GhostSend sends a file with a one-time, self-destructing link — end-to-end encrypted in your browser, so the bytes on our servers are unreadable to everyone but your recipient.
WeTransfer is the default answer to “how do I email a file that’s too big to email?” — and for good reason. It’s polished, reliable, and handles very large transfers. But its model is a classic upload service: your file sits on their servers, readable by the service, behind a link that anyone who has it can typically download.
GhostSend takes a different approach for the sensitive end of the spectrum. Your file (up to 100 MB) is encrypted with AES-GCM-256 in your browser before upload; the decryption key rides in the URL fragment — the part after the # that browsers never send to a server — so our servers only ever hold ciphertext. The link works exactly once, then the ciphertext is wiped. No signup, no email address required, no identity attached to either end.
WeTransfer earned its place. The interface is famously simple, the free tier typically lets you send around 2 GB without paying, and paid plans push that far higher with longer storage, password protection, and team features.
It’s also built for the many-recipients case: a WeTransfer link can typically be downloaded multiple times by multiple people, and email delivery with download notifications is part of the core flow. Free transfers typically expire after a few days, while paid tiers keep files available longer. If your job is moving big creative files to a client list, it’s a strong tool.
End-to-end encryption, not server-side storage
WeTransfer stores your actual file on its servers. GhostSend encrypts in your browser first — AES-GCM-256, key only in the URL fragment — so what we store is unreadable ciphertext. Even a full database leak would expose nothing.
One open, then it’s gone
A GhostSend link self-destructs after a single open, and auto-expires on your timer (1 hour, 24 hours, or 7 days) if never opened. Nothing lingers behind a live link.
No signup, no email addresses
You don’t enter your email or the recipient’s — there’s no account on either end. Copy the link and share it over whatever channel you already use.
Free, with no upsell wall
GhostSend’s one-time encrypted sends are free. There’s no paid tier the core feature is teasing you toward, and no ads while you wait.
Bigger files? Go peer-to-peer with GhostBeam
GhostSend caps at 100 MB by design (the ciphertext is stored until opened). For larger transfers, GhostBeam streams the file directly browser-to-browser over WebRTC — up to 500 MB on desktop — and the bytes never touch a server at all.
| Feature | GhostSend | WeTransfer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free tier + paid plans |
| Signup | None — no account, no email | Email typically required to send |
| Max size | 100 MB (GhostBeam: up to 500 MB, peer-to-peer) | Around 2 GB free, more on paid plans |
| Who can read the file | Only your recipient — encrypted client-side, key in the URL fragment | Stored on their servers |
| Link lifetime | One open, or a 1 h / 24 h / 7 d timer | Free links typically expire after a few days |
| Downloads per link | Exactly one | Typically multiple |
| Identity attached to the send | None | Sender email in the delivery flow |
Use WeTransfer when the file is genuinely huge — multi-gigabyte video projects, raw photo shoots, design archives — or when several recipients each need to download the same package over days. GhostSend’s one-open model and 100 MB cap are deliberate privacy choices, not a compression trick, so they don’t fit that job.
WeTransfer’s email-delivery flow, download notifications, and paid team features also make sense for agencies moving files to clients on a schedule. If the content isn’t sensitive and convenience-at-scale is what matters, it’s a fine choice.
What’s the file size limit?
GhostSend sends files up to 100 MB (plus text secrets up to 100 KB). For bigger files, GhostBeam transfers up to 500 MB on desktop directly browser-to-browser with no server storage at all.
Do I need an account or email address?
No — and neither does your recipient. GhostSend has no accounts. You get a link; how you deliver it is up to you.
Can GhostX see the files I send?
No. The file is encrypted with AES-GCM-256 in your browser before upload, and the key exists only in the link’s URL fragment, which browsers never transmit to a server. We store ciphertext plus an expiry — not the file, not its name, not who sent it.
Can multiple people download the same link?
No — a GhostSend link works exactly once, by design. If you need several people to receive a file, create a send per person (it takes seconds), or use GhostBeam for a live peer-to-peer transfer.
What if my recipient misses the link before it expires?
The send is deleted on expiry, so just create a new one — it’s free and takes a few seconds. Expired or opened sends can’t be recovered by anyone, including us.
Is GhostSend encrypted in transit too?
Yes — everything travels over HTTPS like any modern site. The difference is what sits at rest: with GhostSend it’s ciphertext only, encrypted before it ever left your browser.
Encrypted in your browser, delivered with a one-time link, wiped after a single open. Free, no signup.
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