WeTransfer and My MX Data both move files between people, but they are built around different business moments. WeTransfer is a familiar, polished transfer service that works well when speed, presentation and low recipient friction matter. My MX Data is a secure B2B file-exchange platform for organisations that need named access, detailed evidence and firmer control after a file leaves the sender.
For an occasional creative handoff, WeTransfer may be the more direct choice. For repeat exchanges involving intellectual property, client records, financial information, regulated data or complex supply chains, MX is designed around the questions security and compliance teams tend to ask afterwards: who received the file, who accessed it, what happened, and can the organisation prove it?
Fast, recognisable file delivery
- Simple browser-based transfers and polished recipient pages.
- Password, expiry and restricted-download controls are available.
- Strong options for creative professionals, small teams and branded delivery.
Controlled business exchange
- Named recipients and no reliance on unrestricted public links.
- Auditability, MFA and configurable exchange conditions.
- Unlimited file-size transfers and multi-company workflows.
That distinction should not be reduced to "secure versus insecure". WeTransfer encrypts files in transit using TLS and at rest using AES-256. It states that it is ISO/IEC 27001 certified and offers tracked or restricted downloads, password protection and adjustable expiry. Restricted transfers require the downloader's email address to match the sender's access list. Its Enterprise service also includes a workspace activity log, CSV export and SIEM integration. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}
Are you sending a package, or managing an exchange?
WeTransfer's core experience is easy to understand: upload files, choose email delivery or a link, apply the relevant settings, then send. The current Free plan permits up to 10 transfers or 3 GB in a rolling 30-day period. Starter raises the rolling allowance, while Ultimate supports unlimited transfers up to 1 TB per transfer. Teams adds shared workspaces and administration, and Enterprise adds options such as SSO, SCIM and advanced compliance features. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
This structure suits short, clearly bounded deliveries. A design agency sending final artwork, a photographer delivering a gallery or a marketing team issuing campaign assets may value a familiar download experience more than a long transaction record. WeTransfer also supports previews, comments, file requests, branding and controls that can make those handoffs more professional. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
My MX Data begins from a different operational assumption. A business file may pass between several organisations, return with comments, be replaced by a new version and later need to be reviewed by an administrator or auditor. MX keeps the exchange, recipient identity and activity record connected. Its controlled B2B file-exchange model is intended for clients, suppliers, contractors and project partners rather than casual public distribution. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
The practical differences become clearer after the first send
| Decision area | WeTransfer | MX |
|---|---|---|
| Recipient access | Public, tracked or restricted transfer options, depending on settings. | Named-user access is central to the exchange model, without unrestricted public links. |
| File size | Limits vary by plan. Ultimate supports files up to 1 TB per transfer. | No platform file-size limit on transactions. |
| Evidence | Download status and access activity are available, with wider logging and SIEM options at Enterprise level. | Full user auditability is included across paid plans, with transaction history tied to the exchange. |
| Collaboration | Comments, previews, requests and team workspaces support delivery-led collaboration. | MX Conversations and Linked Transactions keep discussion, files and related exchanges together. |
| Enterprise controls | SSO, SCIM, workspace policies and security logging are available in enterprise configurations. | Enterprise options include SSO, API integration, whitelabelling, MX Distribute and ASR. |
File size can be decisive for engineering, manufacturing, construction and media teams. WeTransfer's paid limits are generous for many workflows, and its shared workspace documentation describes higher-capacity arrangements for Teams and Enterprise customers. MX removes the platform size limit entirely, which can avoid compressing CAD assemblies, splitting technical datasets or moving to a second tool for an unusually large package. Actual transfer time still depends on network conditions at both ends. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
Check the default, not only the feature list. A platform may offer restricted access, but the business still needs to decide whether that control is consistently applied. The safer choice is often the one that makes the organisation's required behaviour routine rather than optional.
Both platforms encrypt files, but MX adds an exchange-specific protection model
Encryption is important, though it does not answer every question about identity, forwarding, expiry or evidence. WeTransfer and MX both state that they use AES-256 protection for stored data, alongside encrypted transport. MX combines encryption with multi-factor authentication, named recipients, permissions, expiry settings and audit trails. These controls are part of its broader approach to encrypted business file sharing. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
MX Enterprise can also use ASR, which stands for Anonymise, Shard and Restore. The method transforms the data, separates it into protected shards and restores it for an authorised recipient. ASR is not another label for encryption. It is an additional method intended to prevent one complete, readable file from being retained in a single place. It should be considered alongside access management, endpoint security, policy and staff behaviour, not as a promise that risk disappears. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
Audit needs can change the answer
WeTransfer now has credible governance options, particularly at Enterprise level. Its activity log records the actor, time, IP address, country and relevant transfer detail, with CSV export and SIEM access. That makes it a more substantial business option than a basic link-sending tool. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
MX makes auditability a standard part of its commercial plans rather than positioning detailed administrative evidence only at the top tier. Pro includes full user auditability and notifications. Premium adds transaction conversations, linked exchanges and controlled forwarding. Enterprise adds specialist controls for organisations that need integration, branding, distribution management or ASR. Current prices and plan details are available on the MX pricing page. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
Neither service automatically makes an organisation compliant with UK GDPR, ISO 27001 or another framework. Compliance depends on lawful processing, configuration, retention, contracts, staff conduct, identity management and the wider governance programme. The platform contributes controls and evidence. The organisation remains responsible for using them properly. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Which platform is the better business choice?
Choose WeTransfer for simple delivery
It is a strong fit for occasional or creative transfers where familiarity, preview and presentation carry most of the value.
Choose MX for controlled exchange
Use it where named recipients, repeat B2B workflows, audit records and large technical files are routine requirements.
Compare the right tiers
WeTransfer Enterprise is a fairer comparison with MX Enterprise than the free service. Check required controls at the actual plan level.
Test a real handoff
Include an external recipient, an expiry rule, a revoked access case and the evidence an administrator receives afterwards.
For businesses researching WeTransfer alternatives, the decisive issue is usually not whether a file can be sent. Both platforms can do that securely. The question is how much control your organisation needs around the transfer, and whether that control must remain visible across customers, suppliers and project partners.
WeTransfer is capable and increasingly enterprise-aware. MX is more narrowly focused on accountable business exchange. Where the file is sensitive, the recipient must be known, the package may be extremely large and the record matters after delivery, that narrower focus can be a practical advantage. It can also reduce the policy gaps created when sensitive transfers depend on each sender remembering optional settings.
