Best Megaupload Alternatives
There is no single Megaupload replacement, because Megaupload did two different jobs at once. It was a place to park files indefinitely and a way to hand someone a link in thirty seconds without an account. Today those are separate products. Pick by which job you actually have: Gofile or Send Anywhere for a one-off send with no signup, Mega for the largest free storage at 20 GB.
Short answer
- Biggest single file, no account: Gofile, 20 GB per file.
- No size ceiling at all: Send Anywhere, direct device to device.
- Most free storage: Mega, 20 GB.
- Most private: Mega or Proton Drive — the only two with zero-knowledge encryption on the free tier.
- Avoid if you send often: WeTransfer's free plan now caps you at 10 transfers or 3 GB per 30 days.
Sending one file (no account)
| Service | Free limit | Kept for | The catch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Send Anywhere | Unlimited, device to device | Key expires in 10 minutes | The uncapped size applies to the direct peer-to-peer mode. Link-based transfers are capped. |
| Gofile | 20 GB per file | Kept while downloaded, removed when inactive | Free downloads are throttled and every download page carries ads. Password protection is paid. |
| WeTransfer | 3 GB per transfer | 3 days | Free use is capped at 10 transfers OR 3 GB total per 30 days, whichever comes first. |
| File.io | Small files | Deleted after one download | Genuinely one-shot. If the recipient opens the link twice, the second attempt fails. |
Storing files long term
| Service | Free | Zero-knowledge | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mega | 20 GB | Yes, free tier | Largest free tier, encrypted by default. Transfer speed is throttled on the free plan. |
| Google Drive | 15 GB | Not offered | Shared pool across Gmail, Drive and Photos, so a full inbox eats the same quota. |
| pCloud | 10 GB | Paid plans only | Full 10 GB unlocks only after a setup checklist. Client-side encryption is an add-on. |
| Icedrive | 10 GB | Paid plans only | Encryption sits behind the paid plan, so free files are stored readable by the provider. |
| Microsoft OneDrive | 5 GB | Not offered | Built into Windows and Office. Smallest of the mainstream tiers. |
| Proton Drive | 5 GB | Yes, free tier | Swiss jurisdiction, zero-knowledge on the free tier. |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | Not offered | Smallest free allowance, but the widest third-party app support. |
Figures last verified 24 September 2026.
Why "free tier" is the wrong thing to compare
Every roundup ranks these services by headline gigabytes, and that number is usually the least useful one. Google Drive's 15 GB is a shared pool across Gmail, Drive and Photos, so a decade-old inbox can have spent most of it before you upload anything. pCloud advertises 10 GB but releases the full amount only after you work through a setup checklist. Mega really does give 20 GB, but throttles transfer speed on the free plan, which you notice on exactly the large files you signed up to move.
The same applies to sending. WeTransfer looks like the simplest option until you hit the monthly ceiling — 10 transfers or 3 GB per 30 days, whichever lands first. File.io is not "short retention", it is one download and gone; if your recipient clicks twice, the second click fails. Those behaviours decide whether a service works for you far more often than the headline number.
Which one should you use?
- One big file, once, to one person. Gofile for anything up to 20 GB, or a no-signup transfer tool if you want the walkthrough.
- You want it gone afterwards. Use temporary file hosting so deletion is the default rather than something you remember to do.
- Keeping files across devices. Compare the free cloud storage tiers — the encryption column matters more than the size column.
- No account, either end. See no sign-up file sharing.
Frequently asked questions
Is Mega the same company as Megaupload?
No. Mega launched in January 2013, founded by Kim Dotcom, but it is a separate company with separate infrastructure and holds none of Megaupload's data. The full Megaupload history has the timeline.
Can I recover old Megaupload files from any of these?
No. The servers were seized in January 2012 and the data was never returned to users. No current service holds a copy, Mega included.
Which is safest for something confidential?
Of the storage options above, only Mega and Proton Drive offer zero-knowledge encryption on the free tier, meaning the provider cannot read the file. pCloud and Icedrive put that behind a paid plan; Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox do not offer it at all.
megaupload.nz is an unofficial fan recreation of the pre-2012 interface and is not affiliated with Kim Dotcom, Megaupload Limited, or Mega Limited. No service listed here is affiliated with this site.