TransferNow alternative
Shako vs TransferNow: The Best File Transfer Alternative for Freelancers
TransferNow sits between the two: workable free tier, reasonable paid plans, some branding. Shako's difference is pricing you can predict — credits are based on the number of days your files are kept — and credit back for clearing storage early.
Side-by-Side Comparison: Free Tiers, Limits, and Pricing
| Feature | Shako | TransferNow |
|---|---|---|
| Free allowance | 15 credits/month (1 credit = 1 day kept), then extra credits from 45p each (bundles of 5) | Unlimited sends, 5 GB each |
| Free file size | 2 GB per transfer | 5 GB per transfer |
| Paid plans | £60/yr Plus · £150/yr Pro | From roughly £5–£20/month |
| Pay-as-you-go | Credit bundles from 45p per credit | Not offered |
| Retention control | 1 to 30 days, your choice — 1 credit per day | 7 days free, up to 365 days paid |
| Credits for deleting early | Yes — refunded on top of the day-based cost: 0.2 within 24h, 0.1 within 48h, 0.05 within 5 days | No |
| Custom short links | Yes, on every tier | Paid plans only |
| Page branding | Plus and Pro | Paid plans only |
| API access | Pro | Higher tiers |
TransferNow figures are from their published public plans and may change — check their site before deciding.
The real difference: credit for clearing early
No other service on this list pays you back for taking files off their disks. Shako does, on a sliding scale, whether you delete by hand or let the transfer expire.
0.2 credits
Cleared within 24h
0.1 credits
Cleared within 48h
0.05 credits
Cleared within 5 days
After 5 days a transfer earns nothing — the incentive is short retention and a smaller storage footprint, not archiving.
Features Where TransferNow Outperforms Shako
- TransferNow's free size limit beats Shako's 2 GB.
- Their higher tiers offer long archival retention, which Shako intentionally avoids.
Why people switch to Shako
- Per-transfer pricing you can predict, with pay-as-you-go instead of a forced upgrade.
- Retention from 1 to 30 days, chosen at upload — credits are based on the number of days your files are kept.
- Credit back every time you clear a transfer early.
- Custom short links on every tier, and receive pages so people can send files to you.