Every European file transfer tool reviewed
Munich, Germany
Founded 2010
Secure Exchange from EUR 999 per month plus VAT for 100 users with 500 GB and unlimited guest users; Secure Intelligence (1 TB) and Secure Enterprise (2 TB) on request
No self-service trial published; the site offers a free 15-minute initial consultation
Best for: Companies and public bodies that need audited, German-hosted exchange of confidential files and e-mails
FTAPI is a secure data exchange platform from FTAPI Software GmbH in Munich, registered at the Munich district court under HRB 189499. FTAPI says it was founded in 2010, employs more than 120 people and serves more than 2,000 companies.
The platform has four parts: SecuMails for encrypted e-mails with attachments, SecuRooms for storing and sharing files, SecuForms for structured data entry and SecuFlows for automating data processes. SecuMails sends files up to 100 GB from the browser or from Outlook, where FTAPI provides both a COM add-in for classic Outlook and a web add-in for the new Outlook.
FTAPI states that data is hosted in German data centres and describes the platform as free from US legal access. The FTAPI pricing page lists BSI C5 Type 2, SOC 2, ISAE 3402 and TISAX.
End-to-end encryption is listed in all three packages, and SecuMails works with four security levels; at level 4 the e-mail text is encrypted end-to-end as well as the attachment. Only one side of an exchange needs an FTAPI licence. FTAPI describes itself as backed by European investors, without naming them on the page read, and lists public authorities, healthcare and manufacturing among its customer sectors.
The FTAPI package Secure Exchange starts at EUR 999 per month plus VAT for 100 users, with 500 GB of storage and unlimited guest users. Secure Intelligence with 1 TB and Secure Enterprise with 2 TB are priced on request.
No self-service trial is published; FTAPI offers a free 15-minute initial consultation instead. FTAPI suits organisations that exchange confidential documents daily and must show auditors where the data sits, and that can spread the fixed package price over many mailboxes. A freelancer who sends a video once a month is better served by Filemail or TransferXL.
What FTAPI does well
- FTAPI states that all data is hosted in German data centres
- End-to-end encryption is listed in all three FTAPI packages
- The FTAPI pricing page lists BSI C5 Type 2, SOC 2, ISAE 3402 and TISAX
- FTAPI SecuMails sends files up to 100 GB from the browser or Outlook
- Only the sender or the recipient needs an FTAPI licence, and guest users are unlimited
Where FTAPI falls short
- FTAPI has no free plan, and the entry package costs EUR 999 per month plus VAT for 100 users
- Prices for FTAPI Secure Intelligence and Secure Enterprise are on request only
- FTAPI publishes no self-service trial; contact starts with a consultation call
- The FTAPI pricing page marks ISO 27001 as coming soon while the about page calls FTAPI certified to ISO 27001
Standout feature. FTAPI is the only service in this comparison that names a BSI C5 Type 2 attestation and combines it with German hosting and end-to-end encryption in every package.
Ski, Norway
Founded 2008
Free plan for transfers up to 5 GB; Personal is listed at USD 4 a month; Pro and Business are paid monthly or yearly; Enterprise MFT is custom priced
Free plan up to 5 GB per transfer; 7-day free trial on the paid plans
Best for: Senders of very large media files who want a free 5 GB tier and Norwegian ownership
Filemail is a large file transfer service that started in 2008 and sends files by e-mail or link.
The Filemail privacy policy names Filemail AS, organisation number 893823972, at Grenseveien 10 in Ski, Norway, as the controller, and the Filemail terms are governed by the laws of Norway. Filemail states that it was acquired by the Norwegian cloud company Jottacloud in 2020 and that its two founders stayed on. The free Filemail plan sends up to 5 GB per transfer with unlimited transfers, and Filemail reports more than 50 million users since launch.
Filemail writes that it controls its own servers and operates 15 data centres around the world.
According to the Filemail privacy policy, files are generally stored in the region of the sender, with locations in the US, EU, UK and Norway, while account and subscription data stay on core servers in Norway. Business and Enterprise accounts can specify the regions where files may be stored. Filemail says it follows ISO 27001 practices but has not sought formal certification. End-to-end encryption with a customer-defined key is a Business feature; Filemail does not store that key.
Filemail Personal is listed at USD 4 a month with 250 GB of storage, a 5 GB transfer limit and 30 days of availability. Filemail Pro sends up to 250 GB, keeps files permanently and includes 1 TB.
Filemail Business removes the size limit and gives 1 TB per user. Filemail Enterprise MFT adds SAML single sign-on at a custom price. Paid plans come with a 7-day free trial. Filemail fits video and design teams moving very large files. Buyers who require a certificate, not a statement of alignment, should look at FTAPI.
