File transfer tools used to be defined by one promise: send something large, quickly, with minimal friction. Lately, many of those services have layered on extra steps, unclear sharing mechanics, and policies that make users—especially creatives—feel like the product is no longer built for them. Now, one of the original founders behind WeTransfer is trying to revive the “it just works” experience with a new service called Boomerang.
WeTransfer’s co-founder breaks with the company’s new direction
Dutch entrepreneur Nalden, who co-founded WeTransfer in 2009, has been openly critical of the platform’s trajectory following its acquisition by Bending Spoons, a Milan-based tech firm recognized for buying and restructuring widely used apps.
In comments given to TechCrunch, Nalden said he has been unhappy with the way WeTransfer has evolved since he left the company in 2019. He argued that the post-departure updates have, in his view, steadily undermined the product rather than improving it. He also criticized the acquirer’s approach, saying the strategy feels driven by private equity-style optimization rather than care for users.
What changed at WeTransfer after the acquisition
According to the report, after Bending Spoons acquired WeTransfer last year, the service—now with more than 70 million monthly active users—made changes that users found confusing, particularly around how transfer links work. The company also carried out major workforce reductions, laying off 75% of its staff.
This year, WeTransfer also faced backlash tied to user content and AI. The company sparked controversy over employing user content to train AI models, then reversed course. The report notes WeTransfer had to backtrack on changes to its terms after the reaction.
For many long-time users, these events reinforced a broader anxiety: when a utility product becomes a platform, convenience can give way to friction—more prompts, more policies, and more uncertainty about what happens to files after they’re uploaded.
Why Nalden decided to build Boomerang
In the wake of those changes, Nalden said creatives reached out to him directly to vent their frustration about WeTransfer. That feedback, combined with his own dissatisfaction, pushed him toward building an alternative meant to recreate the original appeal of simple file sending.
The result is Boomerang, a new file transfer service designed around minimal steps and minimal overhead. The headline feature is straightforward: users can send files without logging in.
Nalden’s stated aim is to reduce complexity rather than compete through feature sprawl. He described a common pattern in consumer software—tools that start simple but slowly accumulate onboarding gates, verification steps, and extra workflows that cost time. Boomerang, by contrast, is intended to make “sharing something quickly” the core experience again.
A deliberately minimal product: no login required (with clear limits)
Boomerang’s default mode is built for casual, occasional use, where a person simply needs to move a file from point A to point B. That non-login approach comes with defined constraints:
- 1GB of total storage
- 1GB file size limit
- Seven-day expiration
Those limits create a clear “grab-and-go” tier for quick sharing, without turning the product into another account-first workflow. The idea mirrors the original appeal of early file transfer tools: get in, upload, send, and move on.
What you get if you create a free account
For users who want a bit more room—and who value visibility into what they’ve shared—Boomerang offers a free account option. Creating one increases the limits and adds light organization features:
- 3GB of total storage
- 3GB file size limit
- Upload history
- Ability to add and delete files anytime
- Custom emojis for file-sharing pages
This structure is notable because it keeps the “no account required” path intact while giving frequent users a reason to sign up based on utility rather than coercion.
Paid plan: €6.99 per month for larger folders and longer sharing windows
For heavier use cases—such as repeated collaboration, larger projects, or ongoing client deliveries—Boomerang also includes a paid tier priced at €6.99 per month. That plan increases both storage and control options:
- 200GB per folder
- 500GB total storage
- 5GB file size limit
- Custom covers for folders
- Password protection
- File expiration up to 90 days
- Unlimited user invites per folder
The feature set is designed less like a cloud drive replacement and more like a high-capacity “delivery layer”—a place to assemble shareable folders with boundaries (passwords, expiration) that match real-world workflows.
No ads, minimal data collection, and a strong stance on simplicity
A key part of Nalden’s positioning is what Boomerang won’t do. He said he does not plan to run advertising or gather unnecessary user data. In his view, ads introduce complexity into products that should function like simple utilities, and he wants Boomerang to collect as little user information as possible.
He framed the product using a hardware analogy: people don’t always want a “fancy hammer”—they want one that reliably does the job. Applied to file transfer, that means a tool that emphasizes speed and clarity over engagement mechanics.
A bare-bones interface by design—and a cautious approach to AI features
Boomerang’s interface is intentionally stripped back. Nalden described it as a counterpoint to software that is designed to signal ambition to investors rather than prioritize usability. While many consumer apps are racing to add AI capabilities, his approach draws a line between building with AI and shipping AI as a user-facing feature.
Per the report, Nalden said he is using AI to help build the product, but he does not intend to add AI to Boomerang’s user-facing features. That distinction is likely to resonate with users who want less automation in their workflows—especially when AI features create new questions about data usage, retention, or consent.
Availability: web now, Mac app on the way
Boomerang is currently available on the web, and a dedicated Mac app is coming soon. That platform roadmap reflects where many creative professionals work day to day—often bouncing between desktop tools and quick browser-based sharing.
Why this story matters for the file-sharing market
Boomerang’s launch highlights a broader shift in how users evaluate “simple” internet utilities. File transfer sits at an uncomfortable intersection of convenience, privacy expectations, and business model pressures. The moment a product changes hands, users often fear an erosion of the values they originally signed up for—whether that’s straightforward sharing, predictable link behavior, or confidence that uploaded content isn’t being repurposed.
In that environment, the competitive edge isn’t always more features. Sometimes it’s the opposite: fewer steps, clearer limits, and a model that doesn’t require surveillance-style data collection to work. Boomerang is being positioned as a return to that mindset—especially for creatives who rely on file delivery as part of client work and collaboration.
Conclusion
Boomerang is Nalden’s attempt to rebuild a file transfer service around speed, simplicity, and minimal friction—without mandatory logins, advertising, or unnecessary data collection. As file-sharing tools become more complex and policy-heavy, a deliberately pared-down alternative may appeal to users who just want to send files and get back to work.
Attribution: This article is based on reporting originally published by TechCrunch.
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Based on reporting originally published by TechCrunch. See the sources section below.
Sources
- TechCrunch
- https://nalden.net/
- https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/wetransfer-backtracks-on-ai-file-training-after-backlash-what-you-need-to-know/
- https://bmrng.me/
