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SecureFiles · comparison

WeTransfer and Conbool — side by side.

WeTransfer grew up as a quick file transfer service — primarily for creative teams and consumer use. If you're looking for a centrally managed, GDPR-documentable solution for business operations, a closer look pays off. As of September 2026.

Request a demoSecureFiles in detailUpdated: September 2026

In three sentences

What matters.

WeTransfer is an established service for fast file transfers with a low entry barrier and no recipient account, offering since late 2024 the single-seat plans Starter and Ultimate alongside the free tier. Conbool is a full email security suite from Germany with nine integrated modules: MailGuard, SecureMail, SecureFiles, Disclaimer, DMARC Reports, Archive, Continuity, 365 Backup and Awareness. SecureFiles delivers secure file transfer as an integrated channel in the same console, together with inbound protection, encryption, signatures and brand protection, on EU infrastructure with a German contracting party.

The five most common questions, side by side.

Every statement about WeTransfer links to a public source. Every Conbool claim is verifiable in a demo.

Where is the data hosted, and how does GDPR apply?

Conbool SecureFiles

Exclusively in EU data centres on ISO 27001-certified infrastructure. Contract party and data processor is Conbool GmbH in Germany. The GDPR Art. 28 DPA is part of the contract and names the concrete data location.

WeTransferWeTransfer

According to the WeTransfer Trust Center, the service runs in multiple regions, with hosting options in the EU and the US. The contracting party is WeTransfer B.V., based in the Netherlands; Italy's Bending Spoons announced the acquisition in July 2024. For your GDPR assessment, what matters is which region is active for your account and which entity signs the contract.

Source: wetransfer.com / Trust Center. Please verify the concrete region for your account directly with the vendor.

Why it matters: data location is only one aspect — equally important are the contract party, DPA contents and data flows within the vendor's structure. For GDPR Art. 30 you need written clarity, not just marketing claims.

How large can the files be?

Conbool SecureFiles

Multiple gigabytes per file. Sending happens straight from Outlook: large attachments are automatically swapped for a secure download link — the recipient sees no difference from a classic mail attachment.

WeTransferWeTransfer

WeTransfer restructured its plans at the end of 2024. Alongside the free tier with a transfer cap there are the single-seat plans Starter and Ultimate; the former Pro and Premium tiers have been retired. Current size limits are maintained on the pricing page.

Source: WeTransfer pricing page (wetransfer.com/pricing). Please check exact limits for your current plan with the vendor.

Why it matters: when the mail server limit (often 25 MB) is not enough for contracts, CAD files or videos, both solutions replace FTP workarounds. What counts is that the size allowance isn't hidden behind a plan upgrade when it's needed urgently.

Who has admin control over the transfers?

Conbool SecureFiles

Central admin portal: IT configures sending policies, retention periods, allowed domains and audit-log settings company-wide. Employees send via the Outlook add-in — every transfer is linked traceably to sender, recipient and timestamp.

WeTransferWeTransfer

WeTransfer is at its core a user-centric service: each sender creates a transfer independently, and the paid Starter and Ultimate plans are single-seat plans. Team features with central management cover different use cases than a classic enterprise administration.

Source: wetransfer.com — product and pricing pages for plan options.

Why it matters: without central admin, IT has no leverage to enforce sending policies, cleanly deprovision leaving employees or prove in an audit who sent which file to whom and when.

How is the recipient authenticated?

Conbool SecureFiles

Passwordless: recipients receive a one-time link with configurable lifetime. Optionally require a password as a second factor. Configurable per transfer or as a policy for sensitive recipient classes.

WeTransferWeTransfer

In the classic standard flow the download link sent by email to the recipient is enough. Optional password protection and expiring links are available depending on the plan — in the standard variant the link itself is the authentication element.

Source: wetransfer.com — feature description of plan tiers (Free / Pro / Premium).

Why it matters: a plain link sent over email is only as secure as the recipient's inbox. For confidential content, a second factor (or strong identity verification) is the difference between a documented and an unsafe handover.

How do I control shadow-IT through private WeTransfer use?

Conbool SecureFiles

Conbool is established as the official sending channel: Outlook add-in rolled out centrally, sending policy anchored in the IT guideline, audit log documents usage. Employees thus have a convenient legal alternative — the need to use private WeTransfer falls away.

WeTransferWeTransfer

WeTransfer can in principle be used by any employee with a private or Pro account, including outside the company tenant structure. Central control from the company account over private accounts naturally does not exist.

Source: wetransfer.com — free registration with any email address is possible.

Why it matters: shadow-IT usually arises when the official solution is more cumbersome than the private one. Anyone who wants to end shadow-IT first needs a convenient official alternative, then a clear policy — not primarily a block.

