head to head · open source
LocalSend vs Sync-in
LocalSend has 96,970 GitHub stars, 5,505 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. Sync-in has 1,949 stars, 160 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. LocalSend leads on adoption by 4,875% (96,970 vs 1,949 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; Sync-in is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Sync-in 8%. Sync-in 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 | Sync-in | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 97K | ★ 1.9K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Dart | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-29 | 2026-11-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.5K | ⑂ 160 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick LocalSend if
- You weight community size — 97K 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 Sync-in if
- You want the Sync-in feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Sync-in fits your workflow better
About LocalSend
LocalSend [![CI status][ci badge]][ci workflow] [![Translations][translate badge]][translate link] [![Packaging status][packaging badge]][packaging link] [ci badge]: [ci workflow]: [translate badge]: [translate link]: [packaging badge]: [packaging link]: [Homepage][homepage] • [Discord][discord] • [GitHub][github] • [Codeberg][codeberg] English (Default) • 中文 [homepage]: [discord]: [github]: [codeberg]: LocalSend is a free, open source app that allows you to securely share files and messages with nearby devices over your local network without needing an internet connection. About Sponsors Screenshots Download…
read the full LocalSend overview →
About Sync-in
Website • Documentation • Demo • Docker setup • NPM setup • GitHub Server • GitHub Desktop & CLI Sync in is a self hosted platform for file storage, synchronization, and team collaboration. Run your own workspace for files, documents, shares, and collaborative work without giving up control of your infrastructure or data. Sync in is designed to stay fast, lightweight, and centered on your data, keeping files readable on your filesystem while adding collaboration features only where they are needed. Features 🖥️ Modern web interface with drag and drop, smart clipboard, gallery view, sorting, filtering, and…
read the full Sync-in overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is LocalSend or Sync-in more popular?
LocalSend has 96,970 GitHub stars and Sync-in has 1,949. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and Sync-in free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Sync-in under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between LocalSend and Sync-in?
LocalSend is written in Dart and Sync-in 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 Sync-in?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (96,970 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Sync-in if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.