WeTransfer for Audio Files: When It Works, When It Doesn't, and Better Alternatives

You need to send a large audio file. Email won’t work (25MB limit). Someone says “just use WeTransfer.”

You upload the file, copy the link, send it to your client. Done. Takes 2 minutes.

Then the client asks for revisions. You make changes, export a new file, and create a new WeTransfer link. Now the client has two links. Which one is the latest? A week later, they email: “The link expired. Can you resend?”

This is where WeTransfer breaks down for professional audio work.

Here’s what WeTransfer does well for audio files, where it fails, and which alternatives actually solve the problems.

What WeTransfer does well

WeTransfer is popular for good reasons.

It’s fast

Upload a file, enter an email, hit send. No account required. No setup. You can send a file in under 2 minutes.

For one-off file transfers, nothing is faster.

It’s free for basic use

Free tier gives you up to 2GB per transfer. That’s enough for most stereo mixes:

• 24-bit/48kHz stereo WAV (5 minutes): ~140MB
• 24-bit/96kHz stereo WAV (5 minutes): ~280MB

For occasional file sharing, free WeTransfer works.

No recipient account needed

Your client doesn’t need to sign up or log in. They click the link and download. Low friction for client delivery.

Clean, simple interface

WeTransfer’s UI is minimal. No clutter, no complicated menus. Upload, send, done.

Where WeTransfer falls short for audio professionals

Now the problems.

Links expire after 7 days

Your client gets the link. A week passes. They want to download the file again. The link is dead.

You re-upload and send a new link. They need the file a month later? Upload again. Annoying for client work where files get referenced weeks or months later.

WeTransfer Pro extends this to 28 days, but that’s still not permanent storage.

No version control

You send Mix_v1.wav via WeTransfer. Client requests changes. You send Mix_v2.wav via another WeTransfer link. Now the client has two links.

Which one is the latest? They have to remember. If they forward the link to someone else (a label, a collaborator), that person has no clue which version is current.

WeTransfer is a one-way file dump. No version history, no comparison, no tracking.

No feedback or collaboration features

Client listens to your mix. They want to leave feedback. They email you: “At 1:32, the vocal is too quiet.”

You have to:

1. Read the email
2. Open your DAW
3. Find 1:32
4. Adjust the vocal
5. Export a new mix
6. Upload to WeTransfer again
7. Send a new link

Clients can’t leave timestamped comments directly on the audio file. Everything is manual, disconnected communication.

No audio player (on free tier)

Free WeTransfer links don’t have an in-browser audio player. The recipient downloads the entire file before listening.

For large files (500MB+ stereo mixes or stem sets), this means waiting for the download to finish just to preview the track.

WeTransfer Pro adds a preview player, but you pay for it.

You can’t organize files

WeTransfer has no project folders, no tags, no organization. Every transfer is a standalone link.

Managing multiple clients and projects? You end up with a mess of links scattered across emails. Good luck finding “that mix I sent three weeks ago.”

No download tracking

Did the client download the file? Did they even open the link? No clue.

WeTransfer Pro adds download notifications, but on the free tier, it’s a black box.

WeTransfer pricing: Is Pro worth it?

Free: 2GB per transfer, links expire in 7 days, no storage, no preview player

WeTransfer Pro: $12/month

• 200GB per transfer
• Links expire in 28 days
• 1TB storage
• Password protection
• Custom branding
• In-browser preview player
• Download notifications

Is it worth $12/month?

If you only need file transfer (no feedback, no version control), WeTransfer Pro is decent. 1TB storage and 200GB transfers are generous.

But for the same price, you could get:

• Dropbox Plus: $12/month, 2TB storage, version history, file recovery
• Aliada Pro: $9/month, 50GB storage, version control, timestamped feedback, audio player
• Google One: $10/month, 2TB storage, integrates with Google Drive

WeTransfer Pro is good at file transfer. It doesn’t solve the collaboration and version control problems that audio professionals face.

When WeTransfer is the right choice

WeTransfer isn’t bad. It’s just not built for ongoing collaboration.

Use WeTransfer when:

You need to send a file once, with no revisions:

• Sending a final master to a distributor
• Delivering stems to a client who doesn’t need previews
• Quick one-off file transfer to a collaborator

The recipient doesn’t need long-term access:

• They’ll download it immediately and don’t need the link later
• It’s a temporary file, not something they’ll reference later

You don’t need feedback or collaboration:

• No revisions, no comments, no version tracking needed
• Just file delivery

You’re on a budget and only need occasional transfers:

• Free tier (2GB) works for small mixes
• You don’t send files often enough to justify a paid platform

Don’t use WeTransfer when:

You’re managing client revisions (need version control), you need timestamped feedback on audio files, you want long-term file access (links expire), you need to organize files by project or client, or you want to know when files are downloaded.

For those use cases, you need a different tool.

