Why we started showing (some) ads

The reality of running a free service

Running a reliable P2P file transfer service is not free. Even though we avoid storing user files on our servers, we still have operational costs: hosting the signalling infrastructure, bandwidth for initial connections, logging and monitoring for reliability, and development time. As more people discovered Free Transfer and started to share files with it, these costs grew steadily.

We explored several funding options. Direct donations are wonderful when they happen, but they tend to be irregular and hard to plan around. Paid accounts or hard limits on free usage would have gone against the project’s spirit of being an easy, open tool for anyone who needs to transfer files safely. After careful thought, we decided that a small, carefully chosen amount of advertising could help us keep the service running without putting up paywalls.

Ads, but not at any price

Showing ads on a privacy‑focused tool is a delicate matter. We knew from the beginning that we would not accept invasive tracking or behavioural profiling. The goal was not to squeeze every last cent out of each page view, but to cover basic costs while staying aligned with our values.

That is why we made several firm decisions:

• No sharing of file contents or filenames with ad networks.
• No use of transfer metadata (such as sizes or frequency) to build user profiles.
• No pop‑ups or interstitials that block the core workflow of sending or receiving files.

Instead, we focus on simple ad placements in non‑critical areas of the interface, with an emphasis on contextual or non‑intrusive formats. When ads are disabled (as in some current builds), the service continues to work without any penalty beyond the absence of that revenue.

How this affects your privacy

The short answer is: as little as possible. Free Transfer continues to operate on the principle that private file sharing should not require you to hand over personal data. The P2P engine still sends files directly between browsers, and we do not store your files on our servers. Introducing ads does not change that architecture.

Where we do use external ad platforms, we configure them with the strictest privacy options available: limited data processing, no personalised targeting based on user behaviour on other sites and strong content restrictions. We also continue to avoid unnecessary third‑party scripts. If we find that a particular ad technology undermines these goals, we remove it rather than compromise on privacy.

Why not simply charge for the service?

Paid subscriptions can work well for certain products, but they come with trade‑offs. Many of the people who benefit most from being able to send files secure for free are students, open‑source contributors and individuals in regions where paying for yet another subscription is not realistic. We want Free Transfer to remain useful to these groups.

By using a small amount of advertising instead of mandatory payments, we can let those who are able to support the project do so indirectly, while keeping the core service available to everyone. If you prefer not to see ads, you can use browser‑level tools to reduce their visibility, and Free Transfer will continue to function. The experience may look cleaner with ads disabled, but we design layouts so that even when ads are present they do not break the workflow.

Staying transparent and listening to feedback

One reason for writing this article is to be transparent. We do not want the introduction of ads to feel like a silent, unexplained shift. As the service evolves, we will keep documenting decisions that have an impact on how you share files and how the project is funded.

If you have concerns or suggestions, we encourage you to reach out. Constructive feedback helps us adjust our approach. For example, if a particular ad placement feels too distracting or if you worry about a specific network’s practices, telling us gives us a chance to reconsider. Our priority remains protecting your ability to transfer files securely with minimal friction.