WeTransfer co-founder Nalden has launched a new file transfer service called Boomerang, driven by his strong dissatisfaction with the direction his former company has taken since its acquisition by Bending Spoons last year. Nalden, who co-founded WeTransfer in 2009 alongside Rinke Visser and Bas Beerens, openly criticizes the changes, stating his new venture aims to restore the core values of simplicity and user experience to file sharing.

Nalden's Critique of WeTransfer's New Direction

Speaking to TechCrunch, Nalden didn't hold back, asserting that "Bending Spoons doesn't really care about people." He observed a decline in WeTransfer's product quality since his departure in 2019, attributing it to post-acquisition updates that he believes "were basically killing the product."

His concerns are echoed by recent events at WeTransfer, including a confusing overhaul of transfer link experiences, significant layoffs affecting 75% of its staff, and a public backlash this year over the company's use of user content to train AI models. This controversy ultimately forced WeTransfer to backtrack on changes to its terms.

The Genesis of Boomerang: Simplicity and User Focus

The mounting frustrations from creatives, who reached out to Nalden directly, solidified his resolve to create an alternative. He envisioned a new file transfer service that would embody WeTransfer's original ethos of simplicity and user-friendliness. This vision materialized as Boomerang, a platform designed to allow users to transfer files seamlessly, often without the need for an account or login.

"Why do tech companies always make things so complicated? I've always struggled with this, and I just wanted to offer another tool that is just, it's all about user experience, it's ease of use, it's the simplicity of sharing something quickly, and that just saves time. You don't need to sign up, you don't need to verify via email," Nalden told TechCrunch, explaining Boomerang's core philosophy.

Boomerang's Tiered Features and Pricing

Boomerang offers a flexible, tiered approach to its file transfer service:

  • No-Login Transfers: Casual users can transfer files up to 1GB in size, with a total space limit of 1GB, and a seven-day expiry period. This option requires no sign-up, prioritizing immediate usability.
  • Free Account: Creating a free account expands capabilities to 3GB of total space, allowing individual files up to 3GB. Users also gain access to upload history, the ability to add and delete files anytime, and custom emoji options for transfer pages.
  • Paid Tier (€6.99/month): For more extensive needs, the premium subscription provides 200GB per "space" (folders) and 500GB of total storage, with a 5GB per-file upload limit. Additional features include custom space covers, password protection for files, extended expiry up to 90 days, and the ability to invite unlimited users to access files within a space.

A Commitment to Privacy and Minimalist Design

Nalden is committed to a straightforward business model, explicitly rejecting advertising in favor of a simple payment structure. He believes the advertising industry introduces unnecessary complexity and aims for Boomerang to collect the absolute minimum amount of user data. He likens the service to a fundamental tool:

"I just want to offer a tool that works for users. It's like buying a hammer. You possibly don't want to buy a fancy hammer, but a hammer that just works," he noted.

This philosophy extends to Boomerang's deliberately barebones site and interface. Nalden views this minimalist design as a refreshing departure from investor-driven aesthetics, focusing purely on functionality. Interestingly, while many companies are integrating AI into user-facing features, Nalden states he primarily uses AI for product development behind the scenes, not for direct user interaction.

Availability

Currently, Boomerang is accessible via the web, with plans for a dedicated Mac application to be released in the near future.