Cloud storage
How to Share Large Video Files: Terabox vs Google Drive vs Other Options
Compare the easiest ways to send big video files: Terabox, Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox and transfer services. Free storage, limits and which to use when.
Phones now record 4K video by default, and a ten-minute clip can easily pass a gigabyte. Email attachments typically max out at 20–25 MB, and messaging apps compress videos until they're blurry. If you need to send a big video at full quality, cloud storage is the way. Here's how the main options compare.
Why big videos are hard to send
- Attachment limits: Gmail and Outlook cap attachments at around 20–25 MB.
- Compression: WhatsApp, Messenger and most social apps re-encode video, which cuts quality a lot.
- Upload time: a 5 GB file on a 10 Mbps upload connection takes over an hour, so reliability matters.
Your main options
Terabox
Terabox's standout feature is space: 1 TB free. That makes it popular for sharing long recordings and whole folders of footage. Share links work in any browser, and recipients can watch or download with tools like TeraLoader without installing anything. The trade-offs are a per-file upload limit on free accounts, ads in the app, and slower speeds at busy times.
Google Drive
Every Google account includes 15 GB free, shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos. Drive is reliable, integrates with Android and Gmail, and has good sharing controls (view-only, comment, edit). It's great for work files, but 15 GB fills up quickly with video.
Microsoft OneDrive
Free accounts get 5 GB, and Microsoft 365 subscribers get 1 TB. It's a natural fit if you already pay for Office and work on Windows.
Dropbox
The free Basic plan offers 2 GB. Dropbox is known for fast, reliable syncing and is popular with creative teams, but the free tier is too small for regular video sharing.
File transfer services
Services built for one-off transfers let you upload a file and email a link without an account. Free tiers typically allow a few gigabytes per transfer, and links expire after a few days. That's handy for sending something once, not for storage.
Free plans compared
| Service | Free storage | Best for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terabox | 1 TB | Long videos, big archives | Per-file limit, ads, speed |
| Google Drive | 15 GB (shared) | Work, Android users | Fills up fast with video |
| OneDrive | 5 GB | Windows and Office users | Small free tier |
| Dropbox | 2 GB | Syncing between devices | Very small free tier |
| Transfer services | Per transfer | One-off sends | Links expire quickly |
Free allowances as advertised at the time of writing. Providers change their plans occasionally.
Which should you choose?
- Sending one big video once? A transfer service or Google Drive is simplest.
- Sharing lots of long videos, or a whole event's footage? Terabox's free space is hard to beat.
- Collaborating on work documents and videos? Google Drive or OneDrive, for their editing and permissions tools.
- Sending to people who aren't tech-savvy? Any service works, but tell them how to open it. For Terabox links, point them to TeraLoader so they can watch in the browser without installing an app.
Tips for sharing video well
- Export as MP4 (H.264). It plays on every phone, browser and TV.
- Name files clearly, like
2026-09-wedding-ceremony.mp4, notVID_2026….mp4. - Share a folder rather than twenty separate links.
- Set an expiry for anything private, and never share sensitive videos with public links.
- Keep your original. A shared cloud copy is not a backup.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free way to share a 10 GB video?
Terabox's 1 TB free plan has room for it, though you may need to check its per-file upload limit and split very large files. Google Drive works if you have 10 GB free in your account.
Can people watch a Terabox video without the app?
Yes. They can paste the share link into TeraLoader and watch it in any browser.