head to head · open source
LocalSend vs xplorer
LocalSend has 97,634 GitHub stars, 5,553 forks, 1,113 open issues and last shipped 6 days ago. xplorer has 5,696 stars, 383 forks, 49 open issues and last shipped 5 months ago. LocalSend leads on adoption by 1,614% (97,634 vs 5,696 stars). LocalSend is written in Dart under Apache-2.0; xplorer is written in TypeScript under AGPL-3.0. LocalSend has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, xplorer 7%. 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 | xplorer | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 98K | ★ 5.7K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Dart | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-06-25 |
| Forks | ⑂ 5.6K | ⑂ 383 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick LocalSend if
- You weight community size — 98K 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 xplorer if
- You want the xplorer 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 xplorer 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 xplorer
Xplorer A modern, AI powered file manager built with Rust and React. Cross platform. AI integrated. Extensible. One app for all your files. Website Documentation Discussions Why Xplorer? Most file managers haven't changed in decades. Xplorer is a ground up rethink: a Tauri 2 desktop app with a Rust backend for speed and a React frontend for flexibility. It ships with AI chat, Git integration, an extension marketplace, and themeable UI out of the box. Note: This is the next branch a full rewrite using Tauri 2, React 18, and a new extension system. Not yet production ready, but actively developed. Feedback…
read the full xplorer 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 xplorer more popular?
LocalSend has 97,634 GitHub stars and xplorer has 5,696. LocalSend has the larger community by that measure.
Are LocalSend and xplorer free?
Both are open source. LocalSend is licensed under Apache-2.0 and xplorer under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between LocalSend and xplorer?
LocalSend is written in Dart and xplorer 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 xplorer?
Choose LocalSend if you want the larger community (97,634 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose xplorer if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.