TransferNow alternative: a link that doesn't expire after 7 days
A TransferNow link that doesn't expire
TransferNow is one of the better free ways to send a big file: 5 GB per transfer, no account, a password included, and 7 days before the files are deleted. If you landed here looking for an alternative, it is usually because one of those numbers stopped fitting. Either the file is bigger than 5 GB, or, far more often, the link needs to work for longer than a week.
Those are two different problems with two different answers. Below is an honest comparison of TransferNow, WeTransfer and Link in Seconds, and which to pick for which job. TransferNow and WeTransfer figures are from their own pages as listed in October 2026.
TransferNow vs WeTransfer vs Link in Seconds
| TransferNow (free) | WeTransfer (free) | Link in Seconds (free) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free size limit | 5 GB per transfer | 3 GB a month, 10 transfers | 250 MB per file, 500 MB total |
| Free link lasts | 7 days by default | Up to 3 days | Until you delete it |
| Account to send | Not required | Required | Required (Google or an emailed code) |
| Password on free | Yes | No (Ultimate only) | Yes |
| Opens in the browser | Download page | Download page | Previews PDFs, video, images, HTML |
| See who opened it | Transfer tracking from the paid Starter plan | Downloaded or not | Views, time, pages read, device, city |
| Paid plan raises | Starter 10 GB for 30 days; Premium 250 GB for 365 days | No size limit, custom expiry, branding (Ultimate) | Unlimited links, 500 MB per file, 15 GB |
Where TransferNow is the right tool
Be fair to it: for a one-off hand-over of a big file, TransferNow is hard to beat for free.
- Big files, today. Raw footage, a 3 GB design package or a full photo shoot fits in one 5 GB transfer. That is twenty times the per-file size of a free Link in Seconds link.
- No sign-up. You can send without creating an account, which matters when you share once and never come back.
- A better free deal than WeTransfer. More size, more than twice the lifetime, a free password and no 10-transfers-a-month cap. If you are leaving WeTransfer only for the limits, TransferNow is the like-for-like swap. We compare the whole field in WeTransfer alternatives compared.
Where a transfer is the wrong tool
A transfer is built to disappear. After seven days the recipient sees an expired page and the files are gone. That is fine for a hand-over and wrong for anything people open on their own schedule:
- A portfolio, resume or rate card you send to many people over months.
- A menu, brochure or manual behind a printed QR code.
- A proposal or pitch deck where you want to know if it was read.
- A course PDF, a press kit, a price list: anything you would otherwise re-send weekly.
Paying for TransferNow stretches the lifetime (30 days on Starter, up to 365 on Premium), but it is still a timer. When the job is "this file needs an address", the fix is a host, not a longer countdown.
How Link in Seconds is different
The link does not expire
A free link stays live until you delete it. There is no 7-day countdown and no "extend" button to remember. You can still set an expiry date or a view limit when you want a file to vanish, free on every plan. More on why that default matters in share links that never expire.
It opens instead of downloading
A TransferNow link lands on a download page. A Link in Seconds link opens the file itself: PDFs page through in the browser, videos play with seeking, images show full size and an HTML file renders as a page. The reader does not need to download anything to read it, and you can turn downloads off entirely for a view-only link. Sending one clip or one photo? You can turn a video into a link or turn a picture into a link the same way.
You can see who read it
Each link has its own analytics: views, unique visitors, time spent, how far they read, device, city and downloads. Turn on email alerts to hear when a link is opened, or an email gate to know who opened it. All free. See how to track a shared file for what each number means.
You can fix it after sending
Spotted a typo after the email went out? Replace the file behind the link and everyone who already has it sees the new version, same URL and same QR code. With a transfer you send a second link and hope people open the right one.
What you give up
- Size. 250 MB per file and 500 MB in total on the free plan, 500 MB per file on Pro. For a 4 GB video, TransferNow is the right call.
- Sign-in. You sign in (Google or an emailed code) before the first upload, because a permanent link has to belong to someone who can lock, update or delete it.
- A cap on live links. 20 live links at a time on the free plan. Delete one and the slot comes back.
Which should you use?
- File over 5 GB: TransferNow Premium, or SwissTransfer, which sends up to 50 GB free.
- One-off hand-over under 5 GB: TransferNow free.
- Anything that needs to keep working, or that you want to track: a permanent link. Upload a file and share the link it gives you.
Quick answers
How long do TransferNow links last on the free plan?
Seven days by default. TransferNow's support pages describe free transfers as kept for 7 days, after which the files are removed. The paid Starter plan keeps transfers for 30 days, and Premium and Team for up to 365 days.
What is the TransferNow free limit?
5 GB per transfer, with no account required. TransferNow says the free plan has no daily volume or frequency limit, so the 5 GB cap per transfer and the 7-day lifetime are the two limits that matter.
Is TransferNow better than WeTransfer?
For free sending, usually yes. TransferNow allows 5 GB per transfer, while WeTransfer Free allows 3 GB a month in total, keeps files for 7 days instead of 3, includes a password on the free plan, and does not ask you to create an account. WeTransfer Free also caps you at 10 transfers a month.
What is a good TransferNow alternative for files that need to stay online?
A file host that gives each file a permanent link instead of a timed transfer. Link in Seconds links never expire on the free plan, open in the browser instead of forcing a download, and show who viewed them. The trade-off is size: a free file can be up to 250 MB, not 5 GB.
Can I send a file without an account?
TransferNow and SwissTransfer both let you send without signing up. Link in Seconds asks for a quick sign-in (Google or an emailed code) before the first upload, because a permanent link has to belong to someone who can update, lock or delete it later.
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