# StrongFolder vs TransferNow

Source: https://help.strongfolder.com/en/compare/strongfolder-vs-transfernow/
Updated: 2026-11-05

> StrongFolder vs TransferNow is upload versus direct. TransferNow stores files in its cloud — free: up to 5 GB per transfer, kept up to 7 days, no account — so you can go offline. StrongFolder sends files and folders straight from your browser, with no size limit set by the service and nothing stored, while your tab stays open.

TransferNow is a file transfer service that many people use as a WeTransfer
replacement: no account, a link or an e-mail, files kept for a week. StrongFolder solves the
same problem — "get these files to that person" — without storing anything. This StrongFolder
vs TransferNow comparison explains the difference in size, folders, privacy and convenience,
and when TransferNow is the better choice.

**Key facts**

- **TransferNow free** (as of 2026-11-05): up to 5 GB per transfer, files kept up to 7 days, no account needed to send or receive.
- **StrongFolder:** No size limit set by StrongFolder. The practical limits are free disk space on the recipient's device, connection speed, and how long both devices stay online.
- **Folders:** both keep subfolders and file names; StrongFolder has no 5 GB ceiling on the folder.
- **Storage:** TransferNow stores files on its servers until they expire; StrongFolder never stores files on a server.
- **The trade-off:** with StrongFolder your tab must stay open; with TransferNow you upload once and can go offline.

## How do StrongFolder and TransferNow compare?

TransferNow free plan as of 2026-11-05, from TransferNow's own website and help center
(sources at the end).

| | StrongFolder | TransferNow (free) |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Direct browser-to-browser (WebRTC, P2P) | Upload to TransferNow's cloud, recipient downloads later |
| Free size limit | None set by the service | 5 GB per transfer |
| How long files are available | While you keep sharing | Up to 7 days |
| Account to send | No | No |
| Account to receive | No | No |
| Folders | Sent as folders, structure kept, no ZIP | Hierarchy and file names kept |
| Files stored on a server | Never (metadata only) | Yes, until expiry |
| Sender online during download | Yes | No |
| Upload wait before sharing | None | Full upload first |
| Recipients | Several from one link; QR code | Link, or up to 10 recipients per e-mail transfer |
| Price | Free, no paid plans | Free plan; paid plans |

## What is the main difference between StrongFolder and TransferNow?

**Whether the files sit on a server while the recipient downloads.**

With TransferNow, you upload the files first. TransferNow's help center notes that upload
speed depends on your internet connection, so a 5 GB transfer on a slow home upload can take
a while. When it finishes, you get a link or TransferNow e-mails the recipients, and they
download from TransferNow's servers within the retention period. You can shut down your
computer as soon as the upload is done.

With StrongFolder, nothing is uploaded first. You pick files or a folder, copy the link and
send it. When the recipient opens it, their browser connects to yours and the data flows
directly over an encrypted WebRTC connection. The sender's browser tab must stay open and online until the recipient finishes downloading — files come from the sender's device, not from a server.

The model is explained in [P2P vs cloud file transfer](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/p2p-vs-cloud-file-transfer/).

## Which is better for files larger than 5 GB?

TransferNow's free plan caps each transfer at 5 GB. Bigger transfers need one of its paid
plans, which TransferNow lists with much higher limits — check its current plans.

StrongFolder sets no size limit, because there is no storage to fill: the file is read from
your disk while it's sent. The practical limits are the recipient's free disk space, your
upload speed and how long both devices stay online. A 40 GB camera card over a 100 Mbit/s
upload is roughly an hour of transfer. See [limits and requirements](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/limits/) and [how to
send a 100 GB file free](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/send-100gb-file-free/).

## Which is better for sending a folder?

Both handle folders well, which is not true of every transfer service. TransferNow says that
when you send a folder, subfolders, hierarchy and file names are kept on download, and the
recipient can take the whole folder or only some files.

StrongFolder also sends a folder as a folder. The recipient chooses a destination and the
same subfolders and file names are written there, file by file — no ZIP to create or extract.
Saving a whole folder with its structure uses the File System Access API: Chrome, Edge, Opera and other Chromium browsers on a computer. Other browsers can download the files one by one or as a ZIP.

The difference is size: on TransferNow's free plan the whole folder must fit in 5 GB; with
StrongFolder a 200 GB project folder goes the same way as a 2 GB one. More in [how to send a
folder without zipping](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/send-folder-without-zipping/).

## Which is more private?

TransferNow stores your files on its servers for the retention period. It lists SSL/TLS and
AES 256-bit encryption and antivirus scanning on the free plan, and its help center says that
expired transfers are permanently deleted and can't be recovered.

