Zas vs WeTransfer, AirDrop and the cloud
Each tool solves a part of it. Here is what each one does, where it falls short, and when Zas is the better fit. Nothing inflated: Zas is a hosted service, it is not end-to-end, and files delete themselves after five days.
Is it a WeTransfer alternative?
For the same job, yes: send a large file over a link without the other person needing an account. Zas also works both ways between your own devices, not only from you outward. With Directo you send up to 10 GB. The file is encrypted on your device before it leaves and deletes itself after five days, so nothing sits gathering dust on a server.
How is it different from AirDrop?
AirDrop is great between Apple devices sitting side by side. Zas is the bridge when the devices do not talk to each other: iPhone to Windows, Android to Mac, phone to browser. It does not replace AirDrop, it fills in where AirDrop cannot reach. And it starts in the browser, with nothing to install on the other side.
Why not just Google Drive or Dropbox?
Drive and Dropbox are warehouses: you store, organize folders, and pay to keep everything forever. Zas is a corridor, not a warehouse: things pass through, get used, and leave. When you only want a file to get from your phone to your computer right now, there is no account to set up and no extra folder to accumulate.
How do privacy and encryption compare?
Everything is encrypted on your device before it leaves; the servers receive encrypted bytes, not plaintext names or previews. A separate service derives the account keys, which is why Zas is not end-to-end and does not claim to be: we are honest about that. After five days the transfer is gone, so it is not left at risk either.
Do I need an account or an app?
Not to start. Open zas.red on both devices and send. An anonymous session allows up to 30 MB for two days; a free account raises the limit and how long it lasts. There are iOS and Android apps if you want them, but the browser is enough for most cases.
