sto.care vs WeTransfer
How the free tiers actually compare, May 2026
- Use WeTransfer if you want the brand-name service every recipient recognises and you don't mind 3-day expiry with no early kill.
- Use sto.care if you want a longer 7-day window, a one-click revoke link in your email, and 5 GB on the free tier.
- Use either for a one-shot send. The friction comes when you change your mind.
WeTransfer is the service that popularised drag-and-drop file sharing. Its free tier used to be one of the most generous on the web. After the 2024 Bending Spoons acquisition, the limits tightened: 3 GB per file, 3 GB or 10 transfers in any rolling 30-day window, ads on the download page, a 3-day expiry that anonymous senders can't cancel. Most of that is fine for the occasional photo handoff. For anything more, you're looking at $7/month for Starter or $19/month for Ultimate, or you're reaching for sto.care.
Feature ComparisonSide-by-side breakdown
| Feature | sto.care | WeTransfer |
|---|---|---|
| Free per-file size limit | 5 GB | 3 GB |
| Free 30-day cap | None | 10 transfers / 3 GB |
| File expiry | 7 days | 3 days |
| Revoke link on demand | ✓ | ✗ |
| Account required (sender) | ✗ | ✗ |
| Account required (recipient) | ✗ | ✗ |
| Ads on download page | ✗ | ✓ |
| Email tracking pixels | ✗ | ✓ |
| Encryption at rest | ✓ | ✓ |
| Multiple downloads | ✓ | ✓ |
| Password protection | ✗ | Paid |
| Custom branding | ✗ | Paid |
| Monthly cost | $0 | $0 to $19 |
Lifecycle ControlThe 3-day clock you can't restart or stop
WeTransfer's free tier has exactly one expiry behaviour: files vanish 3 days after upload. You can't extend the clock and you can't pause it. We couldn't find a delete-early option in WeTransfer's no-account free flow as of May 2026 (WeTransfer support). If you regret sending a transfer ten minutes later, the only real option is hoping the recipient hasn't opened the email yet.
sto.care does the opposite. The default is 7 days of availability, and the upload confirmation email contains a one-click revoke link. Change your mind ten minutes later, one click kills the link. Want it to expire on its own? Leave it alone and it dies after 7 days. You decide.
The 30-day capWhy WeTransfer free runs out
The 3 GB per-file limit and the 3 GB / 30-day total are the same number. Your first 3 GB transfer is also your last for the month. The 10-transfer limit catches the smaller users: ship 10 photo collections of 50 MB each and you're done for 30 days even though you've sent 500 MB total. Either cap, whichever you hit first, locks you out until enough days roll off.
sto.care has no 30-day cap on transfer count. There's a per-IP rate limit of 10 uploads per hour to keep abuse out, but it resets hourly and the per-file limit (5 GB) doesn't share a budget with anything else.
The download pageWhat your recipient actually sees
WeTransfer's free download page is dominated by a full-screen advertising image with a relatively small download button overlaid. Non-technical recipients regularly miss the download button entirely and click the ad instead. sto.care's download page is the file name, the file size, and a button that says "Download." Nothing else.
When WeTransfer is better
WeTransfer Ultimate at $19/month adds password-protected transfers, custom branding, transfer tracking, and 250 GB transfer sizes. For studios sending client deliverables under their own brand, those features are worth the price. WeTransfer also has the more recognisable name: your recipient may already know the WeTransfer download page from prior senders, which helps with trust.
When sto.care is better
- You want to send more than 10 files in a 30-day window for free
- You need to revoke a link before its automatic expiry
- You need files to stay available longer than 3 days
- You need to send a single file larger than 3 GB without paying
- You don't want the recipient to see ads next to your file
- You don't want WeTransfer's tracking pixels in the download notification email
FAQCommon questions
Is WeTransfer's free tier really capped at 10 transfers?
Yes. As of 2026, WeTransfer's free tier limits you to 10 transfers and 3 GB of total upload volume in a rolling 30-day window (whichever you hit first). The cap rolls forward: if you sent two files on the 1st and eight on the 15th, two slots free up on the 1st of next month. sto.care has no monthly cap. The only limit is a per-IP rate limit of 10 uploads per hour to keep abuse out.
Can I delete a WeTransfer file before its 3-day expiry?
Anonymous free senders, no. You upload, you get a link, and the file lives for 72 hours whether you want it to or not. Account holders can delete a transfer from their dashboard, but the no-account flow that most people use doesn't expose any delete button. sto.care includes a one-click revoke link in your upload confirmation email, free, no signup.
What happens to my file after WeTransfer's 3 days are up?
WeTransfer deletes the file from its servers and the download link returns a 'this transfer has expired' page. There's no way to extend the expiry on the free tier. sto.care files stay available for 7 days by default and auto-delete after that, with on-demand revoke if you want them gone sooner.
Why does WeTransfer show ads on the download page?
WeTransfer's free tier is paid for by full-screen wallpaper advertisements on the download page. Recipients (often non-technical) see what looks like a sponsored landing page before reaching the actual download button. sto.care's download page is plain: file name, file size, a download button.
Does the recipient need a WeTransfer account to download?
No, neither WeTransfer nor sto.care require recipients to sign up. Recipients click the link, see the file, click download. Both services are equal here.
Can sto.care send bigger files than WeTransfer for free?
Yes. sto.care's free per-file limit is 5 GB. WeTransfer's free per-file limit is 3 GB, and that 3 GB also has to fit within your rolling 3 GB / 30-day budget. So a single 3 GB transfer uses your entire month's allowance on WeTransfer free.
No 30-day cap. No ads. No signup. Send your file.
UPLOAD A FILE →Comparing more options? See sto.care vs Google Drive and sto.care vs Dropbox, or read our in-depth WeTransfer alternative article.