StrongFolder never stores files on a server. To create the link and run the service, we keep transfer metadata: file and folder names, sizes and the number of files, plus the IP address and country of the sender and the country of each recipient. WebRTC encrypts every data channel with DTLS, so the file stream is encrypted in transit on every connection.
If a direct connection is impossible (strict corporate firewall, some mobile networks), the encrypted stream passes through a StrongFolder relay (TURN) server. The relay forwards the data and does not store it. We don't claim end-to-end encryption with your own key — DTLS protects the
stream in transit. See [security](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/security/) and [secure file
sharing](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/secure-file-sharing/).

## When is TransferNow the better choice?

Choose TransferNow when:

- **you can't stay online** — you want to upload, close the laptop and leave;
- **the recipient will download later**, any time within the next week;
- **the files fit in 5 GB** and you're happy with a cloud copy for a few days;
- **you want a password on the link** — TransferNow offers it on the free plan;
- **you need paid extras** such as longer retention or larger transfers on its paid plans.

That is the honest trade-off of peer-to-peer: it can't replace "upload once, download
whenever". If that's what you need, use TransferNow or another cloud service from our list of
[WeTransfer alternatives](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/compare/wetransfer-alternatives/).

## When is StrongFolder the better choice?

Choose StrongFolder when:

- **the transfer is bigger than 5 GB** — tens or hundreds of gigabytes;
- **you'd rather not leave a copy on someone else's server**, even for a week;
- **the recipient is waiting now** — the download starts at once, with no upload wait;
- **it's a large folder** that should arrive with its structure, whatever its size;
- **several people need the same files** — One link can be opened by several recipients; each downloads directly from the sender.

Keep your computer awake and the tab open until everyone finishes. Plug in your laptop.

[Send files now](https://strongfolder.com)
## Is StrongFolder a good TransferNow alternative?

It is a good TransferNow alternative for one specific job: big, immediate transfers. For
small files you send and forget, TransferNow's cloud model is more convenient. For a 20 GB
video export, a full photo shoot or a project folder that the other person needs today,
StrongFolder avoids the free size limit and the upload wait. See [how to send large video
files](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/send-large-video-files/) for a worked example.

## How do I switch from TransferNow to StrongFolder?

1. Open [strongfolder.com](https://strongfolder.com) or click the StrongFolder [Chrome
   extension](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/chrome-extension/).
2. Choose files or a whole folder. Nothing is uploaded.
3. Copy the link or show the QR code and send it.
4. Keep the tab open while the recipient downloads; click **Stop Sharing** when done.

The recipient needs only the link and a modern browser — no account and no app. See [how it
works](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/how-it-works/) and [why the sender stays online](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/why-sender-stays-online/).

## Summary

TransferNow is a cloud locker with a generous no-account free plan: up to 5 GB per transfer,
kept up to 7 days, folders kept intact. StrongFolder is a direct pipe: no size limit set by
the service, folders kept as folders, nothing stored — as long as your tab stays open. Use
TransferNow when you need to send and go offline, StrongFolder when the files are big and the
recipient is ready now.

## Sources

Checked on 2026-11-05:
[TransferNow free plan](https://www.transfernow.net/en/discover/transfernow-free-forever) ·
[TransferNow: send files over 5 GB](https://www.transfernow.net/en/send-large-files/over-5gb) ·
[TransferNow: share a complete folder](https://www.transfernow.net/en/send-large-files/folder) ·
[TransferNow help center: send files](https://support.transfernow.net/en/category/send-files-1imv41n/)

## FAQ

### Is StrongFolder a free TransferNow alternative?

Yes. StrongFolder is free, needs no account and sets no size limit of its own, so it suits transfers above TransferNow's free 5 GB. The trade-off: files stream from your browser, so your tab must stay open until the recipient finishes.

### How much can I send with TransferNow for free?

TransferNow's own pages list up to 5 GB per transfer on the free plan, with files kept for up to 7 days and up to 10 recipients per e-mail transfer (as of 2026-11-05). Paid plans raise the size and retention.

### Do I need an account for TransferNow or StrongFolder?

TransferNow says you don't need an account to send or download files on the free plan. No account needed to send or receive.

### Does TransferNow keep folder structure?

Yes. TransferNow says subfolders, hierarchy and file names are kept on download. StrongFolder also keeps the folder tree, with no size limit set by the service; the recipient saves it with Chrome, Edge or Opera on a computer.

### Can the recipient download a StrongFolder transfer next week, like with TransferNow?

No. The link works while the sender keeps sharing. When the sender clicks Stop Sharing or closes the tab, the files are no longer available. If the recipient will download days later, a cloud service such as TransferNow is the better fit.