5 GB free500 GB with an account
Exports finally get through
5 GB free ≈ 50 workbooks of 100 MB or a CSV export of tens of millions of rows. With an account, up to 500 GB per transfer.
Send large Excel files without losing a thing
A 40-tab workbook, a data export, a consolidated report: TransferNow sends your Excel files up to 5 GB for free, no sign-up required — formulas, macros and pivot tables intact, with a password for sensitive data.
- XLSX · XLSM · CSV
- Up to 5 GB free
- No sign-up
- Macros & formulas intact
Average rating after at least one transfer:
4.8750,000 votes
4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot and Google (20k+ reviews)
The problem
Why does your email reject your workbooks?
A real working workbook — source data, pivot tables, history — quickly reaches hundreds of megabytes, and a CSV export of transactions runs into gigabytes. The attachment (20-25 MB) is overwhelmed… when the file isn’t blocked for its macros: many email services reject .xlsm files for security reasons.
The workarounds create new problems: deleting tabs breaks links and formulas; zipping isn’t always enough (numeric data compresses poorly) and doesn’t lift the macro block; the drive turns a simple send into permissions management.
The workbook has to arrive whole and functional. TransferNow sends it as is, free up to 5 GB.
- Outlook attachment20 MB
- Gmail attachment25 MB
- TransferNow — free, no sign-up5 GB
- TransferNow — with an account500 GB
Logarithmic scale — the exact values are what counts.
The solutions
Four ways to send a large Excel file
A working workbook and a data export have different needs — but neither deserves to arrive broken. An honest comparison.
| Method | Max size | Quality | For the recipient |
|---|---|---|---|
| TransferNow (dedicated transfer)Recommended | 5 GB free · 500 GB with an account | Workbook intact, macros included | One click, no account |
| Slim down the workbook (cut tabs) | Varies | Links and formulas broken | Attachment if reduced enough |
| Zip the file | Modest gain on data | Intact | Macros still blocked by email services |
| Drive / online spreadsheet | Depends on the account quota | Macros and some formulas unsupported on import | Account often required |
The dedicated transfer: the workbook works on arrival
The file travels byte for byte: formulas, VBA macros, pivot tables, conditional formatting — it’s all there. And since it’s not an attachment, no email filter blocks the .xlsm.
Cutting tabs: the guaranteed #REF! error
Slimming a workbook by deleting sheets silently breaks the links: the recipient discovers the #REF! errors in the middle of a meeting. If the workbook is heavy, it’s because it contains what it needs.
The ZIP: a band-aid, not a solution
XLSX files are already compressed (they’re ZIP in disguise): marginal gain. And the archive fixes neither the size limit beyond a few dozen MB, nor the macro block.
The online spreadsheet: beware the conversion
Importing a large XLSX into an online spreadsheet can lose macros, advanced formulas and formatting. Fine for co-editing a simple document, risky for delivering a financial model.
Guide
How to send large Excel files without losing a thing?
- 1
Add your workbooks
XLSX, XLSM, CSV — individual files or a complete folder, up to 5 GB for free.
- 2
Protect and send
A password for sensitive data, then send by email or share the link.
- 3
Track delivery
A notification on every download: you know when the controller has the file.
With TransferNow
Built for your Excel files
Macros · VBA
.xlsm files are not blocked
Unlike attachments, the transfer doesn’t filter macro-enabled files: the model arrives functional, VBA included.
Byte for byte
Formulas and links intact
No conversion: pivot tables, array formulas, conditional formatting and cross-sheet links arrive exactly as they are on your machine.
Password
Sensitive data protected
Financial, HR or customer data: protect the download with a password (shared through another channel) — on top of the transfer’s encryption (SSL/TLS).
Notifications
Download traceability
A notification on every download, per recipient — you know who retrieved the report and when.
7 days · up to 365 days
Availability under control
Up to 7 days for free, up to 365 days with an account — and deactivate the link the moment the data should stop circulating.
What fits in 5 GB?
- ≈ 50
- 100 MB workbooks in one free transfer
- ≈ 200×
- the Gmail attachment limit (25 MB)
- 1 link
- for the full quarterly reporting
- 500 GB
- per transfer with an account
Frequently asked questions
How do I send an Excel file too heavy for email?
Create a TransferNow transfer (up to 5 GB for free, no sign-up) and share the link: the recipient downloads the intact workbook from their browser.
Do macros (.xlsm) go through?
Yes: the transfer doesn’t filter macro-enabled files, unlike many email services. The file travels as is, and files are scanned by antivirus before being made available.
Are formulas and pivot tables preserved?
Yes, the file travels byte for byte: no conversion, so formulas, links, pivot tables and formatting arrive strictly identical.
How do I secure the sending of financial data?
Add a password to the transfer and share it through another channel. The transfer is encrypted (SSL/TLS), downloads are tracked per recipient, and the link can be deactivated at any time.
Can I send a CSV export of several gigabytes?
Yes: up to 5 GB for free and up to 500 GB with an account. The CSV goes out as is, with no splitting and no lost rows.
Also worth sending
Sending other types of files?
All file types5 GB per transfer for free, no sign-up