How to send large video files to an editor or client
Transfer services all move gigabytes, but the real time sink is downloading footage just to upload it again. Here is how to skip that step.
Why large video files are painful to send
Email caps attachments at around 25 MB, which does not cover a single 4K clip. A day of rushes is tens or hundreds of gigabytes, so shooters, clients and editors bounce footage through transfer services, cloud drives, or a physical SSD in the mail. Each option has a catch: free tiers cap the size, links expire, drives get lost, and everything has to be downloaded before anyone can use it.
The main options, compared honestly
| Service | Free size limit | Link expiry | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| WeTransfer | 2 GB free | ~7 days | Quick one-off sends |
| SwissTransfer | Up to ~50 GB free | Up to 30 days | Bigger free sends |
| Google Drive | Tied to account quota | No expiry | Recurring collaborators |
| MASV | Pay per GB delivered | Set per link | Very large, reliable delivery |
| Physical SSD | Drive capacity | None | Terabyte projects, no bandwidth |
There is no single best service. WeTransfer is the fastest for a one-off, SwissTransfer sends more for free, Google Drive suits recurring collaborators, and MASV is built for terabyte deliveries. The problem is not which one you pick, it is what happens after.
The real bottleneck: download, then re-upload
Whatever service the sender uses, the classic flow is the same. The client uploads the footage, you download it to your SSD, then you upload it again to your cloud or edit tool. That is the same gigabytes moving twice, two long waits, and your SSD filling up in the middle. On a big project the transfer alone can cost you a working day.
Skip the download: import straight to the cloud
The faster pattern is to never bring the files down to your machine at all. Paste the transfer link into a tool that fetches the file server side, straight into cloud storage. You skip the local download and the re-upload, your SSD stays free, and the footage is ready to edit the moment the fetch finishes.
How Sanbila handles incoming footage
Sanbila is desktop software for cloud first editing, and it ingests footage by link. Paste a SwissTransfer, WeTransfer or Google Drive link (a single file or a whole folder), or any direct download URL, and Sanbila resolves it and pulls the footage straight into cloud storage on Cloudflare R2, with a SHA-256 checksum to catch corrupt transfers. Nothing downloads to your SSD in the process.
Once the footage is in, you edit the way you want: generate a light proxy for offline cutting, or stream the original at full resolution through a virtual drive. It works in Premiere Pro, DaVinci Resolve, Final Cut Pro and Avid, so the clip a client sent this morning is on your timeline by the afternoon without a single manual download.
Import footage from any link straight to the cloud, then edit on proxies. Free plan, 5 GB.
Try Sanbila freeTips to receive footage cleanly
- Ask senders for the original files, not a re-compressed export, so you edit from the real quality.
- Prefer a service with a longer expiry (SwissTransfer, Google Drive) so a link does not die before you ingest it.
- Import the link straight into your cloud storage instead of downloading then re-uploading.
- Verify the transfer with a checksum so a truncated upload does not surface halfway through the edit.
FAQ
What is the best way to send large video files?
For a quick one-off, WeTransfer is fastest; SwissTransfer sends more for free with a longer expiry; Google Drive suits recurring collaborators; MASV is built for terabyte deliveries. The bigger win is on the receiving side: import the link straight into cloud storage instead of downloading then re-uploading.
How do I send video files bigger than WeTransfer's limit?
Use a service with a higher free cap like SwissTransfer, a cloud drive like Google Drive, or a pay-per-GB service like MASV for very large deliveries. On the receiving end, tools like Sanbila can pull the file straight from the link into the cloud so size is not limited by your local disk.
Can I import footage from a WeTransfer or Google Drive link without downloading it?
Yes. Sanbila resolves a SwissTransfer, WeTransfer or Google Drive link (file or folder) or any direct URL and fetches the footage server side straight into cloud storage, so nothing downloads to your SSD before you edit.
How do I get client footage into my editing software fast?
Skip the download and re-upload. Import the transfer link straight into cloud storage, generate a light proxy, and open it in Premiere, Resolve, Final Cut or Avid. The footage a client sent in the morning can be on your timeline the same day.
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