# Alternatives to LocalSend

Open source AirDrop for every platform.

LocalSend ranks #3 of 8 in File transfer tools, with an Alt Score of 64. It is licensed under Apache-2.0, free from Free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android. 6 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/localsend/
Category: File transfer tools

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Anyone who needs to move files between their own or others' computers and phones (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS) and wants a fast, private way to do it without cloud accounts or internet access.
- **What you get**: An open-source, cross-platform app that transfers files directly between devices over a local WiFi network, using end-to-end encryption and no internet connection required. There's no account to create, no ads or trackers, and no bandwidth limits since transfers run at local network speed. It supports any file type and works across desktop and mobile platforms interchangeably.
- **How it works**: Install LocalSend on the sending and receiving devices, select the file(s) to share, then pick the nearby device from the discovered list to send; the transfer completes over the shared WiFi network and files land in the recipient's Downloads folder by default.

## Profile

- **License**: Apache-2.0 (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Pricing model**: Free (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Starts at**: Free (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-10)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [croc](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/croc.md) | 73 | MIT | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 2 | [Send Anywhere](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/send-anywhere.md) | 68 | ? | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [PairDrop](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/pairdrop.md) | 64 | GPL-3.0 | Web |
| 4 | [Wormhole](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/wormhole.md) | 50 | ? | Web |
| 5 | [Warpinator](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/warpinator.md) | 46 | GPL-3.0 | Linux |
| 6 | [Smash](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/smash.md) | 37 | Proprietary | macOS, iOS, Android, Web |
| 7 | [WeTransfer](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/wetransfer.md) | 37 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| File transfer tools checklist | LocalSend | croc | Send Anywhere | PairDrop | Wormhole | Warpinator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Free | Free | Freemium | Donationware | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free | $5.99/mo | Free | Free | Free |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT | ? | GPL-3.0 | ? | GPL-3.0 |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web, Browser extension | Web | Web | Linux |
| Max file size (free) | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
| E2E encryption | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
| No account needed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Local network (P2P) | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Expiry controls | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
| Password protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | ? | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Self-hostable | ? | Yes | No | Yes | ? | ? |
| Resume interrupted transfers | ? | Yes | Partial | ? | ? | ? |
| CLI | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | ? |

## Sources

Sources for LocalSend. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Starts at**: Free — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “LocalSend is a free, open-source app”
- **License**: Apache-2.0 — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/LICENSE> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Apache License Version 2.0, January 2004”
- **Pricing model**: Free — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “LocalSend is a free, open-source app that allows you to securely share files and messages with nearby devices over your local network without needing an internet connection.”
- **Platforms**: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “| Android  | 5.0 | -| | iOS      | 12.0 | -| | macOS    | 11 Big Sur | | Windows  | 10 | | Linux    | N.A. |”
- **Status**: active — <https://github.com/localsend/localsend/commits/main> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Note: committedDate":"2026-07-10T02:37:16.000+02:00""
- **E2E encryption**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “All data is sent securely over HTTPS, and the TLS/SSL certificate is generated on the fly on each device, ensuring maximum security.”
- **No account needed**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “LocalSend doesn't require an internet connection or third-party servers, making it a fast and reliable solution for local communication.”
- **Local network (P2P)**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “share files and messages with nearby devices over your local network without needing an internet connection.”
- **Password protection**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/app/assets/CHANGELOG.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Note: Optional PIN required to receive files.
  - Quote: “feat: add option to require PIN when receiving files”
- **Open source**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/LICENSE> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Apache License Version 2.0, January 2004”
- **CLI**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/localsend/localsend/main/cli/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “The LocalSend CLI.”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/