The Easy Way to Receive Large Files From Clients

Published 2026-11-01 18:17:09.663896 by Carsten Blum

Receiving a large file from a customer shouldn't be complicated.

Yet it often is.

Email attachments are too small. FTP requires software and connection details. Temporary file transfer services introduce another platform, another workflow, and sometimes another set of privacy considerations. What if your customer could simply open a link, select their files, and upload them directly to your business storage?

That's exactly what ftpGrid Receive files is designed for. No FTP client. No account registration for the sender. No complicated instructions. Just a secure upload link that works directly in the browser — with support for files up to 10 GB, depending on your ftpGrid plan.

AI generated image

Stop asking customers to install FTP software

FTP and SFTP are excellent technologies for automated file transfers. They're reliable, widely supported, and particularly useful for system-to-system integrations. But they're not always ideal when you're dealing with people. Imagine asking a customer to send you a 4 GB video file. With traditional SFTP, you might need to:

• Create a dedicated user account.

• Configure access permissions.

• Send the customer a hostname, username and password.

• Explain how to install and configure an FTP client.

• Help troubleshoot connection problems.

All of that just to receive one file. With ftpGrid, the process is much simpler. Create an upload link, send it to your customer, and let them upload the file directly from their browser. They don't need to know what FTP or SFTP means. And frankly, why should they?

Receive files up to 10 GB directly in the browser

Large files are a common challenge for businesses. Video productions, design agencies, engineering companies and software teams regularly exchange files that are far too large for ordinary email attachments. ftpGrid supports individual file uploads of up to 10 GB, subject to your subscription plan. The recipient simply opens the upload link in a modern browser, selects the files, and starts uploading. The upload page provides:

• Drag-and-drop file selection on desktop.

• Support for selecting multiple files.

• Upload progress indicators.

• The ability to cancel an upload.

• Compatibility with modern desktop and mobile browsers.

That includes Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iPhone. No additional software is required. And because files are uploaded directly to your ftpGrid storage, there's no separate file transfer service to retrieve them from afterwards.

A privacy-focused alternative to temporary file transfers

Services like WeTransfer have made sending files remarkably easy. But convenience is only part of the equation when businesses exchange sensitive documents, customer information or proprietary material. You also need to consider where the files are stored, who can access them, and what happens after the transfer. ftpGrid takes a different approach. Rather than treating every transfer as a temporary delivery, ftpGrid provides persistent, EU-hosted cloud storage with controlled access. Files received through an upload link become part of your existing ftpGrid storage. That means you can:

• Keep received files for as long as your business needs them.

• Organize files into dedicated customer or project folders.

• Access files through SFTP, FTPS, HTTPS or the REST API.

• Integrate received files into your existing business processes.

• Remove files according to your own retention requirements.

Your customer doesn't need an ftpGrid account, and the upload link doesn't give them access to browse your stored files. It's the simplicity of browser-based file transfers, combined with the control of business cloud storage. For organizations concerned about data privacy and European data hosting, that distinction matters.

Control exactly how customers send files

Not every upload link needs the same permissions. A customer sending a single document has different requirements from a supplier delivering files every week. That's why ftpGrid lets you configure each upload link individually.

Password-protected uploads

Add username and password authentication when the files require additional access protection. You can share the credentials separately from the upload link for greater control.

Expiration dates and upload limits

Create temporary upload links that expire automatically on a chosen date or after a specified number of uploads. Alternatively, leave them available for recurring deliveries. For example, a link for a one-time project delivery might expire after seven days, while a supplier's upload link could remain available indefinitely.

File type restrictions

Only want to receive ZIP archives, PDF documents or CSV exports? Configure an extension filter such as:

*.zip, *.pdf, *.csv

Files with other extensions can then be rejected.

Maximum file size

Set a maximum individual file size for each upload link. You might allow 50 MB for customer documents but several gigabytes for media deliveries. The maximum supported size depends on your ftpGrid subscription.

Dedicated destination folders

Every upload link points to a destination folder in your ftpGrid storage. You could create separate folders for different customers:

/incoming/customer-a/

/incoming/customer-b/

/incoming/suppliers/

This keeps received files organized without exposing your existing folder contents to the sender.

One upload link, multiple business use cases

The simplicity of browser-based uploads makes them useful across many industries.

Creative agencies and video production

Receive large videos, design assets, photography and project archives without asking clients to install specialist software.

Accounting and financial services

Give clients a straightforward way to submit reports, spreadsheets and supporting documents to a designated storage folder.

Software companies and IT support

Receive log files, database exports, diagnostic packages and other technical material from customers who may not have access to SFTP tools.

Suppliers and business partners

Create recurring upload links for suppliers delivering price lists, inventory data or operational reports.

Automated business processes

Let external users upload files through a browser while your backend continues processing them through existing integrations. That last scenario is particularly interesting.

From a simple upload to an automated workflow

A browser upload doesn't have to be the end of the process. Because ftpGrid combines file storage with FTP/SFTP access, REST APIs and webhooks, files received from customers can become inputs to automated workflows Consider a customer submitting a data file for processing.

The customer sees a simple process:

Open link → Select file → Upload

Behind the scenes, your application can follow a completely different process:

File received → Webhook notification → Application processing → Result

Your customers get a simple interface, while your developers retain the tools needed to build reliable integrations. No need to choose between user-friendly file uploads and technical automation.

ftpGrid supports both.

Send files, receive files, and manage everything in one place

Most businesses need to exchange files in both directions. Sometimes you need to deliver a large file to a customer. Other times, the customer needs to send something back.

With ftpGrid, you can handle both situations:

• Sending files: Create private download links that allow recipients to access files without an FTP client.

• Receiving files: Create upload links that allow recipients to send files directly into your storage using their browser.

• Automated transfers: Continue using FTP, FTPS, SFTP, SCP or the REST API for integrations and scheduled workflows.

All using the same underlying storage platform. This removes the need to maintain separate tools for sending files, receiving files and integrating them with your applications.

Make receiving files the easiest part of your workflow

Your customers shouldn't have to understand your infrastructure to send you a file. They shouldn't need to install software, configure an FTP connection or create another online account. They should simply be able to upload their files and get on with their day. With ftpGrid Receive files, that's exactly what they can do. Create a secure upload link, configure your access rules, and share it with anyone who needs to send you files. Whether you're receiving a small PDF document or a multi-gigabyte project archive, the process stays the same. One link. One browser. Files delivered directly to your business storage.

Explore ftpGrid, learn more about Receive files and upload links, or see our pricing plans to get started.