If you need to share documents and files with other people over the internet, you want to be able to do it quickly, securely, and with as little friction as possible. Thankfully, plenty of apps and services meet those three criteria.

Whether it's tapping into the tools included with the cloud storage app you already use or simply dragging files into an open browser window, you've got several options to weigh.

All these services encrypt files in transit and when stored, stopping hackers and third parties from getting at them. However, only Firefox Send uses end-to-end encryption, which means not even Firefox can see the files. The others retain the right to access your data if compelled by law enforcement or if it's needed to manage the cloud services themselves. It's also important to make sure the sharing links you generate are closely guarded, as these act as decryption keys giving access to your files.

With that said, here are your best file-sharing options—and the features that set them apart.

Firefox Send

Courtesy of Firefox

The venerable Mozilla browser Firefox has lent its name to a number of extra apps and services lately, including Firefox Send. It's blissfully easy to use—with or without the Firefox browser—and lets you share files up to a total size of 2.5 terabytes, free of charge.

You get a stack of useful options here too. Download links can be set to expire after a certain number of downloads or amount of time, and if you want an extra layer of security, you can password-protect them as well, so that someone else needs both the link and the password to get at the file.

It basically lets you drag-and-drop right in your browser, without any need to install additional software or sign up for an extra service. You can keep an eye on when your shared files are accessed, and the link can be revoked at any time.

Dropbox