Step by step
Find your original files
Check your own drive or cloud storage first. Zippyshare deleted its files when it closed, so your original copy is the most reliable one.
Open Rapidfile
Go to rapidfile.cc. Files up to 500 MB need no account. Larger files up to 2 GB need a free Enzonic account.
Upload and copy the link
Add the file, pick an expiry time, and copy the link, 6-digit code or QR code.
Update your old links
Replace any Zippyshare links in your posts or pages with the new ones, and keep a list of old and new links.
Zippyshare was a file hosting website. You uploaded a file, got a link, and passed it on to friends, forums, fan communities and blogs. Its direct download links were common across the web for years, which is why many old posts still point to it. Zippyshare closed in March 2023. If you are here because those links now lead nowhere, the first thing to know is that the service is gone and its files are no longer served from zippyshare.com. This page explains what happened, what that means for old links, and how Rapidfile compares when you need to send a file today.
What happened to Zippyshare
On March 19, 2023, Zippyshare's founders published a blog post announcing that the site would close. It was the first post on the blog in several years. The post asked users to back up any files they wanted to keep, and the site ran unchanged until it went offline on March 31, 2023. The Fader's report on the closure covers the announcement, and Wikipedia's Zippyshare entry gives the same closing date. One outlet, Hackread, gives March 30 as the final day, so treat the exact day as a small point of disagreement between sources.
The founders' stated reasons were practical. They pointed to declining usage, rising electricity costs and the spread of ad blockers, which reduced the ad revenue that paid for the service. Together, they said, these made the site too expensive to run. The closure notice also said there were smaller reasons on top of those.
What this means for old links
Links to Zippyshare in older posts will not bring your files back. The site no longer serves them, and any copy that survives is in someone else's hands. A few steps can help you recover what you can.
- Check your own storage first. The original file on your computer, phone or cloud account is the most reliable copy you have.
- Look for a captured page in the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine at web.archive.org. Archives keep snapshots of many pages, but whether a particular file was saved is up to the archive, so do not assume it is there.
- If you find a copy you have the right to use, upload it again to a service you control and update the links in your content.
If a file was only ever on Zippyshare, you may have no copy left. In that case, the old post is still useful to readers if you add a note explaining that the file is no longer available, and you can link to a replacement once you have one.
Why people still search for Zippyshare
People who search for a Zippyshare alternative usually want the same basic thing: a simple way to upload a file and hand over a working link, without creating an account first. They also want a file size they can rely on and a service that is unlikely to vanish. Those are the right criteria to check when you compare any replacement, because the closure showed how quickly a file host can disappear with little warning.
Checking the limits before you switch
Zippyshare's limit was 500 MB per file, according to Wikipedia. Rapidfile's free plan has its own limits, and they are worth comparing directly. Without an account, you can send up to 500 MB per transfer, which matches the old Zippyshare figure. With a free account, you can send up to 2 GB. Links can last 1 hour, 1 day, 3 days or 7 days on the free plan, and the paid Plus and Pro plans allow links up to 14 and 30 days.
Rapidfile does not keep transfers forever. Files are deleted automatically at expiry, so a transfer is a way to hand over a file, not a permanent host. If you need files to stay online for other people to find, a persistent host such as Rapidfile Media for images and video, or the Upload API for developers, is the better fit.
If you are replacing a file host for a specific purpose, write down what that purpose needs before you choose. A forum signature image needs a permanent link, a one-off document needs a short expiry, and a large video needs a generous size limit. Zippyshare covered all three for many users, and no single replacement covers every case. Matching the tool to the job avoids a second move later.
How Rapidfile compares
| Zippyshare | Rapidfile (free) | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Closed March 31, 2023 | Operating |
| Account | Not applicable | None up to 500 MB; free account for up to 2 GB |
| Size per file | 500 MB (per Wikipedia) | 500 MB without an account, 2 GB with a free account |
| Retention | Not applicable | 1 hour, 1 day or 3 days (7 days with a free account); deleted at expiry |
| Ways to share | Link | Link, 6-digit code and QR code |
| Paid plans | Not applicable | Plus $3.99 a month (10 GB); Pro $7.99 a month (50 GB) |
Zippyshare's column reflects its closure as reported in 2023. Rapidfile figures are from Rapidfile's product information as of October 2026. Plans change, so check the pricing page before you rely on a number.
Where Rapidfile fits better
- A code and a QR code. Every transfer gets a 6-digit code as well as a link. Someone you meet in person can type the code at rapidfile.cc/receive, or scan the QR code with the Android app.
- Apps for desktop and Android. Right-click any file in Finder or File Explorer and choose "Rapidfile: Get link", or use the Android share sheet. See the apps page.
- No account for smaller files. Up to 500 MB needs nothing but a browser. Larger files need a free account, which is one extra step.
- Options on every send. Add a password, a download limit, a title or a message before you upload. See password protected file sharing.
- Folders kept intact. Drag a folder in and it is zipped in your browser with its structure kept. Details are in sending a folder online.
What Rapidfile does not do
Rapidfile is a transfer service, not a public host. It does not send an email for you, so you share the link or code yourself. Transfers are not permanent, and there is no public page where others can browse files. It is not end-to-end encrypted, and there is no iOS app, so iPhone users open the website in Safari. Rapidfile's Media and Upload API products do keep files until you delete them, but those are separate services with their own limits.
Which one should you use?
Zippyshare is no longer available, so the real question is where to send and host files now. Use Rapidfile when you want to send a file up to 500 MB without signing up, or up to 2 GB with a free account, and share it with a link, a code or a QR code. If you need a file to stay online for months, look at a persistent host instead. Start with your original copies, not with a copy you find on the web, and update your links as you go.
FAQ
When did Zippyshare shut down?
Zippyshare's founders announced the closure on March 19, 2023, and the site went offline on March 31, 2023. Some outlets give March 30 as the final day, so check the closure notice coverage if the exact date matters to you.
Why did Zippyshare close?
The founders cited declining usage, rising electricity costs and widespread ad blocker use, which together made the site too expensive to run. The Fader and Wikipedia both report these reasons.
Can I get my Zippyshare files back?
Not from zippyshare.com, which stopped serving files after the closure. Check your own copies first, and look for a captured page in the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine, which may or may not hold the file you need.
What was the Zippyshare file size limit?
Wikipedia reports that Zippyshare allowed files of up to 500 MB each. Rapidfile allows 500 MB without an account and 2 GB with a free account.
Is there a Zippyshare alternative I can use without an account?
Yes. Rapidfile accepts files up to 500 MB with no account. The recipient never needs an account, and can open the link in a browser or type the 6-digit code at rapidfile.cc/receive.
Is Rapidfile end-to-end encrypted?
No. Files are encrypted in transit with TLS and at rest, but Rapidfile is not end-to-end encrypted, so do not use it for the most sensitive material.
Updated 2026-10-20