03 May 2025
Storage

**FileShare** (ShareFile.host) is a user-friendly website where you ...

...can upload files like PDFs, images, or HTML, or ZIPs with website content, and get a unique link (e.g., abc123.sharefile.host) to share them. It’s free to start with up to 3 uploads, or you can pay $5–$10/month for unlimited uploads and no FileShare logo. Perfect for sharing documents or hosting simple websites, it’s secure, affordable, and easy to use for anyone needing a quick way to share it

Confidence
Engagement
Net use signal
Net buy signal

Idea type: Run Away

Multiple attempts have failed with clear negative feedback. Continuing down this path would likely waste your time and resources when better opportunities exist elsewhere.

Should You Build It?

Don't build it.


Your are here

The market for simple file sharing services is crowded, with 23 similar products already vying for users' attention. While your idea of a user-friendly website like FileShare (ShareFile.host) sounds straightforward, the lack of strong positive signals from similar products and the consistent concerns around security and long-term viability suggest a challenging path. The average number of comments for similar products is only 5, indicating moderate engagement, but also potential difficulty in attracting users. Offering a free tier is common, but the skepticism around unlimited storage business models raises questions about sustainability. Given these factors, it's crucial to carefully consider the competitive landscape and potential pitfalls before investing significant time and resources.

Recommendations

  1. Thoroughly analyze the negative comments from similar products to pinpoint the main reasons why users rejected them. Many similar products have faced criticism regarding security concerns, long URLs, and lack of clear value proposition. Identify the most common pain points and address them directly in your product to differentiate yourself effectively.
  2. Evaluate whether your existing skills and resources could be applied to a related but distinct problem within the file-sharing or collaboration space. Explore niche markets or underserved user groups that have unique needs or requirements. This approach might offer a better opportunity for success than competing directly in an oversaturated market.
  3. If you have already developed some components of FileShare, assess whether the underlying technology can be repurposed for a different application. Consider if the file uploading, storage, or sharing mechanisms could be adapted to address a different problem domain, potentially unlocking new opportunities.
  4. Interview at least three individuals who have tried similar file-sharing products to understand their actual needs, frustrations, and desires. Gather specific feedback on the features they value, the problems they encountered, and the improvements they would like to see. Use this input to refine your understanding of the market and identify unmet needs.
  5. Based on your research and analysis, formulate a new product idea that addresses the limitations of existing solutions and capitalizes on unmet needs in the market. Focus on creating a unique value proposition that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition. Ensure your new idea aligns with your skills, resources, and passion.
  6. Given security is a major concern, conduct a thorough security audit focusing on encryption (both client-side and server-side), data handling, and vulnerability testing. Communicate these measures clearly and transparently to users to build trust.
  7. Focus on a specific niche, like sharing large files for video editors, or providing a very simple drag-and-drop interface for non-technical users. A niche focus will help you differentiate and acquire users more effectively.

Questions

  1. How can you ensure your file-sharing service provides a demonstrably higher level of security and privacy compared to existing solutions, given that security concerns are a recurring theme in user feedback?
  2. What specific niche or user group can you target to avoid direct competition with established players in the file-sharing market, and how will you tailor your product to their unique needs?
  3. How will you ensure long-term sustainability of your service, especially if you offer free or unlimited storage options, given skepticism about the viability of such models?

Your are here

The market for simple file sharing services is crowded, with 23 similar products already vying for users' attention. While your idea of a user-friendly website like FileShare (ShareFile.host) sounds straightforward, the lack of strong positive signals from similar products and the consistent concerns around security and long-term viability suggest a challenging path. The average number of comments for similar products is only 5, indicating moderate engagement, but also potential difficulty in attracting users. Offering a free tier is common, but the skepticism around unlimited storage business models raises questions about sustainability. Given these factors, it's crucial to carefully consider the competitive landscape and potential pitfalls before investing significant time and resources.