What Filemail does well
- Filemail has a free plan with 5 GB per transfer and unlimited transfers
- Filemail states that it controls its own servers, with core servers in Norway
- Filemail Business accounts can specify the regions where files are stored
- Filemail Pro sends up to 250 GB and Filemail Business has no transfer size limit
- Filemail names its owner: it was acquired by the Norwegian company Jottacloud in 2020
Where Filemail falls short
- Filemail has not sought formal ISO 27001 certification, by its own statement
- End-to-end encryption starts at the Filemail Business plan; lower plans list encrypted data transfer over HTTPS
- Filemail is based in Norway, which is in the EEA but outside the EU
- The Filemail footer reads Filemail Inc. while the privacy policy names Filemail AS as controller
Standout feature. Filemail pairs a free 5 GB tier with paid plans that have no transfer size limit, runs on servers it controls itself and belongs to the Norwegian company Jottacloud.
Nacka, Sweden
Licensed per mailbox, price on request; the hosted Cryptshare.express edition starts at EUR 5 per user per month
Trial on a hosted demo server after registration
Best for: Organisations that want encrypted file and e-mail transfer running on their own servers
Cryptshare is a secure transfer product for files and e-mails of any size, sold by Pointsharp. It works in the browser and integrates directly into Outlook, Outlook on the web and Notes, so staff send large or confidential attachments from the mail client they already use.
Pointsharp states that every Cryptshare transfer is encrypted with AES-256 and travels over a TLS-encrypted connection to and from the Cryptshare Server. External contacts need no licence, no account and no software to send or receive. An administrator sets size limits and the minimum, maximum and standard retention periods.
The Pointsharp imprint names Pointsharp AB at Uddvagen 7 in Nacka, Sweden. Pointsharp says it was founded in Sweden in 2006, has its head office in Stockholm and offices in Denmark, Germany and the Netherlands, and that it acquired the German company Cryptshare.
Main Capital Partners, headquartered in The Hague, invested in Pointsharp in 2020. Cryptshare can be self-hosted on your own servers, run in a private cloud at a provider you choose, or used as a hosted service, and it ships as a virtual appliance for VMware and Hyper-V. Pointsharp lists the BITMi labels Software Made in Germany and Software Made in Europe.
Cryptshare is licensed per mailbox, not per server, and the price depends on the number of users, the Outlook or Notes integrations and API access, so a quote is needed. The hosted Cryptshare.express edition starts at EUR 5 per user per month.
A trial runs on a hosted demo server after registration. Cryptshare suits IT departments that want the transfer server inside their own network, with policy rules per sender and recipient and no accounts to manage for outside contacts. People looking for a quick public upload page should choose TransferXL or TransferNow instead.
What Cryptshare does well
- Cryptshare can be self-hosted, including as a virtual appliance for VMware and Hyper-V
- Pointsharp states that every Cryptshare transfer is encrypted with AES-256
- Cryptshare integrates into Outlook, Outlook on the web and Notes
- External Cryptshare recipients need no licence, account or software
- Cryptshare.express has a published starting price of EUR 5 per user per month
Where Cryptshare falls short
- Cryptshare licence prices beyond the Cryptshare.express starting price are on request
- Cryptshare has no free plan, only a trial on a hosted demo server
- The hosting location of the hosted Cryptshare service is not stated on the pages read
- The Pointsharp certifications page names labels and no ISO 27001 certificate
Standout feature. Cryptshare is the only product in this comparison that can be installed on your own servers, which places the storage location and retention rules entirely under your own administrators.
Enschede, Netherlands
Free plan with 5 GB per transfer; Pro (100 GB per transfer) and Enterprise (200 GB per transfer) are paid subscriptions
Free plan: 5 GB per transfer, one week retention, 10 GB per day
Best for: Individuals who want end-to-end encrypted link transfers on a free plan with a German region
TransferXL is a Dutch link and e-mail transfer service operated by Nimbus Cloud Computing B.V., Hulskamphof 10 in Enschede, registered with the Dutch chamber of commerce under number 60343737.
The free TransferXL plan allows 5 GB per transfer, one week of retention and 10 GB of uploads per day. TransferXL Pro raises this to 100 GB per transfer, six weeks of retention and 200 GB per day. TransferXL Enterprise allows 200 GB per transfer, three months of retention and 400 GB per day. All three plans list end-to-end encryption and region selection.
TransferXL explains its end-to-end encryption as client-side: files are encrypted on the sender computer, so no unencrypted data reaches the TransferXL servers, and the sender picks a random or custom password.
