Short answerA link opens your rendered page in the recipient's browser, always up to date, on any device. A file gives them a copy they must download and open themselves, which often fails on phones and in email filters but lets them keep and edit the code.
Side by side
| Link | .html file | |
|---|---|---|
| Opens on phones | Yes, in the browser | Often as code or a limited preview |
| CSS, scripts, images | Load from the server | Break unless every file is sent |
| Email filters | Normal link | Often flagged or stripped |
| You can fix mistakes later | Yes, same URL | No — they keep the old copy |
| Recipient can edit the code | Only by viewing source | Yes |
| Works offline | No | Yes, once saved |
| Can be password protected | Yes, server-side | No |
| Lifetime | Until it expires or is deleted | Forever, as a copy |
A simple rule
If you want someone to look at the page, send a link. If you want them to own or edit the page, send the file (zipped, with everything it needs).
Sometimes both
For client hand-overs and assignments, send the link for review and the ZIP for the record. Convert HTML to a link first, then attach the source.