Pushbullet is a popular tool for transferring files between devices but changes to the free version have left users unimpressed. Edward Munn compares it to other services that transfer files wirelessly, even when your devices are in different locations
SendAnywhere
SendAnywhere offers the best combination of features, performance and simplicity of all the file-transfer services we tested. You don’t have to set up an account to use it: just choose the file you want to send from your PC or smartphone, then use the 6-digit key generated by SendAnywhere within the next 10 minutes to receive the file.
Like our Silver Award winner Infinit, SendAnywhere is available on lots of operating systems including Windows, OS X, Android and iOS, and transfers files directly using peer-to-peer technology rather than uploading the file to online storage, even when the sending and receiving devices aren’t on the same network. There are no limits on the size or number of transfers you can make - they’re all free and the transfer speeds are blisteringly fast.
The app interface works like a file manager, letting you browse all the files on your device by category, including photo, text, audio, app and video, which makes it perfect for use on a smartphone.
As well as offering purpose-built applications for PCs and mobile devices, SendAnywhere lets you send and receive files up to 1GB in size directly from your web browser. This is especially useful when you need to transfer a file to a computer for which you don’t have permission to install software, but also means you can quickly send large files to people by asking them to visit send-anywhere.com and enter the appropriate code.
If you want to transfer files to more than one device or person, SendAnywhere offers a handy feature that keeps your files on its servers for 24-hours for added flexibility. By simply setting up an account, the app also lets you send files directly between your own devices without needing to enter a code each time.
We found almost no fault with SendAnywhere, but it’s set to be improved nonetheless with the release of version 3.0. The new service will introduce a redesigned interface along with new tools including auto-resume and full transfer history.
OUR VERDICT
We gave SendAnywhere the full five stars in every category, making it the clear winner of our Gold Award. Whether you want to transfer files between your own devices or to your friends, there’s no better option available.
Infinit
Infinit is an innovative file-transfer service that’s compatible with a wide range of devices including Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android. Its peer-to-peer technology offers speeds up to 30 times faster than cloud services such as Dropbox and Google Drive, meaning that a 2GB HD movie can be transferred in as little as 13 minutes, as opposed to the 3 hours it would take via the cloud. Infinit lets you transfer such files even when both devices are on different networks, although it’s obviously quicker when they’re on the same one.
You can send files directly to friends who have Infinit accounts or enter a recipient’s email address to make the file available for them to download from Infinit’s servers for up to seven days. For free accounts, Infinit has a file-transfer limit of 10GB, which is more than enough for most users, and there’s no limit on the number of transfers you make. If you want to save your files to Infinit’s servers for a longer period of time, its handy Link function provides 1GB of free storage.
Infinit’s Windows software couldn’t match the blistering transfer speeds of SendAnywhere’s web widget. Our Gold Award winner also has no file-transfer limit and we prefer its Android app.
OUR VERDICT
Infinit offers a brilliant range of features, but it doesn’t match SendAnywhere’s performance and usability.
AirDroid
Like Pushbullet, AirDroid connects your Android phone and PC (or Mac) so you can read notifications, send and receive text messages and even answer phone calls from the larger screen. It also supports file transfers between your devices but, unlike Pushbullet, there’s no limit on the size or number of transfers you can make when both devices are connected to the same network.
If you want to make transfers via the internet, free accounts are limited to 200MB a month (with a maximum file size of 30MB each), or you can unlock unlimited remote transfers (of up to 1GB each) by subscribing to its Premium plan at a cost of $20 (around £13) a year. Sending files to friends is supported both locally and remotely, providing they too have an AirDroid account.
AirDroid for Windows is the best way to use the service, but it’s also available by visiting web.airdroid.com.
Although it represents much better value than Pushbullet, AirDroid’s remote file transfers are still quite pricey compared to our Gold and Silver Award winners. Unlike Pushbullet, there’s also no iOS app.
OUR VERDICT
If you’re not sure whether to use Pushbullet or AirDroid, we think the latter offers better value for money. But for quick, easy file transfers to anywhere, you’re better off with one of our other award winners.
Pushbullet
Pushbullet connects your PC and smartphone so you can transfer files, see notifications, and send and receive text messages. Unfortunately, the free version of the app limits you to sending files of 25MB and you can only send a total of 2GB before you have to start clearing out your ‘push’ history. Upgrading to Pushbullet Pro unlocks an impressive 100GB of storage and 1GB file transfers, but it costs $39.99 (around £26) a year.
Portal by Pushbullet
Pushbullet’s mobile app Portal offers one of the quickest and easiest ways of transferring large files via your Wi-Fi network. To connect your PC and smartphone, you just scan a QR code at portal.pushbullet.com. You can then begin transferring files by dragging and dropping them on the web page. However, it can only be used to move files from PC to smartphone and not vice versa.
WiFi File Transfer Pro
WiFi File Transfer Pro is an Android app that lets you move files between your PC and smartphone using a web-based file manager, but you have to be on the same network. Its design is a bit naff but it’s very quick and easy to set up, and you only need to make a one-off payment of 88p. In fact, there’s even a free version of the app (bit.ly/wififree387) that works in exactly the same way but limits you to uploading files no bigger than 5MB to your PC, while transfers in the opposite direction are unlimited.