RocketShare Local share, ShareDrop, Snapdrop and PairDrop send files between devices from the browser, while AirDrop, Quick Share and LocalSend are built into the operating system or installed as apps. The main differences are platforms, whether files can pass through a server, and how the connection is encrypted and verified. Local share needs no install, works on any device with a modern browser, never relays files, and adds an end-to-end layer with a 6-digit verification code on top of WebRTC.
Local share vs AirDrop, Quick Share, LocalSend and the browser tools
Status and facts as of October 2026.
| RocketShare Local share | AirDrop | Quick Share | LocalSend | PairDrop | ShareDrop | Snapdrop | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Platforms / install | Any modern browser, no install | Built into iPhone, iPad, Mac | Built into Android; app for Windows 10+ | Apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Browser (optional PWA) | Browser | Browser |
| Discovery | Same public IP (IPv6 /64) | Bluetooth + peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, contacts | Bluetooth + Wi-Fi, contacts | Local network scan | Same public IP, rooms, pairing | Same public IP, rooms | Same public IP |
| Works across networks | No | Continues over internet if started nearby (iOS 17.1+) | Only via cloud QR-to-iPhone path | No | Yes, via TURN relay | Via rooms | No |
| Encryption | DTLS + ECDH P-256 + AES-256-GCM per message | TLS with iCloud identity certificates | Google states end-to-end encryption | HTTPS, can be turned off | WebRTC DTLS | WebRTC DTLS | WebRTC DTLS |
| Verification code | 6 digits, bound to the connection | No (contact certificates) | 4-digit PIN | Optional receive PIN | No | No | No |
| Files via a server | Never | No | Only the QR-to-iPhone path | No | Only when relayed | Unclear for current site | No (classic code) |
| Size limit | None, streams to disk | None documented | Not stated | None stated | Held in memory; 200 MB per request on iOS | None stated | Held in memory |
| Accept prompt | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (paired devices can auto-accept) | Unclear | No (classic code) |
| Account | No | Apple Account for Contacts Only | No (Google Account for own devices) | No | No | No | No |
| Open source | No | No | No | Yes (Apache-2.0) | Yes (GPL-3.0) | Old code only (MIT) | Old code only (GPL-3.0) |
RocketShare Local share
Local share runs in any modern browser, so an iPhone can send to a Windows laptop or an Android phone to a Mac without installing anything. Devices on the same network (same public IP) see each other. Inside the encrypted WebRTC connection, RocketShare adds its own layer: an ECDH P-256 key exchange tied to the connection's DTLS certificates, AES-256-GCM encryption of every message including file names and sizes, and a 6-digit code on both screens to rule out a man in the middle. Received files stream to disk, so there is no size limit. It is free and needs no account.
The limits: both devices need internet to find each other, both tabs must stay open, and there is no relay, so devices on different networks cannot connect. Devices are grouped by public IP, so on a carrier-grade NAT or a large office, others may see your random device name (nothing transfers without your acceptance). Public STUN servers from Cloudflare and Google see your public IP during setup. Details are in the security whitepaper.
Apple AirDrop
AirDrop is hard to beat between Apple devices. It uses Bluetooth Low Energy and peer-to-peer Wi-Fi, so it works without any internet connection, is built into the OS, and is very fast. The connection is encrypted with TLS, and devices exchange iCloud identity certificates that are checked against the Contacts app. Since iOS 17.1, a transfer that started nearby can continue over the internet. Receiving from "Everyone" switches off after 10 minutes.
It is Apple-only, though some Android phones can now send to it through Quick Share. In 2021 TU Darmstadt researchers showed that the contact hashes AirDrop broadcasts can be brute-forced to recover phone numbers and email addresses, and in January 2024 Beijing authorities claimed to identify AirDrop senders from device logs using precomputed (rainbow) tables.
Google Quick Share
Quick Share (formerly Nearby Share, renamed in January 2024) is built into Android and ChromeOS and available as an app for 64-bit Windows 10 and later. It uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, works offline, shows a short PIN, and asks the recipient to accept. Since 20 November 2025 it can send to AirDrop, starting with the Pixel 10; Google says that connection is direct and peer-to-peer.
In August 2024 SafeBreach disclosed 10 flaws in Quick Share for Windows that could be chained to remote code execution; they were patched, including a follow-up fix in November 2024. A QR-code path for sending to iPhones, announced in May 2026, uploads files to Google's servers, unlike normal Quick Share.
LocalSend
LocalSend is a strong choice if you can install an app. It is free and open source (Apache-2.0), actively maintained (v1.18.2 in August 2026), and has native apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android and iOS. It works on a local Wi-Fi network without internet or third-party servers, has no ads, accounts or tracking, and asks the receiver to accept. Transfers use HTTPS with a certificate generated on each device; encryption can be switched off in settings, and a receive PIN is optional. If you want a LocalSend alternative that needs no install, a browser tool fits better.
PairDrop
PairDrop is the actively maintained open-source fork of Snapdrop (GPL-3.0, latest release February 2025). It adds public rooms, persistent device pairing, an accept prompt and self-hosting. On the same network files go directly between browsers; across networks they go through PairDrop's TURN relay, and its FAQ notes you still have to trust the PairDrop server. Received files are held in memory, and on iOS requests over 200 MB are refused.
ShareDrop
ShareDrop, created by Szymon Nowak, brought AirDrop-style sharing to the browser with WebRTC. Its GitHub README now says it "has been acquired by LimeWire" (reported as 2025), and the MIT-licensed code was last updated in February 2025. Whether the current sharedrop.io sends files only peer to peer or through LimeWire hosting is unclear from public information; some users on AlternativeTo report redirects to LimeWire. If you want an open, documented ShareDrop alternative, PairDrop, LocalSend or Local share are options.
Snapdrop
Snapdrop, created by Robin Linus, is the open-source project PairDrop grew out of. Its README says "Snapdrop is now LimeWire", with the acquisition reportedly in February 2025, and the GPL-3.0 code was last updated that month. The classic code groups devices by exact public IP, has no accept prompt, and builds received files in memory, which limits very large transfers. snapdrop.net still shows a Snapdrop interface. As a Snapdrop alternative, PairDrop builds on the same code under the same GPL-3.0 licence and is still maintained.
Which should you use?
- Only Apple devices: AirDrop.
- Android, Windows and ChromeOS: Quick Share, now with AirDrop support on some phones.
- You can install apps and want open source or no internet: LocalSend.
- Devices on different networks, browser only: PairDrop (accepting relay through its server), or a regular RocketShare transfer with an encrypted link.
- Mixed devices on the same network, nothing to install: RocketShare Local share, especially if you want end-to-end encryption you can verify with a code and no size limit.