LocalSend vs PairDrop (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick LocalSend: it is first in our ranking of desktop utilities, and it grades higher too, 3.2 against 3.0.
Checked Oct 6, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
LocalSend grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Which one is for you
Pick LocalSend if
- Fits if you move photos and files between a phone and a computer on the same Wi-Fi
- Works for homes and offices with a mix of Apple, Android, Windows and Linux devices
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if the other person is across town, as it doesn't work over the internet
- Not for you if your devices are old, since it needs Android 7.0, iOS 13.0, macOS 11 or Windows 10 at least
- Tight if your router has AP isolation on or a firewall blocks port 53317, because devices may not find each other
- Watch out: the app doesn't update itself, so the project says to install it from an app store or a package manager
- Too light for hooking into other tools: no integrations are listed beyond its command line tool
Pick PairDrop if
- Fits if you want to send a file from a phone to a laptop without a cable
- Works for people who want no account or app install
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you want to send while the other device is closed, as both must have it open
- Watch out: devices outside your network connect through the project's TURN server
- Watch out: iOS and Android limit how files can be saved from a web page
- Too light for sync or backup, as it only moves files once
How we grade them
| 3.2GPALocalSendVery good | 3.0GPAPairDropVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt costs nothing at all. Free and open source under the Apache License 2.0, a download anyone can run, and the site says there are no ads, no tracking and no hidden costs. Sponsors and donations pay for it. | AFree in the browser, with no sign-up. You can run your own copy too. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe complete app is free on every platform, with no account, no bandwidth limits and no paid tier waiting further in. There's no cap you could reach. | AFree outright, with sponsorship optional. |
| Features | CSending files between two devices on one network is its whole job, and it does that job fully: any file type plus text, over HTTPS, with an optional PIN check, a browser app and a command line tool. It's a narrow job, and its own FAQ says it won't go over the internet. | CLocal transfers, pairing, temporary rooms and a share menu. It does that job fully, but it is a smaller job. |
| Ease of use | B4.5 from 720 App Store ratings. Install it, open it, tap the nearby device, 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. | BNo rating on record, but there is nothing to install or set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWindows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS, plus a web app for browsers. What keeps it off top marks is that it connects to nothing else: no integrations are listed, and the nearest thing to an API is the command line tool. | CWeb only. It works on any device with a browser but has no native app. |
| Best for | sending files between nearby devices with no cloud | sending files between nearby devices in a browser |
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: LocalSend and PairDrop. How we grade
Price against what you get
LocalSend has no paid plan and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. PairDrop has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
LocalSend scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other desktop utilities on the chart, none scores higher than LocalSend for less, and none scores higher than PairDrop for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- LocalSend is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- PairDrop is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- PairDrop also covers qR codes.
In commonFree planWebOpen sourceFile sharing
At a glance
| LocalSend | PairDrop | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | 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 to use in the browser, with no signup; the project accepts sponsorship through GitHub Sponsors. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Tien Do Nam | PairDrop project |
| Price read from | localsend.org | pairdrop.net |
| Checked | Oct 6, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
PairDrop
- Both devices must have PairDrop open in a browser for a transfer to start.
- Devices outside your network behind a NAT connect through the project's TURN server.
- The project says iOS and Android limit how files can be saved from a web page.
Key features
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.
PairDrop
- Local network transfers
- Send images, documents or text peer-to-peer to devices on the same network.
- Device pairing
- Pair devices with a 6-digit code or a QR code so they find each other even on different networks.
- Temporary public rooms
- Enter a room with a 5-letter code or QR code to connect across the internet; rooms close when PairDrop does.
- Share menu and command line
- Send from the Android or iOS share menu, a Windows or Ubuntu context menu, or a command-line client.
- Installable web app
- Runs as a progressive web app that can be installed from Chrome, Edge, Safari and some other browsers.
Plans
LocalSend
LocalSend$0
The complete app on every supported platform, with no account, no bandwidth limits and no paid tier.
PairDrop
Free$0
Public instance at pairdrop.net; you can also run your own.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, LocalSend or PairDrop?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both LocalSend and PairDrop are free to use.
Which has a free plan, LocalSend or PairDrop?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both LocalSend and PairDrop have a free plan.
Which platforms do LocalSend and PairDrop run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only LocalSend lists macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.