You’re all set to begin your video, and you need to loop in a video editor, sound engineer or just want to send the video to your prospective clients. But email only lets you send 25 mb files (or the size a of few pictures and generally not video). So, how do you get your content to someone else?
If delivering a hard-drive or a USB flash drive is out of the question, look at online (and often free) video sharing services.
1. Dropbox
Free plans up to 2 GBs, 1 TB for $8.95/mo and so on.
Dropbox is easily the biggest name in the online storage game, and the most reliable. Their free plan is rather small if you’re sharing a lot of files, but the sharing features are fantastic.
The benefit of Dropbox is the long-term ease of use. Dropbox is a file management program that also just happens to have a video player, a comments section for communication, free access to Microsoft 365 programs like PowerPoint and Word, and an easy to navigate file system.
Sharing is also easy. Uploading a video or files to the web-browser, you can share them file by file. Or, create a Shared Folder that allows people to also add their own files to the folder.
I use this program for sending video drafts to our clients so that they can watch the video online, make comments and editing requests and also download content.
Sign up for Dropbox Basic (up to 2 GBs for free) here:
2. WeTransfer
Free plans up to 2GBs without any sign-up, 20 Gbs with Plus $12/mo
The greatest benefit of this web-based app is that you don’t need to sign up for anything to share files, and the free version gives you some pretty cool controls.
Simply go to the website and click “Take Me to Free”. Then, share the file to the browser window and type in the email address of the person you want to share the files with up to 2 GBs. Once you’re done, it sends a message to alert you that they were delivered securely.
Better yet, for security, the files are only kept on WeTransfer for 2 weeks and then they are destroyed (along with access to download the files again.) This is a great feature that protects your data and your privacy. It also guarantees a measure of control over who can access and see your files.
The Plus plan allows for a more Professional look. It lets you customize the background, store up to 100 GBs of files and password protect your files that you share.
For a one-off share, it’s a great deal. If you expect to do more or just want to look more professional, it’s worth the Plus plan.
3. GoogleDrive (aka Google One)
Free plans up to 15GBs with a Google account, $1.99 for 100 GBs and up to 10 TBs a month
Google Drive (recently rebranded Google One) is another one of those regulars in the file sharing game. Easily part of your suite of Google apps (like Gmail, which works with Google Drive easily) this program is usually the easiest to set up. Many people don’t know that they already have an account on Google because of their Android device, their Google Play account or Gmail. So, this is a great option with minimal extra setup.
Using a similar file storage structure as a computer, Google Drive allows you to upload files and folders. You can share them with links, restrict access and the videos will often (but not always) play in the browser.
Many people have mentioned that the download or upload is slower than other services. I have found this to be the case, and their companion app a little buggy. But, it’s still a viable option. The pricing is one of the best you’ll find, too, by the way.
Sign up for Google One or sign into your existing account:
4. Vimeo
Free plan (Vimeo Basic) for 500 Mbs per week, Plus at 5 GBs a week for $7/mo and so on)
Vimeo might not be your first choice, but if you have videos that are ready to be shared and you don’t want to go through YouTube (I’ll get to why below) Vimeo is a great option!
Vimeo is a professional video platform. It takes everything YouTube tries to do, and just puts polish on it. It’s great for video creators and sharing. It has impressive security settings and privacy.
You can use it as a video hosting service that password protects your videos, gives clients a downloadable option with just one click, and also is not over-run with ads like YouTube.
Additionally, Vimeo keeps your video in HD, embeds on websites, and has a wonderful filmmaking and business community that offer free support! If you have videos that are ready for primetime, you need someone to look over, or you are sharing as part of a pitch, consider a Vimeo plan.
5. YouTube
Free
YouTube is one of the truly free video sharing platforms out there. Like their parent company, Google, they are free because you and your content are their product. They reserve the right to place ads over your videos and gain money from your followers. They also reserve the right to remove your videos from their website, and who actually owns the content is always in question.
However, YouTube is well known because it’s a video creator’s paradise.
You get to put your content online and get it seen by the world easily. It doesn’t cost a penny and YouTube’s navigation, search and recommendation features are built to get your content out there.
It’s not as easy to use YouTube to share files you want clients or colleagues to download, but they can see your videos. YouTube also has easy Closed Captioning and editing features. Additionally, you can control if the video is public to all of YouTube, accessible only by someone who has the link, or even locked down to “private” with only you able to see it as a viable backup option.
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