What is ffsend used for?

ffsend is a command-line client for Send file sharing that encrypts files on your machine and returns a private link with a password and expiry option. It is a good fit for sharing files securely from the terminal, sending temporary download links and scripting encrypted file transfers.

Is ffsend open source?

Yes. ffsend is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at timvisee/ffsend and is written mainly in Rust.

Yes. ffsend is open source, so the software itself is free to use. A managed cloud version is also available.

What is ffsend an alternative to?

ffsend is an open-source alternative to WeTransfer, Smash, Filemail and TransferNow. Other open-source alternatives to WeTransfer include Gokapi, Plik and Sharry.

Is ffsend actively maintained?

The most recent commit to ffsend was on 20 November 2025, and the latest release is v0.2.77, published on 4 February 2025. The project has 7.4k stars on GitHub.

ffsend: open-source alternative to WeTransfer, Smash

About ffsend

ffsend is a command-line tool for sharing files and directories through encrypted links. It is a full-featured client for the Send service, originally known as Firefox Send, so you can upload from a terminal with one command and give the recipient a link that works in a browser or with the same tool.

Files are encrypted on your machine before upload and the secrets are never shared with the remote host. You can add a password, and the defaults limit a link to a single download or 24 hours, with options for up to 20 downloads, so files do not stay online forever. The README mentions a size limit of 1 GB on the public host. The default Send host is provided by the maintainer, who asks for donations to keep it running.

ffsend is written in Rust, licensed under GPL-3.0, and available for Linux, macOS, Windows, FreeBSD and Android, installable from crates.io and other package sources. Because it is a client, it can also point at other Send hosts. It suits developers and sysadmins who want to share files securely from the terminal.

Key features

Upload files and directories from the CLI
Client-side encryption of files
Optional password protection
Download count and time limits
Packages for Linux, macOS, Windows, and FreeBSD
Works with configurable Send hosts

Good fit for

→Sharing files securely from the terminal
→Sending temporary download links
→Scripting encrypted file transfers

Built with: Rust
Tags: file-sharing; cli; encryption; rust; firefox-send; secure-transfer; command-line; privacy; upload

ffsend: questions and answers

What is ffsend used for?: ffsend is a command-line client for Send file sharing that encrypts files on your machine and returns a private link with a password and expiry option. It is a good fit for sharing files securely from the terminal, sending temporary download links and scripting encrypted file transfers.
Is ffsend open source?: Yes. ffsend is open source under the GPL-3.0 licence. Its source code is on GitHub at timvisee/ffsend and is written mainly in Rust.
Is ffsend free?: Yes. ffsend is open source, so the software itself is free to use. A managed cloud version is also available.
What is ffsend an alternative to?: ffsend is an open-source alternative to WeTransfer, Smash, Filemail and TransferNow. Other open-source alternatives to WeTransfer include Gokapi, Plik and Sharry.
Is ffsend actively maintained?: The most recent commit to ffsend was on 20 November 2025, and the latest release is v0.2.77, published on 4 February 2025. The project has 7.4k stars on GitHub.