WeTransfer for Business: Is It GDPR-Compliant? Alternatives for Companies

WeTransfer is one of the most popular file transfer tools in the world, but it was not designed for business use under European data protection law. If your company handles personal data -- client contracts, tax documents, medical records, HR files -- relying on WeTransfer exposes you to GDPR compliance risks including potential fines up to 20 million euros or 4% of annual global revenue. In this article, we take a balanced look at what WeTransfer does well, where it falls short for businesses, and what to look for in a GDPR-compliant alternative.

What WeTransfer Is and What It Does Well

WeTransfer launched in 2009 as a simple way to send large files without email attachment limits. Its core promise has not changed: drag, drop, enter an email address, send. No account needed, no software to install, no configuration.

For what it is designed to do, WeTransfer does it remarkably well:

Simplicity: Anyone can use it without training or technical knowledge.
Speed: Uploading and sending a file takes less than a minute.
No account required: The recipient does not need to create an account to download files.
Generous free tier: Up to 2 GB per transfer for free.

For personal use -- sharing vacation photos, sending design mockups to a friend, transferring music files -- WeTransfer remains a perfectly fine tool.

WeTransfer Pro and Business Plans

WeTransfer offers paid tiers that extend its capabilities:

WeTransfer Pro: Larger file sizes (up to 200 GB), password protection, custom backgrounds, and longer expiry times.
WeTransfer Business: Team features, branded portals, and review tools aimed at creative teams.

These paid plans address some limitations of the free version, but they do not resolve the fundamental issues that make WeTransfer problematic for businesses operating under the GDPR.

The GDPR Problem with WeTransfer

Data Processing and Server Locations

WeTransfer is a Dutch company, which sounds reassuring at first. However, the reality is more nuanced:

US-based infrastructure: WeTransfer uses Amazon Web Services (AWS) for storage and processing. While some data may stay within EU regions, their infrastructure spans multiple jurisdictions including the United States.
Sub-processors: WeTransfer relies on numerous third-party sub-processors for analytics, support, and infrastructure. Each of these introduces additional data transfer and processing considerations.
Metadata usage: WeTransfer's privacy policy permits the use of certain metadata (such as usage patterns and device information) for their own purposes, including product improvement and marketing.

For a business processing personal data on behalf of clients, each of these points requires careful assessment under GDPR Articles 28 and 44-49.

No Data Processing Agreement for Free Users

The GDPR requires a Data Processing Agreement (DPA, or "Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag" / AVV in German) when you use a third-party service to process personal data. WeTransfer's free tier does not come with a DPA. This alone makes the free version unsuitable for any business transferring files containing personal data.

WeTransfer Business does offer a DPA, but you need to specifically request it and verify that its terms meet your obligations -- particularly regarding international data transfers and sub-processor management.

Data Retention and Deletion

With the free version, files are automatically deleted after 7 days. That might sound like good data minimisation, but the problem is the lack of control and documentation:

You cannot choose your own retention period.
You receive no verifiable proof of deletion.
There is no audit trail showing who accessed the file and when.
You cannot respond to a data subject's deletion request with documented evidence.

WeTransfer Pro and Business offer longer (or shorter) expiry windows, but the audit trail remains limited compared to what GDPR compliance demands.

What Businesses Actually Need vs. What WeTransfer Offers

The deeper issue is not just GDPR compliance -- it is that WeTransfer solves the wrong problem for most business use cases. WeTransfer is designed for sending files. But in a business context, you often need to receive files from clients, customers, or partners.

When you tell a client "send me the documents via WeTransfer," here is what happens:

The client must navigate a third-party website you do not control.
Files land in your email inbox as download links, not in a structured system.
There is no automatic association between the files and the client record.
You have no visibility into whether the client has started or completed their upload.
The download link expires, and if you miss it, the files are gone.

Business Requirements WeTransfer Does Not Meet

Requirement	Why It Matters	WeTransfer
Client assignment	Know which files belong to which client	Not supported
Status tracking	See who has submitted documents and who has not	Not supported
Audit trail	Prove when files were received, accessed, and deleted	Limited (Business only)
Configurable expiry	Set deadlines appropriate to your workflow	Fixed 7 days (free) or limited options
EU-only hosting	Keep data within EU jurisdiction	US + EU servers
DPA availability	Meet GDPR Article 28 requirements	Business tier only
Upload direction	Let clients upload to you in a controlled way	Designed for sending, not receiving
Professional appearance	Branded experience that builds client trust	WeTransfer branding (ads on free tier)

When WeTransfer Is Fine and When It Is Not Enough

WeTransfer Is Acceptable For:

Non-sensitive files: Marketing materials, public documents, design assets without confidential content.
One-off personal transfers: Sending a large video to a colleague where no personal data is involved.
Internal creative work: Sharing drafts and mockups within a team (though even here, better tools exist).

WeTransfer Is Not Enough For:

Any file containing personal data: Contracts, ID copies, payroll documents, health records, insurance claims.
Regulated industries: Tax advisors, law firms, healthcare providers, financial services, HR departments, and real estate management all handle sensitive data that requires GDPR-compliant transfer.
Recurring document collection: If you regularly collect documents from clients or partners, you need structured workflows, not ad-hoc file transfers.
Audit-sensitive environments: If you need to demonstrate compliance to regulators or during audits, WeTransfer's limited logging is insufficient.

For a detailed side-by-side analysis, visit our WeTransfer comparison page.