Better alternatives to WeTransfer for audio workflows

What actually works for professional audio collaboration:

Alternative 1: Aliada (version control + feedback)

Price: Free (5GB), $9/month (50GB), $19/month (200GB)

What it does better than WeTransfer:

• Automatic version control (no manual renaming)
• Timestamped comments on waveforms
• A/B version comparison
• Files don’t expire
• In-browser lossless audio player
• Project organization

Best for: Mixing engineers, mastering engineers, producers managing client revisions

Downside: Free tier is 5GB total storage vs WeTransfer’s 2GB per transfer

Learn more about Aliada

Alternative 2: Dropbox (general file storage + sharing)

Price: Free (2GB), $12/month (2TB)

What it does better than WeTransfer:

• Files don’t expire (permanent storage)
• File version history (30-day on free, longer on paid)
• Folder organization
• Desktop sync (no manual uploads)
• Mobile apps

Best for: Solo producers who need general file storage with occasional audio sharing

Downside: No audio player, no timestamped feedback, no A/B comparison

Alternative 3: Google Drive (free storage + basic sharing)

Price: Free (15GB), $2/month (100GB), $10/month (2TB)

What it does better than WeTransfer:

• 15GB free storage (vs WeTransfer’s no storage)
• Files don’t expire
• Folder organization
• Easy sharing via links
• Integrated with Gmail (clients can receive links inline)

Best for: Budget-conscious producers who need permanent file storage and basic sharing

Downside: No audio player, no timestamped feedback, no version control

Alternative 4: Filepass (simple audio sharing with feedback)

Price: Free (2GB), $12/month (20GB), $24/month (100GB)

What it does better than WeTransfer:

• In-browser audio player
• Timestamped comments on waveforms
• Download control (preview-only or allow downloads)
• Files don’t expire

Best for: Producers who need simple file sharing with basic feedback, not full version control

Downside: No automatic version control, limited file organization

Read full comparison: Filepass vs Samply vs Aliada

Real-world comparison: WeTransfer vs Aliada for audio revisions

Let’s compare the actual workflow for managing client revisions.

Scenario: Mixing a track with 3 rounds of client feedback

Using WeTransfer:

1. Mix track, export Mix_v1.wav
2. Upload to WeTransfer, send link to client
3. Client emails feedback: “Vocal too quiet at 1:32, drums too loud at 2:15”
4. Adjust levels, export Mix_v2.wav
5. Upload to WeTransfer, send new link to client
6. Client asks to compare v1 and v2—you tell them to download both files and compare in their DAW or player
7. Client prefers v2 but wants v1’s vocal level back
8. You try to remember what the vocal level was in v1, adjust, export Mix_v3.wav
9. Upload to WeTransfer, send third link
10. Client approves Mix_v3
11. A week later, client’s label wants to hear Mix_v1 again—link expired, you have to re-upload

Total time: ~45 minutes of uploading, emailing, and managing links

Using Aliada:

1. Mix track, upload (automatically becomes version 1)
2. Client leaves timestamped comments directly on waveform: “1:32 - vocal too quiet,” “2:15 - drums too loud”
3. Adjust levels, upload (automatically becomes version 2)
4. Client opens project, plays v1 and v2 side-by-side, chooses v2 but wants v1’s vocal level
5. You check version notes, see vocal was -3dB in v1, apply same level to v2
6. Export, upload (automatically becomes version 3)
7. Client approves v3
8. A week later, label wants to hear v1—client sends project link, label plays v1 directly (no re-upload, links don’t expire)

Total time: ~15 minutes, no manual link management

Time saved: 30 minutes per project

Over 10 projects, that’s 5 hours saved. Over 50 projects, that’s 25 hours.

Common questions about WeTransfer alternatives

”I’ve been using WeTransfer for years. Why switch?”

If it’s working for you, don’t switch. But if you’ve ever lost track of which link is which across multiple revisions, had a client ask for a file after the link expired, wished you could see timestamped client feedback on the waveform, or wanted to organize files by project instead of scattered email links, try an alternative. Most platforms (including Aliada) have free tiers.

”What if my client is used to WeTransfer?”

Most clients don’t care what platform you use. They just want easy access to the file (one click, no signup), to listen before downloading, and to leave feedback.

Platforms like Aliada, Filepass, and Google Drive all support guest access (no client account required). The client experience is often better than WeTransfer because they can preview audio in-browser and leave timestamped comments.

”Is WeTransfer Pro better than the free tier?”

WeTransfer Pro ($12/month) adds 200GB per transfer (vs 2GB), 28-day link expiration (vs 7 days), 1TB storage, password protection, in-browser preview player, and download notifications.

If you only need file transfer and short-term storage, it’s decent. But it still doesn’t have version control or timestamped feedback.

For the same $12/month, you could get Dropbox (2TB storage + version history) or spend less ($9/month) on Aliada (50GB + version control + feedback).

”Can I use WeTransfer for stems?”

Yes, but with limitations.

If you’re sending a one-time stem export with no revisions, WeTransfer works fine (assuming your total stem file size is under 2GB on free tier or 200GB on Pro).

But if the client needs to reference stems later, the link will expire. And if you send revised stems, you’ll create a new link, and the client will have to manage multiple links.

For stem delivery with revisions, use a platform with version control (Aliada) or permanent storage (Dropbox, Google Drive).

WeTransfer alternatives comparison table

Final recommendation

WeTransfer works for quick, one-time file transfers. If you need to send a final master to a client once with no revisions, it does the job.

For professional audio workflows with revisions, feedback, and version tracking, you need a different tool.

• Mix/master engineers managing client revisions: Use Aliada (version control, A/B comparison, timestamped feedback)
• General file storage with occasional audio sharing: Use Dropbox or Google Drive (permanent storage, folder organization)
• Simple audio sharing with basic feedback: Use Filepass (audio player, timestamped comments, no version control)

Most platforms have free tiers. Try them and see which fits your workflow.

Related guides

• Best Audio File Sharing Platforms 2026 — Full comparison of all major platforms
• Filepass vs Samply vs Aliada — Head-to-head comparison of audio-specific platforms
• How to Send Large Audio Files — Complete guide to email alternatives for large audio files
• Audio File Version Control — Why version control matters for audio workflows

Try Aliada free - 5GB free tier, automatic version control, timestamped feedback, no credit card required.