LocalSend Review

LocalSend is a free, open-source app for sharing files and messages with nearby devices over a local network without an internet connection or third-party servers. The protocol documentation (version 2.2, with message version 2.0) describes discovery by multicast UDP: devices announce on group 224.0.0.167 port 53317 with a JSON message containing alias, version, device model and type, certificate fingerprint, port, protocol, and an announce flag, and receivers reply by registering over HTTP, with an HTTP legacy mode that posts to every local IP address when multicast fails. Transfers use a REST API under /api/localsend/v2: register exchanges device info, prepare-upload sends file metadata and returns a session ID and per-file tokens (with an optional PIN), and upload sends the binary data, possibly in parallel, with a 422 response on a SHA-256 mismatch. The fingerprint is a SHA-256 hash of the certificate in HTTPS mode, used to avoid discovering yourself and to remember devices, and each device generates its own certificate rather than relying on an authority.

Minimum versions are Android 7.0 (v1.17.0 is the last for Android 5 and 6), iOS 13.0 (sharing from other apps needs iOS 14), macOS 11 Big Sur (older hardware may need OpenCore Legacy Patcher), and Windows 10 (v1.15.4 is the last for Windows 7), and Linux needs xdg-desktop-portal packages for GNOME or KDE. It is available from the Play Store, App Store, Microsoft Store, Amazon, and F-Droid, package managers (Scoop, Chocolatey, Homebrew, Flathub, Snap, AUR, Nixpkgs), and as direct downloads (DMG, EXE, APK, AppImage, DEB, TAR, portable ZIP). The project recommends stores or package managers because the app has no auto-update, and unofficial MSIX preview builds carry no stability guarantee. Building from source needs Flutter at the version in .fvmrc (ideally through fvm, since system-wide Flutter installs can break the build) and Rust.

You open the app on both devices, pick files, choose a nearby device, and the receiver approves the transfer, and a PIN can protect receiving. The protocol also has a reverse mode: the sender runs a web server and the receiver opens http://<sender-ip>:<port> in a browser, using plain HTTP because browsers reject self-signed certificates, so that mode trades encryption for convenience. When a device does not appear, the docs list the usual fixes: allow TCP and UDP on port 53317 incoming and outgoing, disable AP isolation on the router (especially on guest networks), set the Windows network profile to private, toggle the Local Network permission on macOS and iOS, allow LAN traffic through a VPN, or use manual sending to enter the receiver's IP address. For slow transfers, use 5 GHz Wi-Fi; the FAQ also suggests disabling encryption on both devices, which weakens the security described above, and notes receiving on Android is a known slow case. This section reflects the README and protocol documentation; we did not run transfers ourselves.

• Direct device-to-device transfers over the local network, with no servers
• HTTPS with a certificate generated on each device, SHA-256 fingerprints, and an optional PIN
• Multicast discovery on 224.0.0.167:53317 with an HTTP fallback
• REST protocol with registration, prepare-upload, parallel uploads, and checksum validation
• Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS clients plus a CLI built on the v2 protocol
• Manual sending by IP address when discovery fails
• Signed Windows binaries and a published code-signing policy

• The best cross-platform AirDrop alternative, with about 94,000 stars
• Nothing leaves your network, and there are no accounts or tracking
• A published protocol that other clients and tools can implement
• Wide platform and install-method coverage, including Flathub, Scoop, Homebrew, and F-Droid

• Both devices must be on the same local network, so it is not for sending over the internet
• Firewalls must allow TCP and UDP on port 53317, and router AP isolation or VPNs commonly block discovery
• No auto-update, so you rely on stores or package managers for updates
• The browser download mode uses plain HTTP, and the suggested speed fix of disabling encryption reduces security
• Receiving on Android is documented as slow in some cases

LocalSend is free with no ads, tracking, or hidden fees, and the code is Apache-2.0.

AirDrop is fast and effortless between Apple devices but does not work with Windows, Linux, or Android. Send Anywhere is a commercial service that can transfer through its own servers. LocalSend works on every major platform, is open source, and never routes files through the cloud, but it only works when devices share a network and are not blocked by network isolation. Inside a pure Apple household, AirDrop is simpler; across mixed devices, LocalSend is the better choice.

• Mixed-device households and offices that share files across Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS
• Privacy-minded users who do not want files passing through a cloud
• People without good mobile data who share large files at home or at events

• Sending files to people on other networks
• Guest or enterprise Wi-Fi that isolates clients
• Users who need automatic updates without a store