handover.
The difference is not about speed or file size limits. It is about what happens to the file after delivery — and whether that matters for what you are sending.
How they compare
| VitalSend | WeTransfer | |
|---|---|---|
| File after delivery | Destroyed permanently | Available for up to 7 days — and recoverable after expiry |
| Download limit | One — then the link is dead | Unlimited during availability window |
| Can the link be forwarded? | No — consumed on use | Yes — anyone with the link can download |
| Encryption | Client-side — key generated by sender, shared only with recipient | Server-side — WeTransfer holds the keys |
| Transfer history | None retained, ever | Logged in your account |
| Wrong recipient re-downloads | Impossible — link is already dead | Yes, until expiry |
| File size | Up to 1 000 GB | 2 GB free / up to 200 GB paid |
| Free plan | No. You are not our product. | Free ad-supported tier |
| Tracking cookies | None | Yes — ad tracking on free tier |
| Password protection | Yes — included | Paid plans only |
| GDPR data minimisation | Nothing persists after download | Files stored on servers — expired transfers recoverable |
A few of these rows need unpacking.
Recoverable after expiry. WeTransfer explicitly supports recovering transfers after they have expired. This means a file that appears to be gone can be retrieved. For most senders, that is a feature. For senders who need the file to stop existing, it is a problem.
Encryption. WeTransfer encrypts files in transit and at rest, but holds the encryption keys server-side. VitalSend generates the key in your browser and shares it only with the recipient. The key never reaches VitalSend's servers. The practical consequence: VitalSend cannot read what you send, even if compelled to.
The forwarded link. With WeTransfer, the recipient can send the download link to someone else. With VitalSend, the link is consumed on first use. The link simply stops working.
When WeTransfer is the right tool
If you are sending a project file to a client, a video to a collaborator, or a folder to a colleague; WeTransfer is faster and costs nothing. If the file living for a week in their cloud is not a problem, if you can live with the transfer being leaked. Use WeTransfer.
When VitalSend is the right tool
Legal drafts before signing. HR material during an investigation. Credentials for a one-time system access. Pre-decision documents that should not exist in inboxes after the meeting. Anything where a copy surviving delivery is a liability, not an inconvenience.
VitalSend is not a better WeTransfer. It is a tool built around a different requirement: that the file must not exist after delivery. Not even the knowledge that a transfer occurred.
We never trace our customers. We cannot read what they send. We deliver — and forget.