Git LFS Alternative Storage
Store Large Git Files Without Git LFS Complexity or Escalating Costs
Store large files for Git repositories with simple integration and global CDN delivery.
Git LFS adds complexity and cost to your Git workflow — bandwidth quotas, per-repo storage limits, and pricing that escalates as your binary assets grow. GitHub includes 10 GB free but charges for overages via data packs, GitLab charges $5/month per 10 GB beyond its free tier, and Bitbucket caps LFS storage between 1-10 GB by plan tier. files.link provides a simpler, more cost-effective alternative: store large binary files via a simple REST API, reference CDN URLs in your repo, and skip the LFS protocol entirely. Prepaid credits mean no surprise bills — start at $5 and scale without per-repo restrictions. Note that files.link does not implement the Git LFS protocol directly. If you're also looking to store build outputs, check out <a href="/ci-cd-artifact-storage">CI/CD artifact storage</a>.
Benefits With No Complexity
99.99% uptime
Your files are always there when you need them.
<50ms global latency
Lightning-fast file delivery worldwide.
~90% cache hit ratio
Most requests will be served instantly from the edge.
What You Get
Unlimited files
Upload as many files as you need.
Unlimited storage
There is no storage limit.
Public + Private storage
Private files are fully secured.
CDN ready links
Upload directly to 450+ edge locations worldwide.
Prepaid credits
Prepaid credits, no monthly subscriptions.
More coming soon
We have plenty of features coming!
How files.link Works
1. Upload
Upload your assets/files.
2. Copy
Copy the CDN link.
3. Use Anywhere
Paste and enjoy the blazing speed.
Why Developers Choose files.link
A Better Way to Store & Deliver Files
| GitHub Git LFS | GitLab LFS | Bitbucket LFS | files.link | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Git LFS protocol support | ||||
| Global CDN delivery | ||||
| No bandwidth quota | ||||
| No per-repo storage limits | ||||
| No escalating monthly fees | ||||
| Simple REST API | ||||
| Permanent file URLs | ||||
| Prepaid credits (no bill shock) |
Calculate Your Needs
Storage
0GB
Egress
0GB
CDN Bandwidth
0GB
Total: $0.000/month
Start Using Git LFS Alternative
- 99.99% uptime
- <50ms global latency
- ~90% cache hit ratio
- Unlimited files
- Unlimited storage
- Public + Private storage
- Prepaid credits
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use git lfs push/pull with files.link?
No. files.link doesn't implement the Git LFS protocol. Instead, upload large files via the REST API and store the CDN URL in your repo as a reference.
How much does Git LFS cost?
Git LFS pricing varies by provider. GitHub includes 10 GB storage and 10 GB bandwidth free (Free/Pro plans), with paid data packs for overages. GitLab includes 10 GB free storage (repo + LFS combined), with additional storage at $5/month per 10 GB. Bitbucket includes 1 GB LFS on the free plan, 5 GB on Standard ($3.65/user/month), and 10 GB on Premium ($7.25/user/month). Costs escalate quickly with large binary assets across multiple repos.
Is files.link cheaper than Git LFS?
For teams with large binary assets, files.link is typically more cost-effective. Git LFS costs scale per-repo and per-data-pack, and bandwidth counts against your quota. files.link uses prepaid credits starting at $5 with no per-repo limits, no bandwidth quotas, and CDN delivery included. You pay only for what you actually store and transfer.
Why use files.link instead of Git LFS?
Git LFS has bandwidth quotas, per-repo storage limits, and costs that escalate as your team and binary assets grow. files.link offers storage with CDN delivery and prepaid credits — no per-repo restrictions, no bandwidth caps, and no surprise bills.
How do I manage large binary assets with files.link?
Upload binaries via the REST API, store the permanent CDN URL in a config file or readme in your repo. Team members access files directly via the URL — no LFS client setup required.
What about versioning large files?
Each upload to files.link gets a unique URL. Store multiple versions by keeping URLs for each version in your repository or a manifest file.
Can I migrate from Git LFS to files.link?
Yes. Download your LFS-tracked files, upload them to files.link via the REST API, and replace LFS pointers in your repo with the CDN URLs. This removes Git LFS dependencies from your workflow entirely.
General Questions
What is files.link?
files.link is a developer-first file platform that makes it simple to store, secure, and deliver files globally. It provides signed URLs, public/private access, and an API-first design so you can integrate file delivery into any app without the usual complexity.
How is files.link different from Google Drive or Dropbox?
Google Drive and Dropbox are built for consumer use and collaboration. files.link is built for developers and businesses, focusing on programmatic file hosting, global delivery, and usage-based pricing — without unnecessary bloat.
Will my files still be available if files.link is down?
Yes. Your files continue to be served globally even if the files.link dashboard or API is offline for maintenance. The delivery infrastructure runs independently, so your end users never notice downtime.
What are signed URLs?
Signed URLs are secure, time-limited links that control who can access your files. They're ideal for private downloads, paid content, or temporary access.
Can I use my own domain?
Coming soon.
What is egress?
Egress means outbound data transfer. For example, if someone downloads a 1 GB file, that counts as 1 GB of egress.
What pricing model do you use?
files.link uses prepaid credits with usage-based billing. Add a payment method to receive $5 in credits, then usage is deducted daily from your balance. When credits run low, we automatically recharge your account — no per-user fees or subscription tiers.
