An upload link generator solves one specific problem: you need files from a person, and every normal channel makes them do the work - create an account, install something, figure out someone else's cloud. A generated link inverts that. You set up the collection point once; they open a URL, drop files, done.
The two-minute setup that saves the follow-ups
Generating the link is trivial - title, create, share. The part worth two minutes of thought is the settings, because each one replaces a follow-up email you would otherwise write:
- Description with expectations - formats, naming, what is required. The uploader reads it exactly when they need it: mid-upload.
- File size limit - 100 MB per file by default, up to 200 MB. Lower it to catch "I sent the wrong export" early: a 90 MB file on a documents-only request is a mistake surfacing itself.
- File type restriction - documents only, images only. Blocks both honest mistakes and the executable a stranger has no business sending you.
- Expiration - the link stops accepting files after your deadline (7 days if you do not set one). Deadline enforcement without policing.
- Password - for anything sensitive; share it through a different channel than the link.
- Checklist - name each required file and the page tracks per-item completion.
If the uploaders will be standing in front of you - at an event, in a classroom, at a reception desk - use the QR code instead of the URL. Scanning beats typing on a phone, and the upload starts while the moment is still happening.
What the uploader experiences
One page: your title, your instructions, a drag-and-drop area. Name field so you know who sent what. No sign-up on their side, no app, works on a phone. This matters more than any feature on your side - the person uploading did not choose the tool and owes it zero patience.
Anything over 5 MB uploads in chunks and resumes if the connection drops - office Wi-Fi and train journeys included.
What you get
A private dashboard link (keep it private - it is the only key): files appear in real time with uploader names, images preview in place, and everything downloads as one ZIP. When the page expires, uploads stop; a few days later the files are deleted from the server. It is a collection point, not storage - download the ZIP and file it in your own system.
Honest comparison
| Tool | Free | Account needed | You request, they upload | Catch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| getfiles.app | Yes | No (either side) | Yes | 200 MB per file, temporary by design |
| Dropbox File Request | Yes | Yours | Yes | Counts against your 2 GB free quota; full quota fails silently |
| Google Forms | Yes | Uploaders need Google | Sort of | 10 files max, awkward for non-Google people |
| OneDrive Request | With M365 | Admin setup | Yes | Enterprise-only in practice |
| WeTransfer | Yes | No | No - sender initiates | You cannot "request"; they must think of it |
Match the tool to the direction. Collecting FROM people - upload link. Sending TO people - WeTransfer and friends are fine. Most "file sharing" frustration comes from using a sending tool for a collecting job.
When you do not need this
One person, one small file, already mid-conversation - just let them attach it to the reply. A generator earns its setup cost when there is more than one sender, more than 25 MB, or anything you will need to track.
getfiles.app is the generator described here - free, no accounts on either side, checklist and password included.