Filemail

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.