head to head · open source
LocalSend vs EasyTransfer
LocalSend has 93,513 GitHub stars, 5,228 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped yesterday. EasyTransfer has 691 stars, 108 forks, 4 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. LocalSend leads on adoption by 13,433% (93,513 vs 691 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; EasyTransfer is written in TypeScript under GPL-3.0. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, EasyTransfer 16%. LocalSend was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (file-sharing), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| LocalSend | EasyTransfer | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 94K | ★ 691 |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Dart | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.2K | ⑂ 108 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick LocalSend if
- You weight community size — 94K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Dart
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick EasyTransfer if
- You want the EasyTransfer feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and EasyTransfer fits your workflow better
About LocalSend
LocalSend is a free, open source, cross platform application that shares files and messages directly between nearby devices over the local network, and it is built for anyone who wants AirDrop style transfers without an internet connection or a third party server.
read the full LocalSend overview →
About EasyTransfer
EasyTransfer is a free, anonymous, end to end encrypted file transfer tool for anyone who wants to move files between two devices across any network simply by visiting a web page and typing a four digit device code.
read the full EasyTransfer overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is LocalSend or EasyTransfer more popular?
LocalSend has 93,513 GitHub stars and EasyTransfer has 691. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and EasyTransfer free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and EasyTransfer under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between LocalSend and EasyTransfer?
LocalSend is written in Dart and EasyTransfer in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, LocalSend or EasyTransfer?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (93,513 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose EasyTransfer if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.