head to head · open source
LocalSend vs lf
LocalSend has 92,271 GitHub stars, 5,144 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped 8 days ago. lf has 9,518 stars, 375 forks, 85 open issues and last shipped 7 days ago. LocalSend leads on adoption by 869% (92,271 vs 9,518 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; lf is written in Go under MIT. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, lf 4%. lf 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 | lf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 92K | ★ 9.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Written in | Dart | Go |
| Last push | 2026-09-14 | 2026-09-15 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.1K | ⑂ 375 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick LocalSend if
- You weight community size — 92K 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 lf if
- You want the lf feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and lf 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 lf
lf is a terminal file manager written in Go for command line users who want fast, keyboard driven browsing of the filesystem without leaving the terminal.
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Frequently asked questions
Is LocalSend or lf more popular?
LocalSend has 92,271 GitHub stars and lf has 9,518. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and lf free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and lf under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between LocalSend and lf?
LocalSend is written in Dart and lf in Go. 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 lf?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (92,271 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose lf if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.