One sends files, the other keeps them. How they compare in 2026, when to use each, and how to get a WeTransfer into your Drive without downloading it first.
Free limits, file sizes, how long files last and what you pay.
| WeTransfer | Google Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A service for sending files | Cloud storage with sharing |
| Free plan | Up to 10 transfers or 3 GB in total every 30 days | 15 GB of storage, shared with Gmail and Google Photos |
| How long files last | Transfers expire, after a few days on the free plan | Until you delete them |
| Largest single file | Up to 1 TB per transfer on the Ultimate plan | Up to 5 TB, if you have the storage for it |
| Recipient needs an account | No | No, when you share with anyone who has the link |
| Organising and search | None: files arrive as a download | Folders, search, previews and version history |
| Working together | None | Shared folders, comments, Docs and Sheets |
| Paid storage | Ultimate includes up to 2 TB | 100 GB for $1.99 a month, 2 TB for $9.99 a month (US prices) |
Prices and limits checked September 2026. Plans change, so check each provider before you buy.
Most people do not choose one or the other. Clients and collaborators send WeTransfers, and the files need to end up in Drive. The usual way is to download everything to your computer and upload it again. WetoDrive skips that step.
Take the WeTransfer link from the email or message. Short we.tl links and full wetransfer.com links both work.
Sign in with Google, paste the link and, if you like, name a folder such as Clients/Acme.
The files go straight from WeTransfer into your Drive, with nothing downloaded to your device. You get an email when they land.
For sending a large file once to someone who does not need to keep it in your account, WeTransfer is simpler. For keeping large files and sharing them over time, Google Drive is better, because nothing expires. Google Drive's free 15 GB is shared with Gmail and Google Photos, so very large files usually need a paid plan.
WeTransfer sends files: you upload them, share a link, and the transfer expires. Google Drive stores files: they stay in your account until you delete them, and you can organise, search, preview and share them whenever you want.
Yes. Free transfers expire after a few days, and paid plans such as Ultimate let you set your own expiration. Once a transfer expires the link stops working, so save anything you want to keep somewhere permanent before then.
Yes. Paste the WeTransfer link into WetoDrive and the files are saved straight into your Google Drive, without being downloaded to your computer or phone first.
Every Google account includes 15 GB free, shared across Drive, Gmail and Google Photos. In the US, 100 GB costs $1.99 a month and 2 TB costs $9.99 a month. Prices vary by country.
No. They send an ordinary WeTransfer. You paste the link they send you into WetoDrive.
Save it into Google Drive before the link expires, without downloading it first.
Save a WeTransfer to Google Drive