# Alternatives to PairDrop

Browser-based local sharing.

PairDrop ranks #4 of 8 in File transfer tools, with an Alt Score of 64. It is licensed under GPL-3.0, donationware from Free and available on the web. 6 of 10 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/pairdrop/
Category: File transfer tools

## Where PairDrop stands out

- **Self-hostable** — 2 of 4 apps with a verified answer have this

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Anyone who needs to move files between two devices — different phones, laptops, or operating systems — without installing an app or creating an account. Useful for ad hoc transfers between Android, iOS, macOS, Windows, and Linux devices on the same network or over the internet.
- **What you get**: A browser-based, AirDrop-like file and text sharing tool that works across platforms with no signup and no installed client. Transfers are peer-to-peer over WebRTC, so files go directly device-to-device rather than through a server. It's open source and can be self-hosted, and it works as an installable PWA.
- **How it works**: Open PairDrop in a browser on each device; devices on the same Wi-Fi network discover each other automatically, or you can connect over the internet by joining a shared 5-letter room code or scanning a QR code. Drag files (or paste text) onto a discovered device, the recipient accepts the incoming transfer, and the files send directly between browsers and download automatically.

## Profile

- **License**: GPL-3.0 (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Pricing model**: Donationware (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Starts at**: Free (verified 2026-07-10)
- **Platforms**: Web
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-10)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [croc](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/croc.md) | 73 | MIT | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| 2 | [Send Anywhere](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/send-anywhere.md) | 68 | ? | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 3 | [LocalSend](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/localsend.md) | 64 | Apache-2.0 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS |
| 4 | [Wormhole](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/wormhole.md) | 50 | ? | Web |
| 5 | [Warpinator](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/warpinator.md) | 46 | GPL-3.0 | Linux |
| 6 | [Smash](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/smash.md) | 37 | Proprietary | macOS, iOS, Android, Web |
| 7 | [WeTransfer](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/wetransfer.md) | 37 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| File transfer tools checklist | PairDrop | croc | Send Anywhere | LocalSend | Wormhole | Warpinator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Donationware | Free | Freemium | Free | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free | $5.99/mo | Free | Free | Free |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT | ? | Apache-2.0 | ? | GPL-3.0 |
| Platforms | Web | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web, Browser extension | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Web | Linux |
| Max file size (free) | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
| E2E encryption | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? |
| No account needed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Local network (P2P) | Yes | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Expiry controls | ? | ? | Yes | ? | Yes | ? |
| Password protection | ? | Yes | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes |
| Open source | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | Partial | Yes |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes | No | ? | ? | ? |
| Resume interrupted transfers | ? | Yes | Partial | ? | ? | ? |
| CLI | Yes | Yes | ? | Yes | ? | ? |

## Sources

Sources for PairDrop. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **Starts at**: Free — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “PairDrop is libre, and always will be.”
- **License**: GPL-3.0 — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/LICENSE> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3, 29 June 2007”
- **Pricing model**: Donationware — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “If you find it useful and want to support free and open-source software, please consider donating using the button above.”
- **Platforms**: Web — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Web-app Works on all devices with a modern web-browser.”
- **Status**: active — <https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/commits/master.atom> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “<updated>2026-04-22T20:27:50Z</updated>”
- **E2E encryption**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/docs/technical-documentation.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Encryption is mandatory for WebRTC connections and completely done by the browser itself.”
- **No account needed**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/public/index.html> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “No Setup, No Signup.”
- **Local network (P2P)**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/README.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Send images, documents or text via peer-to-peer connection to devices on the same local network.”
- **Open source**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/LICENSE> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE Version 3, 29 June 2007”
- **Self-hostable**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/docs/host-your-own.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “The easiest way to get PairDrop up and running is by using Docker.”
- **CLI**: Yes — <https://raw.githubusercontent.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop/master/docs/how-to.md> (verified 2026-07-10)
  - Quote: “Send directly via command-line interface”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/