# LocalSend

81 Hacker News commenters recommended LocalSend and 25 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 11 of 13 months. It meets the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** Free, open-source app for fast, account-free file transfers over a local network. Common caveat: devices often must share the same Wi-Fi.

## Why people recommend it

- Reliable across devices and platforms (5 comments): "Been using Localsend to transfer bigger files between phone / laptops, never fails or has trouble finding a device, or stalling." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47944482)) "That you can send over 1000 files without it messing it up, and they'll end in the right place." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47933954)) "it's incredibly reliable and will move anything from one machine to another" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47933747))
- Free and open source (3 comments): "came with omarchy pre installed, usedd it ever since. bonus points for it being open source too." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47933587)) "This has been a great local FOSS way to keep autonomy over secrets" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48225871)) "It really helped cement how great open source apps can be for me." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47933438))
- No account or server needed (2 comments): "LocalSend works really well across platforms in a LAN, no uploading to some server required." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48115519)) "Localsend on the same network, gone in two seconds no account and no history." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47937189))
- Fast for large files (3 comments): "It's faster than the standard wireless transfer speed between my iPhone and my Windows PC" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47937002)) "Localsend on the same network, gone in two seconds no account and no history." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47937189)) "It’s ridiculously fast for sending large amounts of media too." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47933758))

## What people warn about

- Needs shared network or hotspot (7 comments): "I do have much greater luck with LocalSend transfers when I tether them to my own WiFi prior to transfer." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46068657)) "The problem with Localsend is that the user themselves need to manage the creation of the local network." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47935741)) "I am usually able to coerce a Localsend connection by using a WiFi hotspot on the target device." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47934561))
- App must stay open to receive (2 comments): "since LocalSend isn't blessed by Apple, it isn't automatically invoked and you have to start it manually to receive" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46069403)) "I really love it, it still requires me to always keep the app open on the phone." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49492105))
- Transfers sometimes fail or stall (4 comments): "does not work when connecting 2 devices using a LAN cable, and resume support is poorish" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49235404)) "I always had trouble making it work on my google tv. Wanted to share files (~2 gb files) from my Mac to my TV but the transfer kept failing" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47934391)) "It has bug on Linux, I must disconnect and reconnect network interface before making transfer" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47959937))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [UUCP](https://hackerapproved.com/p/uucp.md): 7 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "LocalSend", https://hackerapproved.com/p/localsend/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).