Motion designers rarely deliver a single file. A finished brand campaign typically means a final MP4, a ProRes master for the client's archive, social cuts at multiple aspect ratios, a source AE project for future edits, and sometimes a full asset package with fonts, footage, and project files. That package can easily reach 20 to 40GB before you have added the raw renders.
Most file delivery tools handle simple one-file sends tolerably. Multi-format delivery packages are where their limits show. This comparison covers nine tools motion designers commonly use, assessed on how well they handle the reality of what motion work actually looks like at delivery.
Quick comparison
| Tool | Transfer limit | Custom domain | Branding | Starting price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TrunkTransfer | 200GB per transfer | Yes, Starter plan | Full: name, domain, colors | $9/mo (7-day trial) |
| WeTransfer | 3GB free / up to 300GB paid | No | Partial, paid only | Free / $23/mo |
| Smash | 2GB free / 250GB Pro | Enterprise only | Logo and background, Pro | Free / $10/mo |
| Filemail | 5GB free / up to 5TB paid | Yes, Business | Branded page, Business | Free / from $15/mo |
| Dropbox Transfer | 100GB Professional | No | Logo only | From $9.99/mo |
| Frame.io | Plan-dependent | No | Frame.io interface | Included with Adobe CC ($55/mo+) |
| Hightail | 100GB+ paid | Custom URL, Business+ | Logo and color, paid | From $12/mo |
| MASV | No cap | No | Branded portals | Free 15GB/mo / $0.25 per GB |
| Google Drive | No hard limit | No | None | Free 15GB |
1. TrunkTransfer
Best for final client delivery: handles multi-format packages, branded page, organized per-client
TrunkTransfer is built for the handoff moment. When the render is done and the client needs the deliverables, TrunkTransfer covers the delivery, the presentation, and the confirmation that the client received the files.
Pricing
- Starter: $9/mo (or $6/mo billed annually), 200GB per transfer, 30-day expiry, branded delivery page, your own domain, download notification, client portals, 7-day free trial
Transfer limits
200GB per transfer on the Starter plan. A multi-format delivery package including ProRes masters, social cuts, and source files fits within a single transfer for most motion projects. The link stays active for 30 days. Clients at brand teams and agencies share links internally and revisit them. A short expiry generates re-upload requests. 30 days does not.
Organized delivery with client portals
On Starter, you can create a client portal for each ongoing client. One persistent URL that collects every delivery you have sent them. The client bookmarks one link and finds all project deliverables in one place. Particularly useful for retainer clients and studios doing multiple motion projects per client per month. Clients can leave comments and approve files inside the portal without creating an account.
Branding
On Starter, your client lands on a page with your studio name, your own domain, and your brand colors. No TrunkTransfer name or logo visible to the client. For motion designers building a studio identity, the delivery page is part of that identity. See how branded delivery works.
Who it is best for
Freelance motion designers, animation studios, and motion graphic agencies delivering final renders, source files, and asset packages to brand clients and agencies. Strong for anyone delivering multiple formats per project who wants them organized and presented under their studio name.
2. WeTransfer
Widely known, but the free limit is 3GB and paid plans rose to $23/mo in 2024
WeTransfer is the default that most clients recognize. That familiarity has genuine value: most brand contacts and marketing managers have used it and know what to do when a link arrives.
Pricing
- Free: 3GB per transfer, 10 transfers per month, 3-day link expiry
- Paid: from $23/mo after the Bending Spoons restructuring
The 3GB free limit
A single ProRes render often exceeds 3GB. A complete delivery package almost always does. Motion designers on the free plan hit this limit regularly and are forced to split packages, compress files, or upgrade. The 10-transfer monthly cap adds a second constraint for designers running multiple client projects simultaneously.
What changed in 2024 and 2025
Bending Spoons acquired WeTransfer in July 2024. Paid plans rose from $12/mo to $23/mo. WeTransfer Portals, which many studios used for organized client delivery, was shut down in December 2025. In July 2025, WeTransfer introduced an AI training clause for uploaded files and reversed it after pushback. For motion designers delivering unreleased brand animations and campaign assets, that incident raised questions.
Who it is best for
One-off sends where the file is under 3GB and the client recognizes the WeTransfer interface. Not recommended for studios where delivery presentation and branding matter, or where files regularly exceed the free tier limit.
3. Smash
Generous transfer sizes on Pro, but custom domain is Enterprise-only
Smash has a clean interface, fast uploads, and a Pro plan that handles large renders well. For motion designers who want a step up from WeTransfer's branding without a full custom domain setup, it is worth considering.