Can I make permanent links?
Yes. Public files can have permanent links. For private files, files.link provides permalinks that automatically issue fresh signed URLs, keeping them secure while still always accessible.
Who is files.link best for?
files.link is ideal for SaaS platforms, agencies, and developers who need reliable file hosting and delivery without managing cloud infrastructure directly. It's like Google Drive reimagined for developers.
How does billing work?
files.link uses prepaid credits. When you add a payment method, we charge $5 to start your credit balance. As you use storage, bandwidth, and API requests, credits are deducted daily. When your balance runs low, we automatically recharge it. No monthly subscriptions — just simple usage-based pricing.
How fast is file delivery?
files.link uses a global CDN with 450+ edge locations worldwide. Files are automatically cached close to your users for lightning-fast delivery, typically under 50ms in major cities.
Can I migrate from S3, R2, or other services?
Yes. files.link provides a REST API that makes migration straightforward. Simply upload your files via the API or dashboard, and update your application to point to the new URLs.
What file types are supported?
All file types are supported — images, videos, documents, archives, code, databases, and more. There are no restrictions on file types or extensions.
Is there a file size limit?
files.link supports files of any size. Whether you're storing thumbnails or multi-gigabyte videos, the platform handles it seamlessly.
How secure is my data?
All files are encrypted at rest and in transit. You can use signed URLs for private files, control access with permissions, and rely on enterprise-grade infrastructure for data protection.
Do you offer an API?
Yes. files.link is API-first with a simple REST API for uploading, managing, and delivering files. Perfect for integrating file storage into your applications programmatically.
Can I use files.link for video streaming?
Absolutely. files.link's CDN is optimized for video delivery, providing fast streaming with global edge caching. It's perfect for on-demand video, course content, and live stream archives.
files.link use cases
🖼 Images🎥 Videos📄 Documents💾 Database backups👥 Customer assets👪 Family photos💻 JavaScript files💽 Archival🔗 File sharing🖥 Video streaming🗂 General file storage🌐 Static website assets📦 Build artifacts⚡ API response caching📋 Log files⚙️ Configuration files📱 User-generated content👤 Profile pictures📧 Email attachments💬 Chat media📝 Form uploads🎵 Audio & podcasts📢 Marketing assets🎓 Course content🎨 Design files📚 PDF & eBooks🪣 S3 alternative☁️ Cloudflare R2 alternative🔥 Firebase storage alternative▲ Vercel blob alternative⚡ Supabase storage alternative🚀 Serverless file storage🌍 Edge storage CDN🔒 Encrypted file storage🧾 Invoice storage⚖️ Legal document storage🏠 Real estate photos🛒 E-commerce product images📱 QR code storage🖼️ Thumbnail storage🎬 Screen recording storage📡 Live stream archive💬 Video subtitle storage📲 Mobile app assets🐍 Python file storage🟢 Node.js file storage⚛️ React file storage▲ Next.js file storage🐳 Docker image storage☸️ Kubernetes backup storage🔄 CI/CD artifact storage🏗️ Terraform state storage🤖 ML dataset storage📦 Git LFS alternative☁️ Backblaze B2 alternative🗄️ Wasabi alternative🌊 DigitalOcean Spaces alternative☁️ Google Cloud Storage alternative🔷 Azure Blob alternative🎨 Cloudinary alternative🐰 Bunny CDN alternative🖼️ imgix alternative📤 UploadThing alternative📁 Uploadcare alternative📦 Filestack alternative🗄️ MinIO alternative☁️ Linode Object Storage alternative🌐 Vultr Object Storage alternative☁️ UpCloud Object Storage alternative🌐 Scaleway Object Storage alternative🔷 Oracle Cloud Storage alternative💼 IBM Cloud Object Storage alternative🌐 Storj alternative💾 Filecoin alternative📦 Arweave alternative💼 SaaS file storage🚀 Startup file storage🏢 Agency file storage🎨 Creator file storage🎓 Education file storage🛒 E-commerce file storage🎮 Gaming file storage🎬 Media file storage💳 Fintech file storage🏠 Real estate file storage⚖️ Legal file storage🤝 Nonprofit file storage💳 Stripe file uploads🛍️ Shopify file storage📝 WordPress media storage🎨 Webflow file storage🫧 Bubble file storage🔧 Retool file storage📊 Airtable file storage📝 Notion file storage💬 Slack file storage🎮 Discord bot file storage📱 Telegram bot file storage⚡ Zapier file storage🔄 Make file storage🎨 SVG file hosting📊 CSV file storage📝 JSON file storage📄 XML file storage🗜️ ZIP archive storage📝 Markdown file storage📋 Log file storage🔌 File upload API🗄️ File storage API🖼️ Image upload API📁 File management API🪣 S3-compatible API🌐 File hosting API📤 Host files online📦 Share large files🚀 Upload files to CDN🖼️ Serve images from CDN👤 Store user uploads💰 Affordable file hosting🌍 Affordable CDN💳 Prepaid credits storage🆓 Developer file storage🚫 No egress fees🔐 Private file hosting🖼️ Image CDN🎥 Video CDN📦 Object storage🌐 File CDN☁️ Storage with CDN⏱️ Temporary file hosting🔗 Permanent file links🏢 Multi-tenant storage🧊 Cold storage & archive