head to head · open source
LocalSend vs FarManager
LocalSend has 93,197 GitHub stars, 5,204 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped yesterday. FarManager has 2,232 stars, 248 forks, 156 open issues and last shipped yesterday. LocalSend leads on adoption by 4,075% (93,197 vs 2,232 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; FarManager is written in C++ under BSD-3-Clause. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, FarManager 11%. LocalSend was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| LocalSend | FarManager | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 93K | ★ 2.2K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | BSD-3-Clause |
| Written in | Dart | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-10-02 | 2026-10-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.2K | ⑂ 248 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick LocalSend if
- You weight community size — 93K 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 FarManager if
- You want the FarManager feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the BSD-3-Clause license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and FarManager 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 FarManager
Far Manager is a text mode file and archive manager for Windows, built in C++ under a BSD 3 Clause licence, aimed at users and administrators who prefer a keyboard driven console interface for file operations and who want to extend the tool through plugins.
read the full FarManager overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More File Management & Sync projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the File Management & Sync field.
Frequently asked questions
Is LocalSend or FarManager more popular?
LocalSend has 93,197 GitHub stars and FarManager has 2,232. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and FarManager free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and FarManager under BSD-3-Clause. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between LocalSend and FarManager?
LocalSend is written in Dart and FarManager in C++. 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 FarManager?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (93,197 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose FarManager if its feature set, stack or BSD-3-Clause licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.