How to let someone upload to your Google Drive (without giving edit access)
Updated 2026-10-17. Every fact links to its source; prices are as published on each vendor's page on that date.
Short answer: share the folder as Editor if you trust the person (they can then see, edit and delete everything in it), or use an upload-only link that drops files into the folder without giving access to it. Google Drive has no built-in upload-only link.
Option 1: share the folder as Editor (free, needs trust)
- In Drive, right-click the folder → Share.
- Add the person's email and pick Editor. Viewers and Commenters can't add files.
- Optional: in the share settings (gear icon) uncheck Editors can change permissions and share.
What Editors can do: "open, edit, delete, or move any files within the folder" and add new files (Google Drive Help). You can't give someone less access to one file than they have to its parent folder (same page), so keep private files elsewhere. The uploader needs a Google account (any email address works, not only Gmail: Google Account Help).
Option 2: Workspace visitor sharing (people without a Google account)
If your organization uses Google Workspace and the admin allows it, you can share a folder with someone who has no Google account. They get an emailed PIN and can access the folder for 7 days after verifying (Google Drive Help). They still get folder access, not an upload-only drop box. Admin setting: Allow sharing to non-Google users. Not available on personal Gmail accounts.
Option 3: an upload-only link into your Drive
| Tool | Uploader account? | Can uploader see the folder? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apps Script web app (DIY) | No | No | Free; you write and maintain the code (Google: web apps, sample) |
| File Request Pro | No (source) | No | From $19/month (3 upload pages, 100 submissions/month, 1 GB per file); 15-day or 25-file trial (source) |
| EZ File Drop | No | No | Starter $12/month ($10/month yearly), 5 GB monthly upload (source) |
| Formfacade | No | No | From $28/month, no free plan (source) |
| CatchFolder | No | No | $12 one-time for 30 days, or $59 one-time for 12 months; files up to 50 MB |
Honest note: if you need multi-GB uploads or ongoing client workflows with reminders, a subscription tool fits better than CatchFolder. CatchFolder runs inside your own Google account (about 5-minute setup), so files never pass through our servers.
Option 4: a Dropbox or OneDrive file request
If you can receive into Dropbox or OneDrive instead of Drive, both have native file requests (Dropbox, Microsoft). Full comparison: collect files without a Google account.
Related
- Google Drive file request link
- Free upload button / embed snippet generator
- Google Forms file upload for non-Gmail users
FAQ
Can I let someone upload to my Google Drive without giving them edit access?
Not with Drive's own sharing. To add files to a folder, a person needs the Editor role, and Editors can also open, edit, delete or move any file in that folder (Google Drive Help). For upload-only access you need a separate upload page that writes into the folder: a third-party tool or an Apps Script web app.
Does the person uploading need a Google account?
For a shared folder, yes, unless your Google Workspace admin has turned on visitor sharing, in which case non-Google users verify with an emailed PIN and get access for 7 days at a time (Google Drive Help, Admin Help). Upload pages built with Apps Script or third-party tools don't need any account.
Is there a Google Drive 'file request' like Dropbox?
No built-in one. Dropbox File Requests let anyone upload into a folder you choose, with or without a Dropbox account (Dropbox Help); Drive has no equivalent setting.
Can editors re-share my folder?
By default, yes: Editors can change permissions and share. You can turn that off in the folder's share settings by unchecking 'Editors can change permissions and share' (Google Drive Help).
What's the cheapest upload-only option?
Free if you build an Apps Script web app yourself. Paid tools are mostly monthly subscriptions; CatchFolder is $12 one-time for a 30-day pass, which suits one-off events.