File-sharing can be fickle. Consumer-grade platforms tend to focus on only one of a few key factors: speed, security, price and size limits. Few tick every box, but all four are critical for creative professionals. When sharing sensitive media assets with clients or collaborators, a loss in workflow quality or efficiency can cost you time and money.
Here are some of the challenges pros face when finding the right file-sharing platform.
****Poor security****
The most common file-sharing platforms, such as Dropbox or Google Drive, are aimed at mainstream consumers. They are not backed by the kind of robust security measures that more professional platforms use. Remember back in 2016, Dropbox revealed 68 million passwords had been leaked online. Years before, they warned users that 7 million passwords and usernames had been stolen—and pointed fingers at non-active users for letting their old passwords expire.
To be sure, using a strong password is important. But the onus is on Dropbox—or any file-sharing platform—to keep their data safe behind the strictest security measures.
Unfortunately, most consumer-grade file-sharing systems are more concerned with speed and efficiency than ironclad security. Sensitive files, such as legal documents or valuable media assets, need to be handled more safely.
****Files too big? Too bad****
How many times have you gotten separate emails with numerous photos attached, each one maxing out the email client’s size limits? It doesn’t happen often in the professional world—but it’s happened too often.
Yes, smaller assets can be sent via email, but size limits hinder that medium significantly. WeTransfer and DropBox both have pretty standard limits on their free services, which can lead people to send multiple links to different assets.
It all leads to tremendous disorganization, where neither clients nor creatives can find assets easily—because they can’t remember if it was emailed (if so, which email?), or else placed in a shared Google Drive, DropBox or OneDrive. The ideal solution is to keep all your files in one place, like a digital asset manager, and share them directly from that central hub.
****The foot can be faster than the WiFi****
When production professionals need assets shipped quickly, they can’t always afford to wait for files to upload from their cameras—only to send the files off and wait for their clients or partners to download them. It can be faster to hire a courier and ship the drive itself.
It sounds a little analog, but in truth, it still happens. A lot.
We hardly need to spell out the problems here. When commuter traffic is your biggest obstacle, you’ve got to find a better solution. Plus: with so many drives flying around, buying new ones repeatedly can rack up big bills.
****Freemium models designed to upsell****
Yes, Google Drive offers you 15 GB free. WeTransfer and DropBox limit your free accounts to 2 GB apiece. But these platforms aren’t designed for free use. They are increasingly sales-oriented, aimed at shifting users away from the “free” part and toward paid models.
The only advantage is increased storage limits, sometimes with prioritized customer support and the ability to add extra users (often sold as “family members”, since these are products designed for consumers, not professionals). Paying for increased storage doesn’t help with storage, security or speed concerns.
****Try a platform that does it all****
Professionals need a professional platform. Consider migrating to Alteon Cloud: it’s a production ecosystem that combines high-speed file transfer with scalable long-term storage and collaborative tools for remote teams. File transfer is powered by IBM Aspera, which cuts upload and download speeds significantly, and our storage pricing is tiered—meaning you only pay for what you use. Our Adobe Premiere integration makes it simple to access cloud content, while making file sharing and remote collaboration easier still. Learn more at alteon.io.