How to collect files from anyone without a Google account (2026)
Updated 2026-10-17. Every fact below links to its source. Prices are as published on each vendor's pricing page on that date.
Short answer: Google Forms can't do it. A File upload question forces every respondent to sign in to a Google Account (Google Help). To collect files from people without a Google account, use a file request link (Dropbox, OneDrive), a form builder with its own uploads (Jotform), a no-login upload tool that writes into your Google Drive (Formfacade, EZ File Drop, CatchFolder), or a free DIY Apps Script.
Options compared
| Option | Uploader needs an account? | Where files land | Price | Per-file limit | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google Forms File upload | Yes, Google (source) | Your Google Drive | Free | 1 MB–10 GB (source) | Internal teams, everyone on Google |
| Dropbox File Request | No (source) | Your Dropbox | Included in all Dropbox plans | 2 GB on Basic/Plus/Family; 250 GB on Professional and team plans (source) | Dropbox users |
| OneDrive Request files | No (source) | Your OneDrive | Microsoft 365 work/school | Not stated on the help page | Organizations on Microsoft 365 whose admin allows "Anyone" links |
| Apps Script web app (DIY) | No (source) | Your Google Drive | Free | Depends on your code (Apps Script quotas) | People comfortable editing code |
| Formfacade (Collect files without login) | No | Google Drive (via Google Forms) | From $28/month, no free plan, 7-day trial (source) | Up to 1 GB per file (source) | Keeping an existing Google Form |
| Jotform | No | Jotform storage (integrations available) | Free Starter (5 forms, 100 submissions/month, 100 MB upload space); Bronze $39/month or $34/month yearly (source) | Bounded by plan upload space (source) | Full form builder needs |
| EZ File Drop | No | Your Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box or FTP (source) | Starter $12/month ($10/month yearly), 5 GB monthly upload; 7-day trial (source) | 5 GB per submission on Starter (source) | Ongoing client file collection, large files |
| CatchFolder | No | Your Google Drive, via an app in your own Google account | $12 one-time per 30 days, or $59 one-time for 12 months | 50 MB | One-off events and occasional collections into Google Drive |
Honest notes on CatchFolder: it's new (early access), it caps files at 50 MB, it has no form builder (use it next to your Google Form), and setup means pasting code into your own Google account (about 5 minutes, guide). If you need multi-GB files, EZ File Drop or a Dropbox File Request fits better. If you want everything inside an existing Google Form, Formfacade is built for that.
Free: Dropbox File Requests
- On dropbox.com, open File requests and click New request.
- Give it a title and pick the destination folder.
- Click Create and copy the link. Anyone can upload, with or without a Dropbox account (Dropbox Help).
Files count against your Dropbox space. If you're out of space, uploaders get an error (Dropbox Help).
Free (work/school): OneDrive Request files
Select a folder, choose Request files, describe what you need, and copy the link. Anyone with the link can upload without OneDrive; they can't see the folder's contents. Unsigned-in uploaders are asked for a first and last name (Microsoft Support). Your admin must allow "Anyone" links.
Free (Google Drive, DIY): an Apps Script upload page
Create a script at script.google.com whose doPost or google.script.run handler saves the file to a Drive folder, then deploy it as a web app with Execute as: Me and Who has access: Anyone (Google: web apps). Sample code: tanaikech on GitHub. Apps Script limits apply, for example 6 minutes per execution and 20,000 URL fetch calls/day on personal accounts (quotas). CatchFolder is a packaged, tested version of this approach with chunked uploads, a log sheet, email notifications and a license check.
Paid: a no-login upload link into Google Drive
Pick by billing model: Formfacade and EZ File Drop are monthly subscriptions and Jotform is a full form platform. CatchFolder is one-time per event ($12 for 30 days), which suits occasional collections. Compare your expected volume with the limits calculator.
FAQ
What's the easiest free way to collect files from people without an account?
If you use Dropbox: a File Request. Dropbox says anyone can send you a file whether they have a Dropbox account or not, and the files appear in a folder you choose (Dropbox Help). On OneDrive for work or school: Request files (Microsoft Support). Google Drive has no built-in equivalent.
Can I collect files into Google Drive without uploaders signing in, for free?
Yes, if you're comfortable with a little code: an Apps Script web app deployed as 'Execute as: Me' and 'Who has access: Anyone' can save uploads into your Drive (Apps Script web apps; example code: tanaikech). Google Forms' own File upload question always requires sign-in.
Which paid tool is cheapest for a one-off event?
Most tools bill monthly: Formfacade's no-login uploads start at $28/month with no free plan (pricing), EZ File Drop Starter is $12/month or $10/month billed yearly (pricing), and Jotform's paid plans start at $39/month ($34/month yearly) after a free plan with 100 MB of upload space (pricing). CatchFolder charges $12 once for a 30-day pass.
What are CatchFolder's limits?
Files up to 50 MB each, uploads go to your own Google Drive (your storage quota), Event Pass: 1 upload link and up to 500 uploads for 30 days; Annual: unlimited links for 12 months. Setup takes about 5 minutes in your own Google account. It's a new product sold as early access with a 21-day money-back promise.