The sender also chooses the storage region, with Europe (Germany), USA (Virginia), Asia (Singapore) and South America (Sao Paulo) on offer. The TransferXL terms are governed by Dutch law with the courts of Amsterdam as venue. TransferXL does not name the infrastructure provider behind those regions, and its privacy policy mentions Google Analytics on the website, with data sent to Google servers in the USA.
The paid TransferXL prices could not be read for this comparison, because the plans page returned its amounts as zero when fetched; the current prices are shown on the TransferXL plans page itself.
TransferXL is a good match for someone who sends a few gigabytes occasionally and wants the files encrypted before they leave the computer, with storage in Germany and a download link that expires by itself after a week. Teams that need audit trails, single sign-on or a named hosting provider get more from FTAPI or Filemail Business.
What TransferXL does well
- TransferXL lists end-to-end encryption on the free plan as well as on Pro and Enterprise
- TransferXL lets the sender choose the storage region, including Europe (Germany)
- The free TransferXL plan allows 5 GB per transfer with one week of retention
- TransferXL Enterprise sends up to 200 GB per transfer and keeps files for three months
- TransferXL publishes its operator, address, chamber of commerce and VAT numbers
Where TransferXL falls short
- TransferXL does not name the hosting provider behind its four regions
- The free TransferXL plan is capped at 10 GB of uploads per day
- TransferXL names no security certification on the pages read
- The TransferXL privacy policy lists Google Analytics with servers in the USA
Standout feature. TransferXL is the only service here that lists end-to-end encryption on its free plan, and it adds a selectable storage region in Germany.
Garches, France
Founded 2013
Free up to 5 GB per transfer; Premium from EUR 6 per month (EUR 144 billed for two years) for one user; Team from EUR 18 per month (EUR 432 billed for two years) for 10 users; Enterprise custom
Free plan with 5 GB per transfer kept for 7 days; 7-day free trial of Premium
Best for: Freelancers and small teams who want low published prices and a choice of storage region
TransferNow is a French transfer service founded in 2013 and published by HIGHSENSE SAS, 23 rue Pasteur in Garches, registered in Nanterre under number 833 205 669. TransferNow reports more than 78 million users.
The free TransferNow plan sends up to 5 GB per transfer without sign-up and keeps the files for 7 days. TransferNow Premium is for one user and allows 250 GB per transfer, 1 TB of storage and retention up to 365 days. TransferNow Team covers 10 users with 500 GB per transfer and 2 TB of shared storage.
The TransferNow legal notice names Google Cloud France SARL in Paris as the hosting provider. From Premium upwards the customer chooses the storage region, with Paris, Frankfurt, New York and Singapore given as examples.
TransferNow describes SSL/TLS and AES 256-bit encryption on all plans, and adds SSE-C on paid plans, where stored files are encrypted with a passphrase the customer supplies. TransferNow does not claim end-to-end encryption on the pages read. HDS certification for health data hosting is an option on the TransferNow Enterprise plan, which starts at 10 users and is priced individually.
TransferNow Premium starts at EUR 6 per month, billed as EUR 144 for two years, and TransferNow Team at EUR 18 per month, billed as EUR 432 for two years. The monthly and annual rates were not shown in the content read for this comparison.
A 7-day free trial covers all Premium features. TransferNow suits a photographer or agency that wants branded transfers and a year of retention at a low price. Buyers who rule out infrastructure owned by a US group should note the Google Cloud hosting and look at Filemail or FTAPI first.
What TransferNow does well
- TransferNow Premium starts at EUR 6 per month on two-year billing
- Paid TransferNow plans keep transfers for up to 365 days
- TransferNow Premium and Team customers choose the storage region, including Paris and Frankfurt
- TransferNow offers SSE-C encryption with a customer passphrase on paid plans
- TransferNow Team includes 10 users and 500 GB per transfer
Where TransferNow falls short
- TransferNow is hosted by Google Cloud France SARL, a subsidiary of a US group
- TransferNow does not claim end-to-end encryption on the pages read
- The lowest TransferNow prices require paying two years in advance
- Region selection is not available on the free TransferNow plan
Standout feature. TransferNow publishes a flat team price of EUR 18 per month for 10 users on two-year billing and keeps paid transfers available for up to 365 days.
Prague, Czech Republic
Free up to 20 GB per transfer; Basic EUR 3.09 per month, Pro EUR 11.59 per month, Enterprise EUR 21.99 per month, with monthly or annual payment
Free transfers up to 20 GB, with or without registration
Best for: Anyone who needs to send up to 20 GB once, free and without creating an account
MyAirBridge is a Czech transfer service that sends up to 20 GB per transfer free of charge, by link or e-mail notification, with or without registration.
