A Free pCloud Transfer Alternative

Step by step

1. Add your files

   Drop files or a whole folder onto the uploader at rapidfile.cc, or tap to pick them on a phone.

2. Pick the options

   Choose an expiry time, and optionally add a password, a download limit, a title or a message.

3. Share the link, code or QR

   Send the link, read out the 6-digit code, or let the other person scan the QR code.

4. Recipient downloads

   They open the link, or go to rapidfile.cc/receive and type the code. You can close your tab once the upload finishes.

pCloud Transfer is a free way to send files to someone without making an account. It sits alongside pCloud's storage service, and its free tier is what most people use when they need to pass a file along. The limits matter more than the name. The Transfer page lists up to 5 GB for free and up to 200 MB for a single file. People look for an alternative for several reasons: the file is bigger than 200 MB, they want a code to read out instead of a link, or they want to know what the free plan allows before they send something important. Rapidfile is one option. Its free plan has different limits, so this page compares them plainly.

The short version

The pCloud figures are from the Transfer page as read in October 2026. The page does not say whether 5 GB applies to each transfer or in total, and it does not give expiry or encryption details, so those cells say to check the site. Plans change. Check pCloud's site for current limits, and Rapidfile's pricing page for ours.

Where pCloud Transfer is the stronger pick

Being direct about this saves you time:

• Several medium files in one go. The page lists 5 GB free. If that limit applies per transfer, and each file is under 200 MB, pCloud can carry more in a single send than Rapidfile's free plan allows. A set of 30 photos or a batch of short clips can fit comfortably. Confirm the per-transfer rule on pCloud's site first.
• Staying inside the pCloud ecosystem. If you already use pCloud for storage, sending from the same account keeps your workflow in one place.
• No account needed for the first transfer. pCloud's page says there is no need to register, which matches Rapidfile's no-account option up to 500 MB.

If your files are mostly small or medium, and you send several at once, pCloud Transfer may suit you. For a single large file above 200 MB, it is not the best fit, and Rapidfile with a free account is the more useful option.

Where Rapidfile fits better

• Single files up to 2 GB for free. With a free account, one transfer can be up to 2 GB. That covers many videos, archives and design files that pCloud's 200 MB per-file limit would split or reject. See the guide to sending a 2 GB file.
• Codes and QR codes. Every transfer gets a 6-digit code and a QR code. Someone across the room types the code at rapidfile.cc/receive, or the Rapidfile app on Android scans the QR code.
• Expiry you choose. The free plan offers links that last 1 hour, 1 day, 3 days or 7 days, and the files are deleted when the link expires. You can also remove a transfer early.
• Folders with structure kept. Drag a folder in and it is zipped in your browser with its structure intact, so the recipient gets the same layout. More on this in sending a folder online.
• Ad-free paid plans. The free plan shows ads. Plus and Pro remove ads on all Rapidfile products and apps.
• Command line and scripts. The CLI runs on Node 18 or newer with no extra dependencies, and rapidfile send <path> sends a file from a terminal. A plain curl upload also works.

Encryption: what to check

pCloud describes encryption options for some of its products, and some reviews mention a password option for transfers. Check pCloud's current Transfer page for what is included before you send anything sensitive.

Rapidfile is also not end-to-end encrypted. Files are encrypted in transit with TLS and at rest on Cloudflare's network, and every upload is scanned with ClamAV, an open source scanner. A password on a Rapidfile transfer controls who can open it. It is not end-to-end encryption, and Rapidfile does not describe it as one.

For highly sensitive files, compare both services against your own requirement, and choose the one whose encryption model matches it. Do not use either one for material you would not want the provider to hold.

Testing the limits yourself

The most reliable way to compare two free plans is to test them with the file you actually need to send:

1. Check the size of the file or folder you want to send.
2. On pCloud Transfer, confirm whether 5 GB applies to each send or to the total, and check the per-file limit of 200 MB.
3. On Rapidfile, drop the same file at rapidfile.cc. Without an account the limit is 500 MB. With a free account it is 2 GB.
4. Look at the expiry options on each site before you upload, and choose the shortest one that works for your recipient.
5. Send the link or code to a test address you control, and open it from a second device to check that it downloads.

Moving from pCloud Transfer to Rapidfile

If the file is too big for pCloud's per-file limit, the switch takes a minute:

1. Open rapidfile.cc on the computer or phone you use most. Files up to 500 MB need no account.
2. Set the expiry and, if you like, an optional password before you upload.
3. Copy the link or the 6-digit code into your message. Rapidfile does not email the link, so you share it yourself.
4. For files above 500 MB, sign in with a free Enzonic account.

Your recipient does not need to change anything. They open the link or type the code, as they would with any other link.

Which one should you use?

Use pCloud Transfer when you need to send several files that each fall under 200 MB, and the total fits within its free allowance once you have checked how that limit applies. Use Rapidfile when you need one file up to 2 GB, want to share a code or QR code in person, or want links that expire on a date you choose. Check both sites' current limits before you send anything large.

FAQ

Updated 2026-10-20