SwissTransfer by Infomaniak is a generous free file transfer service — European-based, no account required, and a massive 50 GB per transfer limit. But there's a gap: SwissTransfer doesn't offer zero-knowledge encryption. They hold the keys, which means they can access your files. RocketShare closes that gap with encryption that happens before your files ever leave the browser.
At a glance
| RocketShare | SwissTransfer | |
|---|---|---|
| Encryption | Zero-knowledge (AES-256-GCM) | Server-side (they hold keys) |
| Who can access files | Only you and your recipients | SwissTransfer can access files |
| Free tier | 4 GB/month, 10 transfers, 7-day expiry | 50 GB/transfer, 30-day expiry |
| Paid plans | From $3/month | Free only (no paid tier) |
| Password protection | Yes | Yes |
| Download limits | Yes | Yes |
| Account required (recipient) | No | No |
| Data location | Amsterdam, EU | Switzerland |
The encryption gap
RocketShare encrypts every file with AES-256-GCM using 256-bit keys generated by the Web Crypto API — directly in your browser. The encryption key is embedded in the URL fragment (the part after #), which per RFC 3986 is never sent to the server. RocketShare cannot access your files, period.
SwissTransfer encrypts data in transit and at rest, but holds the encryption keys on their servers. Your files are protected from external attackers, but not from the service itself or legal requests.
European roots, different privacy levels
Both services are European, which is a strong starting point for privacy. SwissTransfer benefits from Switzerland's strong privacy laws. RocketShare stores files in Amsterdam, EU, with GDPR protections.
But legal protection has limits. Zero-knowledge encryption adds a technical guarantee on top: even if someone gained access to RocketShare's servers, your files would be unreadable without the key that only exists in your share link.
Free tier comparison
SwissTransfer is hard to beat on raw free-tier generosity — 50 GB per transfer with 30-day expiry is exceptional. RocketShare's free tier is more modest at 4 GB per month across 10 transfers with 7-day expiry. If you just need to send large files casually without privacy concerns, SwissTransfer's free tier is bigger.
But RocketShare's free tier includes what SwissTransfer can't offer: zero-knowledge encryption on every transfer.
For more capacity with encryption, RocketShare's paid plans scale up:
- Mini — $3/month — 60 GB/month, 20 transfers, up to 30-day expiry
- Starter — $7/month — 350 GB/month, 40 transfers, up to 60-day expiry
- Pro — $18/month — Unlimited transfers, up to 90-day expiry
- Teams — $15/seat/month — Unlimited transfers, seat-based billing
Why choose RocketShare
- Zero-knowledge encryption — AES-256-GCM, keys never leave your browser
- EU data residency — files stored in Amsterdam
- No account needed for recipients
- Configurable expiry up to 90 days on paid plans
- Team support with seat-based billing
- Paid plans from $3/month when you need more capacity
Ready to share files securely?
If you need the privacy guarantee that SwissTransfer can't provide, try RocketShare free — no account required to get started.