Send a file larger than 50 GB

Q: What’s a reliable service for sending 50 GB?

TransferNow with its desktop apps: up to 500 GB per transfer, background upload built for long connections, and a recipient who downloads without an account.

Q: How long does it take to upload 50 GB?

About 2 hours on a standard fiber line, depending on your upload speed. The desktop app lets you keep working while it sends.

Q: Is a hard drive better than an online transfer?

Below 100 GB with a good connection, online transfer wins: no courier delay, no drive tied up, download traceability. The drive remains relevant for terabytes.

Q: Can the recipient download over several days?

Yes: the link stays active for the configured duration (up to 365 days with an account), and you’re notified of every download.

50 GB is the territory of camera footage, image libraries and end-of-project archives. TransferNow sends them in one link, up to 500 GB per transfer — with desktop apps designed for multi-hour uploads.

Transfer now See the guide

Footage · image libraries
Up to 500 GB per transfer
Desktop apps

Average rating after at least one transfer:

4.8763,165 votes

4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot and Google (20k+ reviews)

Average rating after at least one transfer:

4.8750,000 votes

4.9 / 5 on Trustpilot and Google (20k+ reviews)

The problem

At 50 GB, reliability becomes the number one issue

A 50 GB transfer means several hours of upload, even on good fiber. At this scale, the question is no longer the service’s ceiling but its ability to see the upload through: a closed tab, a computer going to sleep, network micro-drops — each incident can cost a morning.

That’s why professionals go through the desktop apps: the upload lives outside the browser, survives the session’s ups and downs, and you’re alerted when everything is online. The recipient, meanwhile, downloads at their own pace for the lifetime of the link.

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 transfer 50 GB

At this volume, you compare complete chains — upload, hosting, delivery — not home pages.

Comparison of sending methods: maximum size, quality and recipient experience.
Method	Max size	Quality	For the recipient
TransferNow + desktop appRecommended	Up to 500 GB per transfer	Background upload, files intact	One click, selective download
Hard drive by courier	Unlimited	Intact	Delay + risk of damage or loss
FTP / self-hosted server	Unlimited	Intact	Credentials, dedicated client, maintenance
Drive / cloud storage	Depends on the account quota	Intact	Account or access rights often required

The desktop app: the industrialized upload

Drag the shoot folder into the Windows/macOS/Linux app and let it run: the upload continues in the background, out of the tab’s hazards. You’re notified when the link is ready.

The courier: old school, sometimes justified

For terabytes or a site without fiber, the drive remains unbeatable. For 50 GB on a good connection, online transfer delivers faster — with no drive tied up and no breakage risk.

FTP: maintenance included, unfortunately

FTP will carry 50 GB, but demands a maintained server, distributed credentials and a client installed on the other end. A browser link does the same without the infrastructure.

The cloud: outside the free envelope

50 GB exceeds the free quota of every consumer drive: you’d need a storage subscription… for a delivery need. Two different jobs.

Guide

How to send a file larger than 50 GB?

1
Start the transfer from the desktop app
It’s what will hold through the two hours of fiber upload — not a browser tab drifting off to sleep.
2
Work while it uploads
The transfer runs in the background; you’re notified when the link is ready to share.
3
Deliver without logistics
No drive to tie up, no courier: the recipient downloads from their browser, and every download is tracked.

Transfer now See our plans

With TransferNow

Built for your transfers over 50 GB

500 GB per transfer

The whole shoot day

Camera cards, location sound, notes: everything leaves in one link, structure preserved, up to 500 GB.

Desktop apps

Hours of upload, zero babysitting

The upload runs in the background and survives the session’s hiccups — you’re notified when it’s online.

Password

Sensitive footage, protected

Password on the download, encrypted transfer (SSL/TLS), link lifetime under control.

Notifications

Post-production knows

Each recipient triggers a notification on download: you know when the edit can start.

5 GB free, in equivalents

50 GB: ≈ a full shoot day in ProRes Proxy
500 GB: the per-transfer ceiling — the whole week
≈ 2 hrs: of upload on fiber — in the background
0: drives to tie up or couriers to pay

Transfer up to 5 GB for free

Frequently asked questions

What’s a reliable service for sending 50 GB?

TransferNow with its desktop apps: up to 500 GB per transfer, background upload built for long connections, and a recipient who downloads without an account.

How long does it take to upload 50 GB?

About 2 hours on a standard fiber line, depending on your upload speed. The desktop app lets you keep working while it sends.

Is a hard drive better than an online transfer?

Below 100 GB with a good connection, online transfer wins: no courier delay, no drive tied up, download traceability. The drive remains relevant for terabytes.

Can the recipient download over several days?

Yes: the link stays active for the configured duration (up to 365 days with an account), and you’re notified of every download.

Does an hour of 4K footage fit in 50 GB?

Yes in camera H.264: an hour of XAVC S at 100 Mbps comes to ≈ 45 GB (Sony spec). In ProRes 422 HQ UHD, count ≈ 332 GB per hour (Apple white paper) — the territory of 100 GB+ transfers.