If you've visited WeTransfer lately and found yourself confronted with transfer limits, file size caps, and a wall of upgrade prompts — you're not imagining things. WeTransfer has fundamentally changed since its 2023 acquisition by Bending Spoons, and not for the better.
What WeTransfer used to be
Founded in Amsterdam in 2009, WeTransfer was one of the most beloved file transfer services on the internet. Its proposition was simple and generous: send up to 2 GB (later raised to larger limits) for free, no account required, and the recipient gets a clean download email. No friction, no dark patterns, no upgrade pressure.
For over a decade, WeTransfer became the go-to tool for creatives, freelancers, agencies, and businesses. It was recommended by photographers sharing RAW files, video editors delivering footage, designers sending final assets. The brand was synonymous with "send a big file."
The Bending Spoons acquisition (2023)
In 2023, WeTransfer was acquired by Bending Spoons — a Milan-based software company that specializes in acquiring popular apps and aggressively monetizing them. Previous acquisitions include Evernote, Meetup, Filmic Pro, and Splice. The pattern at each: restrict the free tier, push users toward paid subscriptions.
Within months of the acquisition, WeTransfer's free tier was changed significantly:
- Transfer limit reduced to 10 per month (was unlimited)
- Maximum file size reduced to 3 GB (was 2 GB, but effectively unlimited for paid — now hard capped)
- Availability window reduced to 3 days (was 7 days)
- Upsell prompts added throughout the interface
- WeTransfer Pro pricing increased
The changes were implemented quietly, without major announcements. Many users discovered the new limits only after hitting them mid-workflow.
Why Bending Spoons does this
Bending Spoons' strategy is well-documented: acquire apps with large free user bases, restrict the free tier to create conversion pressure, and raise prices for paid plans. This playbook maximizes short-term revenue extraction from an established user base.
The risk is user exodus. WeTransfer built its brand on generosity — the limitations are a fundamental break from that identity. Users who relied on unlimited free transfers now need to find alternatives.
What this means for users
If you use WeTransfer for occasional file transfers — a few times a month, under 3 GB each — the current free tier might still work for you. But for anyone who:
- Sends more than 10 transfers per month
- Sends files larger than 3 GB
- Needs files available for more than 3 days
- Finds the upsell prompts disruptive
…the old WeTransfer experience is gone. You'll either need to pay for WeTransfer Pro, or find an alternative.
The best WeTransfer alternatives
Several services have filled the gap WeTransfer left:
- freesend.io — 100 GB per transfer, unlimited sends, 7-day availability, no account. Funded by non-intrusive video ads during upload and download.
- TransferNow — 5 GB free, 5 transfers per day. No sender email verification (spoofing risk).
- Smash — 2 GB free, 10 transfers per month. Clean interface.
- Send Anywhere — 10 GB free transfers, requires account creation.
Will WeTransfer recover?
Bending Spoons has shown a consistent preference for revenue extraction over brand preservation. The WeTransfer that users loved — generous, honest, unrestricted — is unlikely to return under its current ownership.
That's not a cynical take — it's a pattern. For users who relied on the old WeTransfer, the practical answer is to find a service that still operates with the philosophy WeTransfer abandoned.