head to head · open source
LocalSend vs Seafile
LocalSend has 91,903 GitHub stars, 5,130 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. Seafile has 15,254 stars, 1,677 forks, 94 open issues and last shipped 21 days ago. LocalSend leads on adoption by 502% (91,903 vs 15,254 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; Seafile is written in C under a custom or non-standard licence. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Seafile 11%. 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 | Seafile | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 92K | ★ 15K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Custom / other |
| Written in | Dart | C |
| Last push | 2026-09-14 | 2026-08-28 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.1K | ⑂ 1.7K |
| 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 Seafile if
- You want the Seafile feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches C
- You evaluated both and Seafile 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 Seafile
Seafile is an open source cloud storage system written in C and positioned as a self hosted alternative to Dropbox and Google Drive. It organizes files into libraries, each of which can be synced separately, encrypted with a user chosen password, and shared between users or groups. The project lives in the self hosted file sync and document management ecosystem, where it combines storage, collaboration, knowledge management, and metadata features.
read the full Seafile overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is LocalSend or Seafile more popular?
LocalSend has 91,903 GitHub stars and Seafile has 15,254. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and Seafile free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0, and Seafile has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between LocalSend and Seafile?
LocalSend is written in Dart and Seafile 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 Seafile?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (91,903 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Seafile if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.