Send Anywhere made cross-device transfer popular with its 6-digit key system: enter the code on the receiving device and the file comes across. It's a good idea with growing caveats — the web version caps transfers at 10 GB, the full experience keeps nudging you toward installing apps, and link-based sharing routes through servers with expiry windows. If you want the same "any device to any device" convenience with none of that, here's the browser-only route.
Where Send Anywhere adds friction
App pressure. The best Send Anywhere experience assumes their app on both devices. That's fine on your own phone — less fine when the other side is a client or a relative who shouldn't have to install software to receive one file.
The 10 GB web cap. Browser-to-browser transfers top out at 10 GB; bigger sends push you into apps or paid plans.
Server-side links. The convenient "share a link" mode uploads your file to Send Anywhere's servers (48-hour expiry on free) — reintroducing exactly the storage you might be trying to avoid.
ZetaShare: the no-install version of the same idea
ZetaShare delivers the same cross-platform directness using only what every device already has — a browser:
- Nothing to install, ever. Works in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge — on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iPhone. The receiving side just opens a link.
- No size limit. The transfer is pure P2P, so 10 GB isn't a threshold — it's a Tuesday. See sending 100GB+ files.
- No server copies. Files stream directly between devices, encrypted with DTLS 1.3. There's no upload mode, no expiry window, no retention policy — because nothing is retained.
- Custom links and passwords. Instead of a 6-digit code, share a link you can customize, optionally locked with a password.
- No account. Neither side ever signs up.
Comparison at a glance
| Send Anywhere (free) | ZetaShare | |
|---|---|---|
| Direct transfer size | 10 GB (web) | Unlimited |
| App required | Pushed heavily | Never |
| Link sharing | Via server, 48 h expiry | P2P, no server |
| Password protection | No | Yes |
| Account | Optional/pushed | None |
| Works on any OS | Yes (with apps) | Yes (browser only) |
The trade-off, stated plainly
Send Anywhere's server-link mode lets an offline recipient grab the file within 48 hours; its apps can retry flaky connections. ZetaShare's transfers are live — both devices online, both tabs open. In exchange you get unlimited size, zero server exposure, and a receiving experience that's literally "click the link."
FAQ
Phone-to-phone transfers too? Yes — any two browsers can connect. For the mobile workflow, see phone-to-PC transfers (the phone-to-phone flow is identical).
Is browser-only transfer slower than an app? No — WebRTC in the browser uses the same underlying transport an app would. Speed is set by your connection, not the packaging. Our speed guide covers how to max it out.
Skip the install screens: send a file straight from your browser.