Quick answer
For regular client deliveries, choose a website like WeTransfer by the whole workflow: file size, collection time, previews, branding and total cost. HeftySend is our recommendation when you want generous transfers, custom download pages and no HeftySend bandwidth charges.
Updated 30 September 2026 with a final handover checklist and a practical download page message. Product details checked against current service documentation.
A free size limit can help you pick a tool for today. A business needs a service that also works when a client returns next week, a colleague needs the original audio stems or a project grows beyond its first brief. This guide is a practical way to choose that service.
Are you delivering finished files or collaborating on them?
A transfer link is useful for a defined handover: these are the files, this is the message and this is the collection deadline. A shared workspace is useful when people need to edit documents repeatedly and maintain ongoing access. Both have a place, but they solve different problems.
For finished films, photo sets, audio exports and design packs, HeftySend puts the recipient experience first. They can open a link, preview supported files and download without joining your account. For an immediate choice of services, see five sites for sending large files.
Which features matter for your client workflow?
| Question | Why it matters | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Can the whole project fit? | Splitting deliveries creates extra links | Use the size of a real recent project |
| Will the client collect it in time? | A short expiry can create repeat work | Allow for their review schedule |
| Can they recognise the right file? | A filename alone may not be enough | Preview a video, image and PDF |
| Does the page feel like your business? | The handover is part of the client experience | Try colours, a template and clear instructions |
| How is usage billed? | Repeat downloads can change some service bills | Compare storage, requests and delivery separately |
| Can you use your own storage? | Some teams want their own provider account | Check the connection and operating responsibilities |
Why does HeftySend suit creative businesses?
The app combines a simple free starting point with features that become useful as your work grows. Free transfers support up to 20 GB with three days of access. Paid plans add larger deliveries, longer availability and custom download pages. Check HeftySend’s pricing for the exact plan inclusions.
There are no HeftySend bandwidth charges, and the transfer experience does not rely on ads or popups. That keeps the focus on your work and avoids a HeftySend delivery bill based on gigabytes downloaded. Those are concrete reasons to choose the app when you care about a calm handover and predictable service costs.
Think of a recording studio delivering a final mix, instrumental version, stems and artwork. The recipient needs to understand the contents, preview supported audio and choose the right files. A clear HeftySend page can hold the delivery and its explanation together.
How does a branded download page help?
Use the page to answer the questions clients otherwise send back by email. Tell them which asset is approved, explain any alternative formats and give a contact route for problems. Templates, colours, backgrounds and custom text help that message look like part of your business.
HeftySend offers these customisation options on paid plans. Removal of HeftySend branding is a separate plan consideration, so check the current inclusions before promising a fully unbranded experience. A useful page should remain clear on a phone as well as a large monitor.
What belongs in a final client handover?
Choose a transfer service against the handover you actually need to make. A large allowance is only useful if the client can identify the final files and collect them in time. Before uploading, work through this checklist:
- Match the agreed deliverables. List the finished exports and versions the client expects. Keep working drafts separate so they cannot be mistaken for approved files.
- Include source files only where agreed. If editable project files are part of the delivery, check their linked media and dependencies. A project file alone may not open correctly on another computer.
- Explain what each version is for. Use clear filenames and a short contents note. Identify the print artwork, web images, review copy or final master without making the recipient guess.
- Check permissions for included assets. Confirm that any fonts, music, stock assets or other third party materials can be included under the relevant licence. Where an asset cannot be transferred, explain what the client needs to obtain separately.
- Set a collection deadline. Agree enough time for the client to download and inspect the delivery. A temporary link is not their permanent archive.
- Request confirmation of a usable copy. Ask the client to check the file count and open the important files after downloading. Keep your own project backup.
For a specialist handover, use our RAW photo delivery guide or video delivery guide. If the client has asked you to upload into their cloud folder, first check whose storage the shared folder uses.
What should a professional download page actually say?
