Dropzone vs LocalSend
We give Dropzone a 3.0 GPA and LocalSend a 3.6, out of 4.0. LocalSend grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dropzone
Drag-and-drop action grid and file shelf for the Mac menu bar
How we grade them
| 3.0GPADropzoneVery good | 3.6GPALocalSendExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | APro is $35 once from Aptonic, or $19.99 a year on the Mac App Store. Either way that's under what paid utilities here typically cost for a year. We'd skip the $4.99 monthly option, which comes to $59.88 over twelve months. | AIt costs nothing. LocalSend is free and open source under the Apache License 2.0, and the site says there are no ads, no tracking and no hidden costs. Sponsors and donations pay for it. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe grid, the Drop Bar and the built-in actions for moving, copying and opening files are free for good. But Amazon S3, SFTP, add-on actions and unlimited grids are Pro, and the listing can't say how many grids you get without it. Pro has a 14-day trial. | AThe complete app is free on every platform, with no account, no bandwidth limits and no paid tier waiting further in. You can't get more free than that. |
| Features | ADrop a file on an action to move, copy, AirDrop or upload it, park files on the Drop Bar, and sort actions into several grids. You can write your own actions in Ruby or Python and run them from the terminal with the dz tool. It does its one job in full. | AIt does one thing and does it fully: any file type, plus text, sent device to device over HTTPS, with an optional PIN check. There's a web app for browsers and a command line tool as well. It won't send over the internet, and it doesn't pretend to. |
| Ease of use | BNo store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. Drag a file and the grid shows up by itself, or press F3. There's nothing to wire up unless you want S3 or SFTP. | B4.5 from 720 App Store ratings. Install it, open it and tap the nearby device, with no account to make. One snag: devices may not find each other if your router has AP isolation on or a firewall blocks port 53317. |
| Platforms and integrations | DMac only, and Dropzone 5 needs macOS 13 or later. It connects to Amazon S3, Imgur, AirDrop, Apple Shortcuts and TinyURL, and it's on Setapp. No Windows and no phone app. | BWindows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, plus a web app for browsers. That's every device going. It doesn't hook into other tools, though: no integrations are listed, and the nearest thing to an API is the command line tool. |
| Best for | drag-and-drop file actions on a Mac | sending files between nearby devices with no cloud |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Dropzone and LocalSend. How we grade
Where they differ
- Dropzone starts at $4.99 / month or $19.99 / year (Mac App Store), or $35 one-time direct. LocalSend is free.
- Only LocalSend lists a web app.
- Only LocalSend lists Windows, Linux, Android and iOS apps.
- Dropzone can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- LocalSend is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Dropzone also covers menu bar app and file management.
At a glance
| Dropzone | LocalSend | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | $4.99 / month or $19.99 / year (Mac App Store), or $35 one-time direct | Free |
| Free plan | Free download with the action grid, Drop Bar and built-in actions for opening apps and moving or copying files. The vendor lists Amazon S3, SFTP, add-on actions, unlimited grids and more as Pro features. | Free and open source under the Apache License 2.0. The site states there are no ads, no tracking and no hidden costs; development is funded by sponsors and donations. |
| Free trial | 14-day trial of the Pro features; the Mac App Store subscription also starts with a 14-day free trial | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Aptonic LLC | Tien Do Nam |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | localsend.org |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 6, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Dropzone
- Mac users who move, copy and upload files by drag and drop all day
- People who want a temporary shelf for files while switching apps
- Scripters who want to write their own drop actions in Ruby or Python
LocalSend
- Moving files between a phone and a computer on the same Wi-Fi
- Homes and offices that mix Apple, Android, Windows and Linux devices
- People who do not want their files to pass through a cloud service
Worth knowing
Dropzone
- macOS only; Dropzone 5 requires macOS 13 or later.
- Amazon S3 and SFTP uploads, add-on actions, action keyboard shortcuts and unlimited grids are Pro features.
- On the Mac App Store, Pro is a subscription unless you buy the $34.99 lifetime unlock, and Pro features stop when a subscription ends.