Recommendations

  1. Thoroughly analyze the negative comments from similar products to pinpoint the main reasons why users rejected them. Many similar products have faced criticism regarding security concerns, long URLs, and lack of clear value proposition. Identify the most common pain points and address them directly in your product to differentiate yourself effectively.
  2. Evaluate whether your existing skills and resources could be applied to a related but distinct problem within the file-sharing or collaboration space. Explore niche markets or underserved user groups that have unique needs or requirements. This approach might offer a better opportunity for success than competing directly in an oversaturated market.
  3. If you have already developed some components of FileShare, assess whether the underlying technology can be repurposed for a different application. Consider if the file uploading, storage, or sharing mechanisms could be adapted to address a different problem domain, potentially unlocking new opportunities.
  4. Interview at least three individuals who have tried similar file-sharing products to understand their actual needs, frustrations, and desires. Gather specific feedback on the features they value, the problems they encountered, and the improvements they would like to see. Use this input to refine your understanding of the market and identify unmet needs.
  5. Based on your research and analysis, formulate a new product idea that addresses the limitations of existing solutions and capitalizes on unmet needs in the market. Focus on creating a unique value proposition that resonates with your target audience and sets you apart from the competition. Ensure your new idea aligns with your skills, resources, and passion.
  6. Given security is a major concern, conduct a thorough security audit focusing on encryption (both client-side and server-side), data handling, and vulnerability testing. Communicate these measures clearly and transparently to users to build trust.
  7. Focus on a specific niche, like sharing large files for video editors, or providing a very simple drag-and-drop interface for non-technical users. A niche focus will help you differentiate and acquire users more effectively.

Questions

  1. How can you ensure your file-sharing service provides a demonstrably higher level of security and privacy compared to existing solutions, given that security concerns are a recurring theme in user feedback?
  2. What specific niche or user group can you target to avoid direct competition with established players in the file-sharing market, and how will you tailor your product to their unique needs?
  3. How will you ensure long-term sustainability of your service, especially if you offer free or unlimited storage options, given skepticism about the viability of such models?

  • Confidence: High
    • Number of similar products: 23
  • Engagement: Medium
    • Average number of comments: 5
  • Net use signal: -3.3%
    • Positive use signal: 6.6%
    • Negative use signal: 9.9%
  • Net buy signal: -3.5%
    • Positive buy signal: 0.0%
    • Negative buy signal: 3.5%

This chart summarizes all the similar products we found for your idea in a single plot.

The x-axis represents the overall feedback each product received. This is calculated from the net use and buy signals that were expressed in the comments. The maximum is +1, which means all comments (across all similar products) were positive, expressed a willingness to use & buy said product. The minimum is -1 and it means the exact opposite.

The y-axis captures the strength of the signal, i.e. how many people commented and how does this rank against other products in this category. The maximum is +1, which means these products were the most liked, upvoted and talked about launches recently. The minimum is 0, meaning zero engagement or feedback was received.

The sizes of the product dots are determined by the relevance to your idea, where 10 is the maximum.

Your idea is the big blueish dot, which should lie somewhere in the polygon defined by these products. It can be off-center because we use custom weighting to summarize these metrics.

Similar products

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BestFile - Free file sharing with unlimited storage space

05 Feb 2023 Storage

Bestfile is a file uploading, storage and sharing site with unlimited storage space that enables you to easily share your file via an easy-to-share link.

Users have expressed concerns about Bestfile's security measures, specifically the lack of client-side encryption and the deletion of files after the timeout period. Questions were raised about how Bestfile differentiates itself from existing file storage solutions. In addition, users are curious about the revenue generation model for unlimited storage services like Bestfile, in the context of the current challenging economic climate.

Users expressed concerns regarding security, specifically the absence of client-side encryption and the failure to delete files after the specified timeout. Doubts were raised about the long-term viability and sustainability of the product, questioning how it will survive in the market. Additionally, the business model, particularly the offering of unlimited storage, was viewed with skepticism by some users.


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Open-Source Ad-Free File Upload Service

22 Apr 2024 Productivity

Currently, all or atleast majority of file upload and sharing services either show ads or have download speed limited at 1 MBps.With DoShare, we are aiming at increased download speed and no-bullsh*t file uploads.Each time you try to transfer file from PC to Mobile or another network a lot of things com in the way including file services asking your email id to send you a link. Why not simply let me upload and give me direct link?DoShare is built with S3,Flask(upload) and Preact(3kb react-alternatve library). So, you can even host your own service directly by entering S3 credentials. We are using Cloudflare's R2 r2.cloudflare.com - S3 Compatible for the hosted version. So here we are, Steps to use:[] Upload File [] Get Direct Link [] Share Link to Device (and voila download starts...except for mimetypes png,jpg,audio,video they get rendered in chrome: we're working on that.)Our hosted version is currently capped at 200MB sized files. But if you have bigger needs simply change it in flask upload server.And the best part is, we get to enjoy file sharing, again.

Users commented on DoShare's fast, ad-free file uploads, but noted that many services offer similar features without ads or speed limits. Criticisms include long URLs, extra steps, and questioned reliability, with gofile.io cited as a counterexample. Users inquired about the project's GitHub repo, license, and CLA requirements, expressing a preference for MIT/BSD licenses and a dislike for CLAs, while suggesting AGPL for server tools. There was uncertainty about its design for software and suggestions for using WebRTC for better performance. A hybrid system was proposed as ideal but challenging to implement.