What to Look for in a GDPR-Compliant Alternative

If you are evaluating alternatives to WeTransfer for business use, here are the criteria that matter most:

1. EU-Based Infrastructure

Your file transfer provider should store and process data exclusively within the European Union. This eliminates the complexity of international data transfer mechanisms (Standard Contractual Clauses, adequacy decisions) and reduces legal risk. Look for providers that use German or European hosting infrastructure.

2. Data Processing Agreement (DPA)

A proper DPA should be available as standard, not only on request and not only on the most expensive plan. The DPA should clearly specify sub-processors, data processing purposes, and your rights as the data controller.

3. Full Audit Trail

Every action should be logged: file uploads, downloads, link creation, access attempts, deletions. This audit trail should be accessible to you and exportable for compliance documentation.

4. Encryption in Transit and at Rest

Files should be encrypted during upload (TLS) and while stored on the server (at-rest encryption). This is a baseline requirement under GDPR Article 32.

5. Configurable Access Controls

You should be able to set passwords on transfer links, configure expiry dates, limit the number of downloads, and restrict file types and sizes. These controls support the GDPR principles of data minimisation and purpose limitation.

6. Receive-Oriented Workflow

For businesses that collect documents from clients, the tool should support upload links -- secure, branded URLs that you send to clients so they can upload files directly to your system. This is the opposite direction from WeTransfer and far more practical for professional document collection.

7. Client Management and Organisation

Files should be automatically associated with the correct client or project. Status tracking should show you at a glance who has submitted documents and who has not.

How SendMeSafe Compares

SendMeSafe was built specifically for the use case that WeTransfer does not address: businesses that need to receive and manage documents from clients in a GDPR-compliant way. Here is an honest comparison:

Feature	WeTransfer Free	WeTransfer Business	SendMeSafe
Direction	You send files	You send files	Clients upload to you (or you share securely)
GDPR-compliant	No	Partially	Yes
DPA available	No	Yes (on request)	Yes
Server location	EU + US	EU + US	EU (Germany)
Audit trail	No	Limited	Complete
Client assignment	No	No	Automatic
Status tracking	No	No	Yes
Password protection	No	Yes	Yes
Configurable expiry	No (7 days fixed)	Yes	Yes
File size control	2 GB limit	Up to 200 GB	Configurable per link
Client needs account	No	No	No
Branded experience	WeTransfer branding	Custom branding	Your upload link

What SendMeSafe Does Differently

Rather than reinventing file transfer, SendMeSafe focuses on secure document collection:

Upload Links: Create a secure, branded link for each client. The client clicks the link, uploads their files, and you receive them -- automatically assigned to the right client with a full audit trail.
Share Links: When you need to send files to clients (the WeTransfer direction), share links provide the same GDPR compliance, password protection, and download tracking.
Client Management: Organise clients, track document submission status, and maintain a clear overview of your document workflows.
Security by Design: EU-hosted infrastructure, TLS encryption, encrypted storage, and a DPA included as standard.

You can explore all capabilities on our features page.

Where WeTransfer Still Wins

To be fair, WeTransfer has advantages in certain areas:

Brand recognition: Everyone knows WeTransfer. Clients are already familiar with it.
Creative tools: WeTransfer's ecosystem includes tools like Paste and Paper that cater to creative professionals.
Simplicity for one-off sends: If you just need to send a big file quickly with zero setup, WeTransfer is hard to beat.

SendMeSafe is not trying to replace WeTransfer for personal file sharing. It is built for a different job: helping businesses collect and manage documents securely and in compliance with the GDPR.

Making the Switch: A Practical Guide

If you have decided that WeTransfer is not sufficient for your business needs, transitioning to a dedicated solution is straightforward:

Step 1: Identify Your Document Workflows

Map out where you currently receive files from clients or partners. Common scenarios include:

Tax documents from clients (tax advisors and accountants)
Case files and evidence from clients (law firms)
Application documents from candidates (HR departments)
Tenancy applications and verification documents (property management)
Project deliverables from freelancers and agencies

Step 2: Set Up Your Account

Create your SendMeSafe account and add your clients. The setup takes minutes, not hours.

Step 3: Create Your First Upload Links

For each client or document collection workflow, create an upload link with the appropriate settings: password, expiry date, file size limit, and description.

Step 4: Inform Your Clients

Send your clients their personalised upload links with a brief explanation. Most clients appreciate the more professional and secure process -- it signals that you take their data seriously.

Step 5: Use Share Links for Outbound Files

When you need to send files to clients (the use case where you might have previously used WeTransfer), use share links instead. Same convenience, full GDPR compliance, and complete audit trail.

Conclusion

WeTransfer is a well-designed product that serves its original purpose admirably: making it easy for anyone to send large files. But ease of use for personal file sharing and compliance with European data protection law are fundamentally different goals. For businesses handling personal data, WeTransfer's free tier is clearly insufficient, and even the Business tier leaves gaps in audit trails, client management, and document workflows.

The good news is that switching to a GDPR-compliant alternative does not mean sacrificing simplicity. Purpose-built tools for business document collection are just as easy for your clients to use -- they click a link and upload their files, no account required. The difference is what happens behind the scenes: proper encryption, EU-hosted storage, complete audit trails, and automatic client assignment.

Ready to move beyond WeTransfer? Try SendMeSafe free for 14 days and experience secure, GDPR-compliant document collection designed for businesses. No credit card required.