head to head · open source
LocalSend vs File-Manager
LocalSend has 93,380 GitHub stars, 5,224 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped yesterday. File-Manager has 1,791 stars, 129 forks, 98 open issues and last shipped today. LocalSend leads on adoption by 5,114% (93,380 vs 1,791 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; File-Manager is written in Kotlin under GPL-3.0. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, File-Manager 7%. File-Manager 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.
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Side by side
| LocalSend | File-Manager | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 93K | ★ 1.8K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Dart | Kotlin |
| Last push | 2026-10-04 | 2026-10-05 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.2K | ⑂ 129 |
| 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 File-Manager if
- You want the File-Manager feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Kotlin
- You evaluated both and File-Manager 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 File-Manager
Fossify File Manager is an open source, ad free Android file manager for users who want to browse, organise, lock and clean up their device's storage without handing their file access to an advertising funded app.
read the full File-Manager overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is LocalSend or File-Manager more popular?
LocalSend has 93,380 GitHub stars and File-Manager has 1,791. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and File-Manager free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and File-Manager under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between LocalSend and File-Manager?
LocalSend is written in Dart and File-Manager in Kotlin. 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 File-Manager?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (93,380 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose File-Manager if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.