Pricing
- Free: 2GB limit, 7-day availability
- Pro: $10/mo, 250GB per transfer, 30-day availability, logo and background customisation
- Enterprise: custom pricing, includes CNAME custom domain
Transfer limits
The 250GB Pro limit covers most motion delivery packages. Free transfers above 2GB are placed in a processing queue, which can delay sends. For time-sensitive deliveries before a campaign launch, this is worth knowing.
Branding
Pro plan branding includes your logo and a custom background on the download page. The fromsmash.com portion of the URL remains visible to your client regardless of plan. A true custom domain (files.yourstudio.com) is only available at Enterprise pricing. If the URL matters to the professional identity you are building, this is a real constraint at the standard plan price.
Who it is best for
Motion designers who want a more professional download page than WeTransfer provides, without needing the full custom domain. Good for freelancers who deliver large renders regularly and want the client experience to look more considered.
4. Filemail
High size limits and custom domain on Business. Interface is dated but functional.
Filemail is a file transfer service with a longer history than most on this list. For motion designers delivering very large render packages or full project archives, it offers an unlimited file size option on Business plans without per-GB pricing.
Pricing
- Free: 5GB per transfer, 7-day link, Filemail branding, 10 downloads per transfer
- Personal: from $15/mo, 30GB per file, 30-day link
- Business: from $29/mo, unlimited file size, custom domain, white-label branding
Transfer limits
5GB on free is slightly more useful than WeTransfer's 3GB, but a ProRes master or image sequence archive will exceed it. Business removes the cap entirely. For motion work that includes uncompressed source files and render archives, this matters.
Branding
Business includes a custom domain and white-label branding. Personal and free plans show Filemail branding throughout. The interface is functional but looks dated compared to more modern tools. The client experience on lower tiers is not polished.
Who it is best for
Motion designers who need to send very large files beyond what Smash or WeTransfer's standard plans handle, but want flat monthly pricing rather than MASV's per-GB model. Business is viable if the custom domain and branding control are worth the $29/mo price.
5. Dropbox Transfer
Useful if Dropbox is already your storage layer. Limited branding.
Dropbox Transfer creates a clean delivery link from files in your Dropbox account. It is a better client experience than a shared folder link, and it includes basic view tracking.
Pricing
Included in Dropbox plans. Professional at approximately $15/mo includes 100GB transfer capability and logo customisation.
Transfer limits
100GB on Professional. Sufficient for most finished motion deliverables, though it falls short for very large render packages or source file archives.
Branding
Logo and background customisation is available, but the Dropbox interface remains prominent. Custom domains are not available. The client clearly sees they are using a Dropbox-powered page.
Who it is best for
Motion designers already paying for Dropbox Professional who want cleaner delivery links than a shared folder provides. Not worth paying for Dropbox specifically to access Transfer when dedicated delivery tools offer more at lower cost.
6. Frame.io
The right tool for review. Not a delivery tool.
Frame.io appears frequently in motion designer tool lists and deserves an honest placement. It is excellent at what it does. What it does is video review, not file delivery.
What Frame.io is for
Clients leaving timecoded comments on video drafts during production. Version stacking so the client sees revision history. Team review before files go to the client. Frame.io is purpose-built for the review phase of a project.
What Frame.io is not for
Sending finished files to a client who needs to download them. Frame.io shows the Frame.io interface to your client. There is no custom domain. There is no branded download page with your studio name. The client experience is Frame.io's, not yours. Adobe acquired Frame.io and it is bundled with Creative Cloud, which starts at $55/mo.
The honest use case split
Many motion designers use Frame.io during production for client feedback on drafts, then switch to TrunkTransfer for the final delivery of approved files. Review and delivery are different moments in the project and work better with tools built for each.
7. Hightail
Has review features. Not designed for motion delivery specifically.
Hightail is one of the older file transfer platforms and includes preview and commenting features for creative files. Some motion studios have used it when they wanted a combined review and delivery tool in a single subscription. It is worth knowing about, though its strengths do not align neatly with how most motion designers work.
Pricing
- Pro: $12/user/mo, basic sharing and previews
- Teams: $24/user/mo · Business: $36/user/mo, larger storage, team features, branding customisation, all billed annually
- Business+: custom pricing, custom URL
Preview support
Hightail can render previews of some video formats and image files for client review. The preview quality and supported formats are more limited than Frame.io. For motion work with complex compositions or high-bitrate video, the preview fidelity may not accurately represent the final output.