The MyAirBridge terms name MyAirBridge spol. s r.o., registration number 01837133, U Klikovky 4 in Prague, as owner and operator of the application, and state that the domain and copyright are registered to MyAirBridge ltd. in London. Free MyAirBridge transfers are stored for 3 days, and unregistered transfers above 2 GB for 2 days. With a paid profile files are kept for 10 days by default, and the expiry can be extended.
The MyAirBridge terms are governed by the laws of the Czech Republic, with the courts in Prague.
MyAirBridge offers end-to-end encryption on the Pro and Enterprise plans and documents it as AES-GCM with a key derived via PBKDF2, performed in the browser of the sender and the recipient. The free and Basic plans list TLS encryption. The MyAirBridge data protection rules state that files may be transferred via servers in the United States or the EU. A storage location is not named on the pages read, and no security certification is mentioned there either.
MyAirBridge Basic is listed at EUR 3.09 per month with 200 GB of storage and 50 GB per transfer. MyAirBridge Pro costs EUR 11.59 per month with 2 TB and 250 GB per transfer, and MyAirBridge Enterprise EUR 21.99 per month with unlimited transfers.
Payment is monthly or annual, and the terms state that all files are deleted when a paid profile ends. MyAirBridge is the practical pick for a one-off 15 GB delivery that the recipient downloads the same week. Organisations that must document where files are stored should choose a service that states it, such as FTAPI.
What MyAirBridge does well
- MyAirBridge sends up to 20 GB per transfer free, with or without registration
- MyAirBridge Pro and Enterprise include end-to-end encryption using AES-GCM in the browser
- MyAirBridge publishes all plan prices in euros, from EUR 3.09 per month
- MyAirBridge states that it does not sell data and allows no third-party advertising in the app
- The MyAirBridge terms name the Czech operating company and apply Czech law
Where MyAirBridge falls short
- Free MyAirBridge transfers are deleted after 3 days
- MyAirBridge does not name a storage location on the pages read
- The MyAirBridge data protection rules allow transfer via servers in the United States
- End-to-end encryption is not part of the free and Basic MyAirBridge plans
Standout feature. MyAirBridge has the largest verified free transfer size in this comparison at 20 GB, in exchange for a storage period of only 3 days.
Lyon, France
Founded 2017
Free plan; Pro is listed from USD 4.80 per month and at USD 10 per month on monthly billing, with 40% off for annual and 52% off for two-year billing; Team for 10 to 50 users; Enterprise custom
Free plan: transfers valid for 7 days, and transfers above 2 GB wait in a queue behind Pro transfers
Best for: Senders of occasional huge files who accept a queue and hosting on Amazon Web Services
Smash is a French transfer service founded in April 2017 by the brothers Romaric and Remi Gouedard-Comte and run from Lyon. The Smash legal notice names SMASH & CO, a simplified joint stock company at 2 rue Claire in Lyon, registered under number 828 889 493.
The free Smash plan sets no size limit: transfers up to 2 GB go out directly, and larger ones join a queue behind Pro transfers. Free Smash transfers are valid for 7 days. Smash reports 8 million monthly active users in 190 countries on its company page.
The Smash legal notice lists Amazon Web Services Inc. in Seattle as hosting provider, and the Smash security page says files are kept on the S3 service in the location closest to the sender, giving Paris for France, Frankfurt for Germany and London for England.
Smash describes AES 256-bit encryption for files at rest and SSL/TLS in transit; its security page does not mention end-to-end encryption. Files are erased from the servers automatically once a transfer has expired, and transfers can be protected with a password or given a custom validity period by the sender.
Smash Pro is listed from USD 4.80 per month and at USD 10 per month on monthly billing, with 40% off for annual and 52% off for two-year billing.
Smash Pro removes the queue, keeps transfers for 30 days and has a cumulative storage limit of 1 TB. Smash Team covers 10 to 50 user accounts with 2 TB, and Smash Enterprise is quoted individually. Smash works for a one-off 40 GB delivery without paying. It ranks last here because a US company operates the underlying storage and the encryption is server-side only.
What Smash does well
- The free Smash plan has no transfer size limit
- Smash Pro transfers skip the queue and stay available for 30 days
- Smash stores files in the AWS location closest to the sender, such as Paris or Frankfurt
- Smash erases files automatically when a transfer expires
- Smash publishes its company details, including the Lyon registration number and share capital
Where Smash falls short
- Smash names Amazon Web Services Inc., a US company, as its hosting provider
- Free Smash transfers above 2 GB wait in a queue behind Pro transfers
- The Smash security page does not mention end-to-end encryption
- Smash Pro prices were shown in US dollars on the page read, and Team prices were not displayed
Standout feature. Smash is the only service in this comparison without a size limit on the free plan, with a queue for transfers above 2 GB as the trade-off.
