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Home Comparisons SendSafely vs WeTransfer
SendSafely vs WeTransfer

An end-to-end encrypted alternative to WeTransfer for large file transfer.

WeTransfer is built for everyday large-file sends. SendSafely is built for regulated industries — split-key encrypted client-side, recipients verify identity before decryption, HIPAA BAAs, SOC 2 Type 2, audit log direct to your SIEM. Same simple send, vastly different controls.

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At a glance

Two products, different jobs.

A side-by-side picture of what WeTransfer is built for, and where SendSafely is built differently.

What WeTransfer does well
  • Easy consumer-grade upload-and-share workflow
  • No account required to send a file
  • Broad consumer recognition
Where SendSafely is different
  • End-to-end encryption with split-key architecture. WeTransfer encrypts at rest server-side; the service holds the keys. SendSafely encrypts on the sender's device with OpenPGP, and the decryption key is split — neither SendSafely nor any vendor in the path can read the contents on its own.
  • Verified recipients, not anonymous downloads. WeTransfer's default is anyone-with-the-link can download. SendSafely recipients verify identity (email, SMS, SSO) before SendSafely releases the half of the key it holds — turning a link into a controlled, audited delivery.
  • Regulated industries, with the certs to back it up. SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA BAAs on Business and Enterprise, PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA. Every event lands in the audit log API, ready for your SIEM. WeTransfer is a fine tool for consumer-grade sends, but rarely shows up in regulated procurement processes.
  • Encryption inside the tools your team uses. Native Outlook plug-in, Gmail extension, Zendesk app, Salesforce app, Intercom app, Freshdesk app, REST API. Encryption follows the workflow instead of asking users to switch to a separate transfer service.
Feature comparison

SendSafely and WeTransfer side by side.

Each row reflects how the two products approach the same problem. Both companies maintain their own certifications and audit programs — consult each vendor's public documentation for current capabilities.

Feature SendSafely WeTransfer
End-to-end client-side encryption Yes — OpenPGP, every file Encrypted at rest server-side; WeTransfer holds the keys
Split-key architecture Yes — no admin path to plaintext No
Recipient identity verification Email, SMS, SSO — required before decryption Anyone-with-the-link by default
HIPAA BAA On Business and Enterprise Not standard
SOC 2 Type 2 Audited annually ISO 27001 + GDPR posture
Max file size Up to 100 GB Up to 200 GB on Pro tier
Audit log API to SIEM REST endpoint with PACKAGE_EVENT, ADMIN_EVENT, USER_EVENT Limited
Native helpdesk + email plug-ins Zendesk, Salesforce, Intercom, Freshdesk, Outlook, Gmail Standalone transfer service

Comparative claims reflect publicly documented behavior of WeTransfer as of the page's last update. WeTransfer maintains its own product roadmap; consult their documentation for current capabilities.

Why teams choose SendSafely

Four architectural differences that matter.

01

End-to-end encryption with split-key architecture

WeTransfer encrypts at rest server-side; the service holds the keys. SendSafely encrypts on the sender's device with OpenPGP, and the decryption key is split — neither SendSafely nor any vendor in the path can read the contents on its own.

02

Verified recipients, not anonymous downloads

WeTransfer's default is anyone-with-the-link can download. SendSafely recipients verify identity (email, SMS, SSO) before SendSafely releases the half of the key it holds — turning a link into a controlled, audited delivery.

03

Regulated industries, with the certs to back it up

SOC 2 Type 2, HIPAA BAAs on Business and Enterprise, PCI DSS, GDPR, CCPA. Every event lands in the audit log API, ready for your SIEM. WeTransfer is a fine tool for consumer-grade sends, but rarely shows up in regulated procurement processes.

04

Encryption inside the tools your team uses

Native Outlook plug-in, Gmail extension, Zendesk app, Salesforce app, Intercom app, Freshdesk app, REST API. Encryption follows the workflow instead of asking users to switch to a separate transfer service.

Who switches

Teams moving from WeTransfer to SendSafely.

Teams replacing WeTransfer with SendSafely aren't doing it for ease — they're doing it because regulated procurement now asks for split-key encryption, HIPAA BAAs, identity-verified recipients, and an audit log API. SendSafely covers all of that, with the same 100 GB ceiling and a similarly fast UX.

  • Healthcare practices moving PHI under HIPAA
  • Legal teams sending discovery and signed agreements to outside counsel
  • Financial services pushing deal documents and audit responses
  • Helpdesk attachments that need to stay out of your ticketing system unencrypted

The send stays as simple. What changes is everything around it: Send & Receive for files up to 100GB, identity-verified recipients, and the controls regulated procurement asks about. MoonPay exchanges KYC and fraud documents on it in real time.

Enterprise controls

Deep admin control, built in.

Policy, identity, storage, and automation controls for teams that answer to auditors.

Multi-Portal Administration

Run every portal you manage, across subsidiaries, regions, or sandbox and production, from one login. No standing admin accounts, and every action lands in that portal's audit log.

Enterprise

Security Groups

Decide who can send outbound, own Workspaces and Dropzones, or generate API keys. Everyone else stays receive-only, across every integration.

Business · Enterprise

Bring your own bucket

Store encrypted files in an AWS S3 bucket you control, or host in the US, EU, or Sydney. Custody of your data, with nothing to run on your perimeter.

Business · Enterprise

Enforced Workspace expiration

Set default, minimum, and maximum file expiration for every Workspace in the portal, then exempt only the named accounts that need longer.

IP restrictions

Limit registered users to your office or VPN ranges on every path: web, integrations, REST API, and SCIM. Guests are unaffected.

Enterprise

SSO and SCIM

SAML SSO with any SAML 2.0 identity provider. SCIM provisioning for Okta and Entra ID, including admin rights managed from Okta.

Audit Log API

Stream every send, download, and admin action to Splunk, Sentinel, or Chronicle, with long-term retention through S3 export.

Enterprise

Actions

Scan every inbound file with CrowdStrike, OPSWAT, or Sophos, check it with Google Cloud DLP, and quarantine, hold, or archive it automatically.

Enterprise

Native integrations

Encryption inside Outlook, Gmail, Zendesk, Salesforce, Intercom, Freshdesk, and Slack, plus a REST API for everything else.
Audited and compliant

The same controls regulated procurement asks for.

Every file is encrypted on the sender's device using OpenPGP. SendSafely sees ciphertext only — the decryption key is split so nobody, not even SendSafely, can read the contents on its own.

Audited annually. SendSafely maintains the certifications regulated industries require.

How our architecture works Compliance & certifications
Compliance & certifications
SOC 2 Type 2 HIPAA PCI DSS GDPR CCPA
Client-side OpenPGP
Files are encrypted on the device before they ever leave it.
Split-key architecture
The decryption key is split so no single party—including SendSafely—can decrypt file contents on its own.
Full audit trail
Every send, recipient open, identity check, and download is logged with timestamps for compliance reporting.
Compare side by side

Ready to see how SendSafely handles your file transfer workflow vs WeTransfer?

Real product demo, real questions, no slideware. Bring your toughest WeTransfer edge case and we'll walk through the SendSafely architecture against it.

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