Ferry vs LocalSend
Ferry vs LocalSend: file sharing with or without an app
Checked October 2026
The short answer
Use LocalSend if you can install its app on both devices and they are always on the same network: it needs no server at all. Use Ferry when you cannot or do not want to install anything, or when the devices are on different networks.
LocalSend is a free, open source app for sharing files across a local network. It is well made and popular, and it works with no internet connection.
Ferry covers the same case from the browser and also reaches devices that are somewhere else.
Side by side
| Feature | Ferry | LocalSend |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free and open source. No paid plan | Free and open source |
| Account | None | None |
| Install | Nothing. Runs in the browser | App needed on both devices |
| Same network | Yes | Yes. Devices find each other |
| Other networks | Yes, over the internet | No |
| No internet | Yes, after opening the page once while online | Yes, always |
| Encryption | End to end, with a 6-digit code both screens show | Encrypted in transit on the local network |
| Resume | Yes. Continues from where it stopped | Start again |
| Size limit | No cap | No cap |
Choose Ferry when
- The other device belongs to someone else, or you cannot install apps on it.
- The devices are on different networks.
- The Wi-Fi isolates devices from each other, as many guest and office networks do.
- You want a transfer that continues after the connection drops.
Choose LocalSend when
- You can install the app everywhere and your devices share one network.
- You want no server involved at any point.
- You want a native app that can receive in the background.
Install or open
LocalSend needs its app on both sides, and it is available for Android, iOS, Windows, macOS and Linux. Ferry needs a browser. For your own devices the app is a one-time cost. For a friend's phone or an office computer, a web page is usually quicker.
Local network and beyond
LocalSend only works when both devices can reach each other on the same network. Ferry tries a direct route first, so on a shared network the files stay local, and it also connects across the internet when the devices are apart.
With no internet at all, LocalSend works straight away. Ferry's offline mode works too, but the page has to have been opened once while online so the browser has saved it.
Where LocalSend is the better tool
If your devices live on one network and you are happy to install an app, LocalSend is simple and depends on nobody's server. Both projects are open source.
Common questions
Is there a LocalSend alternative that needs no app?
Yes. Ferry runs in the browser on both devices, so there is nothing to install. It works on the same network and across the internet.
Does LocalSend work over the internet?
No. LocalSend is built for devices on the same local network. For devices on different networks, use a tool like Ferry that connects over the internet.
Does Ferry keep files on my local network?
When both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, Ferry connects them directly and the files do not leave that network. In offline mode nothing contacts the internet at all.
Sources
Details about LocalSend were checked in October 2026 and can change. LocalSend is a trademark of its owner, and Ferry is not affiliated with it.
Try it with the file you have now.
Open Ferry on both devices and connect them with a QR code or six digits. There is no account to create.