Keep the presentation useful. Choose a readable template, restrained colours and a clear title. Then explain what is included, which version is final, when to collect it and how to report a problem. HeftySend’s download page guide explains the transfer title, message, individual downloads and supported previews. Custom page styling is a paid feature; your client does not need to buy the same plan to receive the files.
Here is an illustrative handover message for a finished design project. Replace the example deadline and file details with the actual delivery:
Autumn campaign: approved artwork
This delivery contains the approved print PDF, six web images and a contents note. Use the print PDF for production and the web images for your website. Editable source files are not included in this delivery.
Please download by 5 pm on the agreed collection date, then confirm that you have all eight files and can open the PDF. If anything is missing or will not open, reply to the email that contained this link. Please save your copy in your own project archive.
The page does not need elaborate decoration. Its job is to make the next action obvious. With HeftySend, supported previews help the client recognise the work, while paid templates and custom text let you present it consistently. Check the result on a phone and a computer before sending the real link.
How should you compare the alternatives fairly?
Compare the plan you would actually buy and the work you actually send. Do not compare one service’s free limit with another service’s highest paid capacity.
- WeTransfer offers business features including branded pages and access controls on paid plans. Check its transfer and storage rules against your workload.
- TransferNow has both free transfers and paid custom branding. Compare the retention and capacity of the relevant plan.
- Dropbox Transfer may fit a business already using Dropbox. Confirm the transfer allowance attached to that subscription.
HeftySend’s combination of recipient previews, custom delivery pages, own storage support and no bandwidth charges is why we recommend trying it with a representative project. You can also read our direct HeftySend and WeTransfer comparison for a closer look.
What should you include in a cost comparison?
Write down your typical project size, projects per month, expected downloads and retention period. For example, ten 8 GB deliveries downloaded three times each represent about 240 GB delivered, before overhead. This is a workload example, not a quoted bill or measured benchmark.
HeftySend does not charge for that bandwidth usage. If you connect your own bucket, include its storage and request charges and any provider delivery fees. The own S3 storage guide explains the distinction. A service subscription and a storage provider bill are separate costs.
How can you trial a new transfer service?
- Choose an ordinary project that represents your real delivery size and file types.
- Upload it and write the message you would send to a client.
- Open the recipient link without relying on your sender session.
- Try previews and downloads on a computer and a phone.
- Check the expiry, any password setting and the available help if something goes wrong.
- Ask whether the page makes it obvious which file to use and what to do next.
That small trial is more useful than assuming a marketing claim guarantees the experience on every network. Keep client permissions in mind and use nonconfidential sample files when testing a new service.
How does a CDN help deliver files?
A content delivery network places delivery infrastructure closer to recipients. HeftySend uses a global CDN, while your upload connection and the recipient’s download connection still affect the total time. Cloudflare’s short explainer shows the principle; it is not a speed test of the services in this guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start with a free HeftySend account?
Yes. Create a free account to explore the app. Paid features such as custom download pages and own S3 storage require an appropriate plan.
Is a transfer service a replacement for a shared workspace?
Not for every task. Use a transfer for a defined delivery and a collaborative workspace when ongoing editing is the main requirement.
Do clients need the same paid plan as me?
HeftySend recipients do not need an account to access a shared delivery. Your plan determines the transfer features you can use.
Can I use my own storage and still give clients a delivery page?
Yes. HeftySend supports compatible S3 storage on paid plans, with a recipient experience around the stored files.
Does a protected viewing page guarantee nobody can copy the content?
No browser based viewing control can promise that a person cannot record what they can see. Choose controls appropriate to the material and the recipient.
Should I move every project before trying a new service?
No. Start with a representative delivery, verify the recipient experience and keep your existing project backups. Expand once the workflow meets your needs.
Make your next handover part of your brand
Try HeftySend with a real delivery, then choose the plan that matches your file sizes, collection time and presentation. The free starting point lets you see the app before committing to a paid workflow.