Most "send large files" tools ask you to upload a file to their server, then hand the other person a download link. Beamaroo skips the middleman: your file streams straight from your device to theirs over an encrypted peer-to-peer connection, so it's never uploaded to or stored on a server. You confirm the connection with a one-time word code, and you get a genuine "Delivered — verified on their device" once every file has been hash-checked on the far end.
Beamaroo vs Cloud transfer tools
An honest, side-by-side look. Where Cloud transfer tools wins, we say so.
| Feature | Beamaroo | Cloud transfer tools |
|---|---|---|
| How the file moves | Direct device-to-device beam over WebRTC — never uploaded to or stored on a server | Uploaded to and stored on a server, then downloaded (WeTransfer, SwissTransfer, Smash) |
| Account or install | None to send or receive — runs in any modern browser | No account for most; some offer apps. WeTransfer's larger transfers require a paid plan |
| Connection security | One-time human word code (e.g. beam-7-otter-quartz) cryptographically verifies the link and burns the channel after one wrong guess; DTLS end-to-end encryption | Share by link/QR; security rests on keeping the link secret. Cloud tools encrypt at rest but hold your file |
| Delivery confirmation | Receiving device hash-checks every file; "Delivered — verified on their device" returns to the sender | "Sent" means uploaded; no receiver-side hash-check returned to you |
| Free file size | No upload cap, but received files are held in browser-tab memory today, so very large multi-gigabyte transfers are limited until stream-to-disk ships | WeTransfer free is 3 GB / 10 transfers per 30 days; SwissTransfer up to 50 GB free — a genuine win for one huge file |
| Recipient offline now | Not supported — it's a live beam, both devices must be online at once | Store-and-forward: file waits days for pickup (WeTransfer ~3 days, SwissTransfer up to 30) — a real advantage here |
| Data jurisdiction | Built in Brisbane, Australia; file never touches a third-party server | Files hosted on the provider's servers (WeTransfer is owned by Italy's Bending Spoons; SwissTransfer is in Switzerland) |
| Cost | Free | Free tiers with caps; paid plans for bigger/longer transfers |
The main reason people go looking for a new way to send large files is that the old defaults got tighter. WeTransfer's free tier was cut back after its 2024 acquisition by Bending Spoons — you now get 10 transfers or 3 GB total in any rolling 30-day window, and files disappear after about three days. If you send big files regularly, the free plan runs out fast.
There's also a trust angle. In mid-2025 WeTransfer faced public backlash over terms that appeared to grant machine-learning rights over uploaded content (it later amended and clarified them, saying it doesn't train AI on user files or sell user data). That episode made a lot of creative and privacy-conscious people wary of uploading files to any third-party server at all — which is exactly what peer-to-peer avoids.
The practical case for P2P is speed and privacy. Uploading a large file to a server and then having the recipient download it means moving the data twice. A direct beam moves it once, and because nothing is stored, there's no copy sitting on someone else's disk. Tools like Beamaroo and ToffeeShare both work this way; Beamaroo adds a verified word-code handshake and a receiver-side delivery check on top.
When Cloud transfer tools is the better pick
Use WeTransfer or another cloud tool when the person you're sending to isn't online right now — a live beam needs both devices connected at the same time, so if they'll grab the file later on their own schedule, you want a store-and-forward service that holds it for a few days. Cloud tools also win when you need to move a single very large multi-gigabyte file today, since Beamaroo currently keeps received files in browser-tab memory until stream-to-disk ships: SwissTransfer gives you up to 50 GB free (hosted in Switzerland for up to 30 days), and WeTransfer is the familiar, no-explanation-needed choice when the recipient just expects a plain download link and privacy isn't the priority.
Questions
How do I send large files for free without WeTransfer's limits?
Open Beamaroo in your browser, share a one-time word code (or QR) with the person receiving, and the file beams straight to their device. There's no account, no install, and nothing is uploaded to a server, so you're not hitting WeTransfer's 3 GB / 10-transfer monthly cap.
Are my files uploaded to a server?
No. Beamaroo sends files directly device-to-device over an encrypted WebRTC connection. The server only introduces the two devices — it never sees your file names, contents, or the code words. If a direct link is blocked, an encrypted relay forwards ciphertext it can't read.
Is there a file size limit?
There's no upload cap because nothing is stored. The honest limit today is on the receiving side: files are held in the browser tab's memory before saving, so very large multi-gigabyte transfers are constrained until stream-to-disk lands. For one huge single file right now, a no-store P2P tool like ToffeeShare or a cloud service like SwissTransfer may suit better.
Does the other person need to be online at the same time?
Yes. Beamaroo is a live beam, not a locker — both devices have to be online and connected at once, and the sender keeps the tab open until the transfer finishes. If your recipient will only pick the file up later, use a store-and-forward tool like WeTransfer or SwissTransfer instead.
How do I know the file actually arrived?
The receiving device hash-checks every file and the confirmation returns to you as "Delivered — verified on their device". That's different from cloud tools, where "sent" only means the file finished uploading to their server.
Can I send large files across the internet, not just the same Wi-Fi?
Yes. Beamaroo works across the internet, not only on the same LAN. It uses WebRTC to find the shortest path — so same-building transfers can be very fast — and falls back to an encrypted relay when a direct connection is blocked.