Migration checklist

What to watch for when moving away from WeTransfer.

Moving from WeTransfer to a centrally administered solution typically runs in four steps — whether you're replacing WeTransfer Pro subscriptions or curbing private use.

  1. 1. Shadow-IT audit: who currently uses WeTransfer?

    Get an overview: which departments send large files? Which employees use WeTransfer Pro subscriptions on company budget, which use free WeTransfer privately? A short survey and a look at mail logs (outgoing links to wetransfer.com) provides the data baseline.

  2. 2. Roll out the Conbool Outlook add-in

    The Conbool Outlook add-in is distributed centrally (Microsoft 365 Admin Center or GPO). Employees keep their familiar sending workflow straight from Outlook, with automatic large-file redirection. A pilot group starts — ideally the department with the highest sending volume.

  3. 3. Anchor the policy: sending via the official Conbool channels

    Add a clear statement to your IT policy: business file transfers go via Conbool, not via private cloud services. The reasoning matters — GDPR Art. 30 requires traceable processing, which is not documentable with private WeTransfer.

  4. 4. Cancel or let WeTransfer Pro subscriptions expire

    After a transition phase, company-funded WeTransfer Pro subscriptions are cancelled at the next contract end. Employees who got used to Conbool typically don't report the loss. Archive the audit log for GDPR documentation.

These steps apply whichever WeTransfer plan you are replacing. For special cases (e.g. WeTransfer integration in Adobe Creative Cloud) we clarify the approach in the consult.

Decision aid

When Conbool, when WeTransfer.

Conbool SecureFiles fits when …

  • You need a central admin portal for IT-driven sending policies.
  • A DPA with a German contract party and EU hosting are mandatory.
  • You must document the audit log for GDPR Art. 30 in writing.
  • An Outlook add-in with auto-redirect for large attachments fits the employee workflow.

WeTransfer fits when …

  • It's about quick consumer or creative sending without compliance demand.
  • Recipients should have no hurdle at all — one link, one click, done.
  • You don't need central admin control over internal transfers.
  • Your industry has no mandatory documentation under GDPR Art. 30 or NIS-2.

Matched to your setup

Conbool SecureFiles by industry and use case.

DSGVO-konformer Dateiversand

EU-Hosting, Audit-Log und Empfänger-Authentifizierung für DSGVO Art. 30.

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Outlook für große Dateien

Outlook-Add-in mit automatischer Großdatei-Umleitung – ein Klick aus dem gewohnten Workflow.

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Sicherer Posteingang

Externe laden Dateien sicher zu Ihnen hoch – ohne WeTransfer-Konto und ohne Shadow-IT.

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Dateien aus SharePoint versenden

Aus SharePoint Online an Externe senden, ohne anonymen Freigabelink und ohne Gastkonto.

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Cryptshare-Alternative

Modulare deutsche Alternative mit Verschlüsselung und Schlüsselverwaltung in der EU.

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FTP-Alternative

Sicherer Dateitransfer statt FTP — Outlook-Add-in, Audit-Log, NIS-2.

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DSGVO-konformer Dateiversand

Verschlüsselter Dateiversand nach Art. 32 DSGVO und NIS-2.

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Sicherer Posteingang

Dateien sicher empfangen — persönlicher Upload-Link für Externe.

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Große Dateien per Outlook

Outlook-Anhang zu groß? Direkt aus Outlook verschlüsselt versenden.

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Datei-Upload-Formular

Dokumente strukturiert anfordern, geführte Checkliste statt E-Mail-Ping-Pong.

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SharePoint-Alternative

Sichere gemeinsame Dateiräume für Externe, ohne Microsoft-Cloud.

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Also compared

Further file-transfer alternatives and cross-comparisons.

Anyone evaluating WeTransfer often also looks at Cryptshare, FTAPI and classic FTP. Here are the direct comparison pages.

Frequently asked

See Conbool SecureFiles in your own setup.

30-minute demo. Cloud service hosted in the EU.

Request a demoSecureFiles in detail

Sources and fairness note

Statements about WeTransfer rely exclusively on publicly accessible sources: wetransfer.com (product, pricing and Trust Center pages). WeTransfer was originally built for fast, low-friction file transfer and does that job very well — the differences shown here concern the enterprise compliance context, not its suitability as a consumer service. Statements about Conbool rely on our product documentation and contractual commitments.

As of September 2026. For your final decision we recommend you ask both vendors directly about the points relevant to you and get statements confirmed in writing.

WeTransfer is a trademark of WeTransfer B.V. Conbool is a trademark of Conbool GmbH. This page is an editorial comparison — not official WeTransfer material.