What Mega's transfer quota is and why it exists

Mega is a cloud storage service that limits how much data free account holders can transfer to other people each month. When you hit that limit, you cannot send files to anyone else until the quota resets — usually on the first of the next month. The limit exists because Mega uses it to prevent abuse, like someone using a free account to run a file-sharing business.

The quota applies only to transfers you initiate to other people. Downloading files that someone else shared with you does not count against your limit. Storing files in your own account also does not count. Only outgoing transfers — when you send a link or file to another user — consume your quota.

The exact quota amount varies depending on your account type and how long you have had your account. New free accounts typically start with a lower limit than established ones. Mega does not publish the exact numbers, so you may not know your specific limit until you approach it.

Key Takeaways

  • Mega's transfer quota limits only outgoing file shares to other people, not downloads or storage in your own account.
  • The most straightforward way to send large files when your quota is exhausted is to wait for the monthly reset on the first of the month.
  • Upgrading to a paid Mega Pro plan removes transfer quotas entirely and gives you much larger storage space.
  • Using a different cloud storage service temporarily — like Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive — lets you send files without hitting Mega's limits.
  • Splitting large files into smaller pieces and sending them separately may allow you to work within your remaining quota.

Waiting for your quota to reset

The simplest option is to wait. Mega resets transfer quotas on the first day of each calendar month. If you have exhausted your quota on the 15th, you have about two weeks until the limit resets and you can send files again.

This works well if the file transfer is not urgent. You can tell the person you are sending to that the file will be ready on the first of the month, and they can plan accordingly. No payment, no account changes, and no workarounds needed.

If you need to send files before the reset, you will need to use one of the other methods below.

Upgrading to a Mega Pro plan

Paying for a Mega Pro subscription removes transfer quotas entirely. Pro plans come in three tiers — Pro Lite, Pro I, and Pro II — each with different storage amounts and monthly costs. All three tiers eliminate transfer limits, so you can send as many files as you want to as many people as you want.

Pro plans also give you much more storage space than a free account. A free account typically includes 20 GB of storage; Pro plans start at 400 GB and go up to 16 TB depending on which tier you choose. The monthly cost varies by region and billing cycle, but Pro Lite is usually the least expensive option if you only care about removing the transfer quota.

This is a permanent solution if you plan to send files regularly. Once you subscribe, you never have to think about quotas again. You can cancel anytime if you no longer need it.

Using a different cloud storage service

Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and other cloud storage services have their own transfer policies. Many do not enforce monthly transfer quotas the way Mega does, or they set much higher limits. You can upload your file to one of these services instead and share a link from there.

Google Drive is free and widely used. You can upload a file, right-click it, select "Share," and send a link to anyone with a Google account or a public link. Dropbox and OneDrive work similarly. None of these services will stop you from sharing files because you have hit a monthly limit.

The downside is that you are moving your file to a different service, which takes time to upload. If the file is very large, the upload itself may take hours. But once it is there, you can share it when ready without waiting for a quota reset.

Splitting files into smaller transfers

If your quota is not completely exhausted, you may have some transfer allowance left. You can split a large file into smaller pieces, compress them, or send them one at a time to stay within your remaining quota.

For example, if you have 500 MB of quota left and need to send a 2 GB file, you could compress the file into four 500 MB archives and send them separately. The person receiving them would need to read all four pieces and extract them to reassemble the original file.

This works only if you have some quota remaining. If your quota is completely at zero, you cannot send anything until it resets. This method also requires the other person to be willing to read multiple files and reassemble them, which is less convenient than sending one file.

Asking Mega support for a temporary increase

Mega's support team may be able to temporarily raise your transfer quota in specific situations. This is not may provide, and Mega does not advertise it as an option, but it is worth trying if you have a legitimate reason for needing to send a large file urgently.

You can contact Mega through their help center or support form and explain your situation. Be specific: tell them what file you need to send, how large it is, and why it cannot wait until the quota resets. Support may or may not grant the request, and there is no timeline for a response.

This is not a reliable workaround, but it is an option if you have already tried other methods and none of them work for your situation.

Understanding what does and does not count toward your quota

Knowing exactly what consumes your quota helps you plan around it. Only transfers you send to other people count. If someone sends you a file and you read it, that does not touch your quota. If you store files in your own Mega account and never share them, that does not count either.

Sharing a file with multiple people counts as one transfer, not multiple. If you send a single link to 10 people, it uses your quota once. Downloading files from a shared link also does not count against the sender's quota — only the person who created the share uses quota when they send it out.

Understanding these rules means you can be strategic about when and how you share. If you are close to your limit, you might batch several files into one share instead of sending them separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does my quota reset on a specific date every month?

Yes, Mega resets transfer quotas on the first day of each calendar month. If you hit your limit on March 15, you can send files again starting April 1. The reset happens automatically; you do not need to do anything.

If I upgrade to Mega Pro, do I get my quota back when ready?

Yes. Once your Pro subscription is active, transfer quotas no longer explore to your account. You can send files right away without waiting for a monthly reset.

Can someone else read a file I shared before my quota ran out?

Yes. Once you have sent a share link, other people can read from it even if your quota is exhausted. The quota only affects your ability to create new shares, not existing ones.

Does compressing a file before sharing it reduce how much quota it uses?

No. Mega measures quota by the original file size, not the compressed size. A 1 GB file compressed to 500 MB still uses 1 GB of your quota when you share it.

What happens if I try to send a file after my quota is full?

Mega will show an error message saying you have reached your transfer quota. The file will not send, and you will not be able to create a share link until your quota resets or you upgrade your account.