Sharing small files online is very easy, regardless of the platform. We often even have a "sharing sheet" with shortcuts to WhatsApp, Telegram, or email, but it's not so simple when we want to send larger files. Many use WeTransfer, which allows you to send files up to 2GB; others prefer Wormhole , with a 10GB limit, but what SwissTransfer offers is unparalleled.
Both Wormhole and SwissTransfer are proprietary services, so that shouldn't be the deciding factor. They are both free, and both offer encryption protection. The main differences lie in the size limits and file storage locations. SwissTransfer files are stored in Switzerland , guaranteeing that international laws cannot delete or access what you send.
SwissTransfer shipments expire after 30 days
Continuing with the comparison of these file transfer options, there is one thing I like more about Wormhole: it offers the option to access downloads via a QR code. If we're sending something remotely, it's not very useful, but it is when we want to send something from a PC to a mobile phone, since these devices can read the codes with their cameras. SwissTransfer doesn't have this feature, perhaps because its main competitor is WeTransfer.
But unlike the more popular option, SwissTransfer doesn't require registration, which is both a blessing and a curse. The good news is that using the service is as simple as logging in and sending, but the downside is that you can't manage your transfers in any way. Files are automatically deleted after 30 days , although you can also choose to have them disappear after 15, 7, or 1 day. You can also control the download limit, with a current maximum of 250 and options of 100, 20, and 1. And all this without advertising… almost: it displays a pop-up window on the side after each transfer, prompting you to use a service.
Infomaniak, the largest hosting company in Switzerland
SwissTransfer is a service offered by Infomaniak , Switzerland's leading web hosting company. They state that their goal in launching this service is to raise brand awareness, something they began a couple of years ago. They also aim to be an ethical and sustainable alternative to GAFA, the tech giants (Google, Apple, Facebook, and Amazon, to which Microsoft could also be added). Infomaniak offsets its CO2 emissions and uses only renewable energy.
Since it's a proprietary service , whether we trust it or not is a personal decision, but we shouldn't forget that whatever we're using—be it WeTransfer, Google Drive, or MEGA—is also proprietary. If we trust WeTransfer, wouldn't a European service like this one, which offers security and allows us to send larger files, be better?
File submission process
To send something with SwissTransfer, the first step is to go to their official website . If it detects that you're accessing the site with your language set to Spanish, for example, it will offer you the option to change it. You'll see something like the image at the top of this article, always with background images of Switzerland . To initiate a transfer, simply click on the plus sign or drag and drop files into the window.
Once you've chosen something to send (NOTE: some file types are not supported, so you'll need to compress them, and the same goes for folders), you can add more (1), choose how to contact the other party—either by email or a link (2), and access the advanced options (3). In these options, you'll choose the validity period, the download limit, and whether you want to password-protect the message . The recipient will see something like this:
In that window we can choose to download single files or all, in which case it will create a compressed file.
SwissTransfer also offers a Chrome/Chromium extension (it doesn't display well in Vivaldi) designed to streamline file transfers. It doesn't offer all the features, and clicking its icon will open a window for sending files. Files can be shared by clicking the icon on the right, which will generate a link that you'll need to send to the recipient.
Mozilla planted the seeds for all of this by launching Firefox Send, although it later shut it down . This bad news was followed by the emergence of Wormhole and SwissTransfer. Now, and for some time now, sending large files remotely has never been so easy and secure.