Open-source Send Anywhere alternatives

LocalSend is an open-source app for sharing files and messages between devices on the same local network. It is described as a cross-platform alternative to AirDrop, so phones, tablets and computers running different operating systems can exchange data directly without routing it through a cloud service.

Devices talk to each other through a REST API protected by HTTPS encryption, so no external servers or internet access are needed, which keeps transfers quick and files inside your network. The app is built with Flutter and Dart, and builds are documented for Android, iOS, macOS, Windows and Linux. There is also a command line interface, and community members contribute translations through Weblate.

LocalSend is free under the Apache-2.0 license. The maintainers recommend installing it from an app store or a package manager, and the source is available on both GitHub and Codeberg. Because it needs no account or sign-in, it is a lightweight option for people who regularly move files between their own devices.

croc is a command line tool for transferring files and folders between any two computers. The sender gets a short code phrase, the receiver types it in, and the data moves directly between them where possible, falling back to a relay when a direct connection is not available. It is written in Go and runs on Windows, Linux and macOS.

Transfers are end-to-end encrypted using a password-authenticated key exchange, so the relay cannot read your files. Other capabilities include sending multiple files at once, resuming transfers that were interrupted, IPv6-first networking with IPv4 fallback, and routing through a proxy such as Tor. You do not need to set up a local server or forward ports. A browser version at getcroc.com is compatible with the command line client, so you can send and receive between them without installing anything.

croc is MIT licensed and can be installed from a release download or the command line. The maintainer notes that the project relies on community sponsorship. It suits anyone who regularly needs to move files between machines without cloud storage or accounts.

Magic Wormhole is a Python package that provides a library and a command-line tool named wormhole. It moves files and directories of any size, or brief snippets of text, between two computers. The two ends are matched by an identical wormhole code: the sending machine generates and shows it, and the receiving person types it in. It is released under the MIT license.

Codes are short, single-use and human-pronounceable, drawn from a phonetically distinct word list, and the receiving side offers tab completion so usually only a few characters are needed. Nothing has to be memorized. The program relies on two servers, a mailbox server and a transit relay, whose source code lives in separate repositories. The library works with Python 3.10 and newer, packages exist in many operating systems, and complete documentation is on Read the Docs along with a PyCon 2016 talk.

Gokapi is a self-hosted tool for sharing files, presented as an alternative to Firefox Send. It is written in Go and runs on Linux, macOS and Windows or in a Docker container. Unlike many upload services, it does not allow public uploads: only registered users can add files, which keeps the instance under the owner's control.

Shares can expire automatically after a set number of downloads or days. A file request feature gives outside parties a link to upload files that only the link's creator can see. Other features include user management with roles, file deduplication so identical files use no extra space, built-in encryption including end-to-end encrypted uploads, a REST API for automation and a UI that can be customized with CSS and JavaScript.

Storage can be local or AWS S3, including S3-compatible services such as Backblaze B2. OpenID Connect support allows sign-in through providers like Authelia or Keycloak. The minimum requirements are modest, around one CPU core and a few hundred megabytes of memory, and a setup wizard runs on first launch. Gokapi is licensed under AGPL-3.0.

AlterSend is an app for transferring files directly between your devices over the internet. Files go peer to peer with end-to-end encryption, with no cloud storage, no uploads, no accounts, and no size limit. The README frames it as a replacement for WeTransfer, Dropbox, or Google Drive links when you only want to move a file from one device to another. The input lists its license only as other.

It uses techniques such as hole punching to connect devices behind routers. Installers are provided, including Homebrew for macOS and Flatpak for Linux, and the repository has sections on how it works, development setup, internationalization, the tech stack, crash reporting, and security. It is written in TypeScript and was created in 2026.

AlterSend suits people who regularly share large files, such as video or backups, and want privacy without relying on a cloud intermediary. Both devices generally need to be online at the same time for a transfer.