- Dropzone 5 Pro is a paid upgrade for Dropzone 4 owners, at up to 50% off with a Dropzone 4 serial number.
LocalSend
- Both devices must be on the same local network; the FAQ says it does not work over the internet.
- The app has no auto-update, so the project recommends installing it from an app store or a package manager.
- Devices may not find each other when a router has AP isolation enabled or a firewall blocks port 53317.
- Minimum versions are Android 7.0, iOS 13.0, macOS 11 Big Sur and Windows 10.
Key features
Dropzone
- Action grid
- Dragging a file makes Dropzone appear at the top of the screen; dropping it on an action moves, copies, shares or uploads it. The grid also opens from the menu bar item.
- Drop Bar
- A temporary holding place for files: drag items on, then drag them off into another app or onto an action. Pro can detach it into a floating window and name its stacks.
- Multiple grids
- Actions can be arranged in several grids and switched between, with adjustable columns and grid size. Adding unlimited grids and categories is listed as a Pro feature.
- Sharing and uploads
- Built-in actions send files by AirDrop, upload images to Imgur for a shareable link and shorten URLs with TinyURL. Amazon S3 and SFTP uploading need Pro.
- Add-on actions
- A library of add-on actions installs from inside the app, and new actions can be written in Ruby or Python. Installing or developing add-ons is listed as a Pro feature.
- Keyboard and terminal control
- F3 or a custom shortcut opens the grid from any application, and the dz command-line tool runs actions, adds files to Drop Bar and switches grids.
LocalSend
- Transfers over the local network
- Sends files to a nearby device over the local Wi-Fi network, with no internet connection, account or external server. The site says data never leaves the local network.
- Encrypted transfers
- All data is sent over HTTPS using a TLS certificate generated on each device, and PIN verification can be turned on for extra protection.
- Files of any type, plus text
- Photos, videos, documents and text can be sent, and any file type is accepted. Received files go to the Downloads folder by default, which can be changed in settings.
- Apps for desktop and mobile
- Available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS through app stores and package managers such as Winget, Homebrew, Flathub and F-Droid.
- LocalSend Web
- A web app at web.localsend.org shares files between a browser and other devices that are running LocalSend.
- Command line interface
- localsend-cli sends files, folders or text from a terminal, to a device picked from the discovered list or named by its alias or IP address.
Plans
Dropzone
Dropzone 5 (free)$0
Free download from aptonic.com or the Mac App Store with the action grid, Drop Bar and built-in actions.
Dropzone 5 Pro Monthly$4.99
per month, auto-renewing (US Mac App Store)
Pro features and all app updates while subscribed, after a 14-day free trial. Pro features stop if the subscription is cancelled.
Dropzone 5 Pro Yearly$19.99
per year (US Mac App Store in-app purchase)
The same Pro subscription billed once a year through the Mac App Store.
Dropzone 5 Pro Lifetime (App Store)$34.99
one-time in-app purchase (US Mac App Store)
Lifetime unlock of the Pro features in the Mac App Store edition.
Dropzone 5 Pro Lifetime (direct)$35
one-time purchase, lifetime license
Lifetime license for the version downloaded from aptonic.com, registered with a serial number.
LocalSend
LocalSend$0
The complete app on every supported platform, with no account, no bandwidth limits and no paid tier.
Ways to pay less
Dropzone
- Lifetime license
Lifetime Pro license for $35
Dropzone 5 Pro is sold as a lifetime license for $35 from aptonic.com, or as a $34.99 lifetime in-app purchase on the Mac App Store.
- Annual discount
Yearly Pro subscription for $19.99
On the Mac App Store, Pro costs $4.99 a month or $19.99 a year. Twelve monthly payments would come to $59.88.
- Other savings
Up to 50% off for Dropzone 4 owners
Entering a Dropzone 4 serial number on the vendor's upgrade page gives a discount of up to 50% on Dropzone 5 Pro.
LocalSend
No public discounts listed.