Branding
Logo and color customisation on Business plans. Custom URL on Business+ only. The Hightail interface is present in the client experience on all plans. The interface is dated by 2026 standards.
Who it is best for
Motion designers or studios already using Hightail who have not found a compelling reason to switch. New adopters will find the combination of Frame.io for review and TrunkTransfer for delivery outperforms Hightail's combined approach on both dimensions.
8. MASV
For moving very large motion archives and raw project files between collaborators.
MASV is built for moving large files fast. Post-production teams, VFX studios, and broadcasters use it to transfer camera originals, uncompressed renders, and project archives between locations and collaborators. It is infrastructure-layer tooling, not a client delivery platform.
Pricing
- Free: 15GB per month
- Pay-as-you-go: $0.25 per GB above the free allocation
- Subscription plans for high-volume use
Transfer limits
No hard cap. Files up to 15TB per transfer are supported. For motion designers delivering enormous uncompressed render archives or handing off full project packages to a post-production partner, MASV handles what no standard delivery tool will.
Who it is best for
Motion designers and animation studios moving very large source files, uncompressed render sequences, or full project archives to collaborators, post houses, or broadcast partners. Not suitable as a client delivery tool where branded presentation matters.
Not ideal for
Final deliveries to brand clients or marketing contacts. The client experience is functional but not polished. Use MASV for the pipeline layer and TrunkTransfer for the final client handoff.
9. Google Drive
Effectively free and unlimited. The delivery experience is a problem.
Google Drive handles files of any size, never expires, and is free up to 15GB. For internal file sharing between team members who all have Google accounts, it is hard to beat.
The client experience problem
A brand client on Microsoft 365 clicking your Drive link on their phone encounters a sign-in prompt. They do not have a Google account handy. They email you. This is not rare.
There is no delivery confirmation. You cannot see whether the client has downloaded the files. There is no branded experience. The client lands on a Google Drive page, which is whose brand is on your final deliverable.
Who it is best for
Sharing work-in-progress files and source materials with collaborators. Internal team use within the same Google Workspace. Not suited for final client deliveries where the download page reflects on your studio.
How to choose
For final client deliveries with your brand on the page: TrunkTransfer. 200GB per transfer and 30-day links on Starter, your studio name on every delivery page, and a download notification when the client picks up the files.
For organized per-client delivery across multiple projects: TrunkTransfer Starter with client portals. One persistent URL per client, all deliveries collected in one place, client comments and approval without an account.
For video review during production: Frame.io. Timecoded client feedback on drafts before files are finalized. Use TrunkTransfer for the final handoff.
If you already pay for Dropbox: Use Dropbox Transfer on Professional rather than adding a separate tool. Limited branding but better than a folder share.
For very large source file archives: MASV for files above 100GB or when moving project archives to collaborators and post houses. Flat-fee alternative: Filemail Business at $29/mo with no per-GB cost.
For occasional sends under 2GB: WeTransfer free or Smash free. No setup required.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best file delivery tool for motion designers?
TrunkTransfer for final client deliveries: 200GB per transfer, branded download page, 30-day links, download notification, and client portals for organized per-client delivery. Frame.io for video review during production. The two cover different moments in the workflow.
How do I send an image sequence to a client?
ZIP the image sequence folder first, then upload to TrunkTransfer. Starter handles up to 200GB. Your client downloads the ZIP and extracts it. This preserves the file structure and avoids confusion from receiving hundreds of individual files.
Can I deliver multiple formats in one transfer?
Yes. Drag all files (MP4, ProRes, source AE project, assets) into TrunkTransfer as a single transfer. The client sees all files on one download page and can download them individually or as a package.
Do clients need to create an account to download?
Not with TrunkTransfer. Your client clicks the link and downloads. No account, no app, no email verification. This matters when your client is a brand contact or agency person on a different platform who will not create an account to receive your work.
How do I keep client deliveries organized across multiple projects?
TrunkTransfer client portals. One persistent URL per client. Every delivery you send them appears inside the same portal. Clients bookmark one link and find all their files in one place. You can enable comments and file approval per portal, which replaces the need for a separate feedback tool for most delivery workflows.
What is the difference between Frame.io and TrunkTransfer?
Frame.io is a video review platform built for timecoded client feedback on drafts during production. TrunkTransfer is a file delivery tool built for sending approved, final files to clients who need to download them. They solve different problems. Many motion designers use both: Frame.io during production, TrunkTransfer for final delivery.