Users criticized the Show HN product for its 200MB file size cap and lack of file type flexibility. They noted long URLs and cumbersome extra steps, questioning the reliability of claims, and unfavorably compared it to gofile.io. The product was also said to lack clear explanations for its use and missing license information. Users expressed discomfort with the Contributor License Agreement (CLA) and its empowerment of maintainers. Criticisms included that it's not designed for software, has poor performance, and that its hybrid system is complex to implement.


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Quickshare - Simple, quick and easy

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Looking for a no hassle simple, quick and easy way to share files with friends or just copy from one device to another? Your search ends here sister(or bro)! We've solved this problem in the most ingenious way possible! Really, just download it and find out!

Straightforward file sharing praised for its ease of use.


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FileFling - Serverless P2P file sharing, fast, secure & without limits

26 Oct 2024 Privacy Productivity Tech

🚀 FileFling – Modern, responsive, and serverless P2P file sharing with no size limits! 📂✨ Experience fast, privacy-focused transfers 🔒 with zero accounts needed. 100% free, seamless, and unlimited – share your files, your way!

The launch was met with congratulations, with users appreciating the absence of size limits and account requirements. However, some users raised questions regarding the security of a specific feature or aspect mentioned in the launch.

Users expressed concerns regarding security and privacy, particularly during serverless peer-to-peer transfers. Doubts were raised about the overall security of the product/service.


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I built a website to share files and messages without any server

05 May 2024 Productivity

NeighborHoodShare: It is a p2p files and messages sharing platform without involvement of any server. It has end-to-end encryption, ensuring your messages and files remain confidential.These are some features: - Share photos, documents, videos, and more with ease, no matter the size. - Connect instantly with anyone for speedy and reliable file transfers, bypassing the need for centralized servers. - Get started in minutes with our intuitive interface designed for seamless communication. No registration. - Easily connect with others using QR codes, simplifying the sharing process further.The inspiration behind NeighborHoodShare stemmed from a common dilemma: the reluctance to share personal contact details like phone numbers or email addresses when sharing photos or messages with strangers. With NeighborHoodShare, you can share content securely without compromising your privacy.I would be happy to hear your feedback and suggestions for improving NeighborHoodShare.I had written a blog on how p2p networking in browsers work: https://dikshantraj2001.medium.com/nat-stun-turn-and-ice-466...

Users expressed concerns about security, particularly regarding personal data collection, encryption, and trust in servers for file transfers. There's debate over the security of web apps versus native apps, with some citing app stores as authenticity checks. Trust issues with app developers and stores like Apple and Google were noted. The use of WebRTC and P2P technology was discussed, with questions about serverless functionality and NAT traversal. Some users recommended alternatives like e2ee.js, Magic Wormhole, and Syncthing for secure file sharing. The project's open-source status and compatibility with various platforms, including iOS, were also points of interest. There were mixed opinions on Telegram's encryption. Overall, there's a mix of skepticism and interest in the project's approach to privacy and security.

The product has been criticized for inadequate security explanations, particularly regarding encryption and peer authentication. Users are concerned about centralized servers potentially compromising data and the limitations of web apps in terms of verification and encryption. Trust issues with app modification by Apple and Google, as well as the vulnerability of mobile platforms, were noted. The necessity of the product over existing solutions, keeping source code private, and the lack of open-source credentials were also questioned. Additionally, there were concerns about compatibility with iOS and Android, bugs, and the lack of end-to-end encryption.


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iShare QR lets you share files and photos quickly using a simple QR code. No need for cables or complex setups — just scan and transfer files fast and instantly.

Users are enthusiastic about the file-sharing tool. One user is eager to recommend the tool due to its ease of use. A suggestion was made to include password protection for shared files in a future update to enhance security.


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Hey HN!I've built an app for sharing files with other people. You don't need to send them via email or upload them through time-consuming apps but in a very simple way with few clicks! Files are in your dashboard in lists, pick those that you want to send and create a link for the page with files with title and description. You will have always access to this link and the files in it.All best.

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NeighborHoodShare - Ditch the Cloud, share nearby

05 May 2024 Encryption Privacy Storage

Tired of waiting for cloud uploads? Say goodbye to slow transfers and hello to instant sharing with NeighborHoodShare! Our innovative platform lets you share files directly with your neighbors, bypassing the cloud for lightning-fast transfers.

The product launch on Product Hunt has been well-received. Users express positive sentiment, finding the project interesting and useful. One user specifically loves the core concept of sending text messages and congratulates the team on the launch of NeighborHoodShare.


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Self-hosted, open-source web-based file sharing software that allows you to securely share files with clients and team members. It features a user-friendly interface, customizable branding, client management, file previews, and multi-language support.

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