PairDrop is a web app for local file sharing in the browser, inspired by Apple's AirDrop. It is a fork of Snapdrop and works on all platforms with a modern browser, which makes it useful for moving files between a phone and a laptop or between Android and iOS devices. It is released under the GPL-3.0 license.

You can send images, documents, or text through peer-to-peer connections to devices on the same local network. For transfers over the internet, you join temporary public rooms to pair devices. It runs as a progressive web app using WebRTC and WebSockets on a Node.js server, and the README lists the differences from the Snapdrop project it is based on.

A public instance is available at pairdrop.net, and the app can be self-hosted. PairDrop suits anyone who needs quick, no-account file transfers across mixed operating systems and wants to keep files off third-party cloud storage.

FastSend is a file transfer tool that runs in the browser and uses WebRTC to send files directly between two devices. Because the transfer is peer to peer and encrypted, the data does not need to be uploaded to and downloaded from a central file host, which suits quick sharing between your own devices or with someone nearby.

It supports sending single files and whole folders, and directory synchronization, which relies on the modern File System API and HTTPS. On a local network it optimizes the connection for faster transfers. The interface is simple, available in Chinese and English, and can be installed as a progressive web app. A public instance is available online, and the README warns that some networks may block peer-to-peer connections.

The project is built with Nuxt 4, Vue, Pinia and TypeScript, with a Nitro server handling WebSocket signaling, and it is licensed under MIT. It can be self-hosted with Docker or Docker Compose and should sit behind a reverse proxy in production. The README notes that the official Docker Hub image is shouchenicu/fastsend and warns about third-party images.

PairDrop for Android is a client app for PairDrop, a free and open-source local file sharing tool that runs in the browser. PairDrop works a bit like Apple's AirDrop but across all platforms, letting you move files between a phone and a computer on the same network without USB cables, Bluetooth or emailing yourself.

The Android app adds system integration, so you can choose PairDrop as a share target from within other apps and send files faster than using the website. It can connect to the public PairDrop service or to self-hosted Snapdrop and PairDrop instances. Transfers rely on WebRTC. The app is available from Google Play and F-Droid, translations are managed with Crowdin, and the author says there are no commercial interests.

The app is written in Java and licensed under GPL-3.0. Issues about the PairDrop website itself belong in the main PairDrop project rather than this repository. It suits Android users who frequently move photos and documents to a computer and want a simple, open-source solution.

EasyTransfer is a free, anonymous and encrypted file transfer tool that works in the browser. Two people open the same web page, enter a four-digit device code from one device on the other and connect, then drag and drop files or text across, with no account, login or personal information needed.

It is built with WebRTC and Vue.js, so files go directly from sender to receiver rather than through a server, and the project says it works across local and wide-area networks. You can send several files at once, text messages and photos, and the settings let you configure your own STUN and TURN servers and the maximum number of connections. The authors recommend running your own STUN/TURN server for better speed and stability.

All modules can be customized and deployed yourself, with deployment instructions in the project wiki, and a public instance is available. EasyTransfer is written in TypeScript and licensed under GPL-3.0.

AirDash is a Flutter app for sending photos and files from one device to another, wherever the two devices are. Because transfers use WebRTC, files travel directly between devices rather than through a central server, and the README says they are fully encrypted in transit. The devices do not need to be on the same network or close to each other, and the app picks the fastest connection available, such as Wi-Fi, mobile data or Ethernet.

The app runs on iOS, macOS, Android, Windows and Linux and is distributed through the Apple App Store, Homebrew, Google Play, the Microsoft Store and the Snap Store. Transfers can be started from the native share sheet on mobile or by dragging and dropping on desktop. According to the README it is free to send any number of files of any size.

The project is MIT licensed and documents how to run your own copy. Firebase Firestore handles WebRTC signaling and configuration, Firebase Functions handle device pairing, and Firebase Hosting serves the website. To run it yourself you create a Firebase project, configure an environment file and deploy the pairing function. By default a Google STUN server helps peers connect.