DropCopy and LocalSend both move files between devices without an account, and both are free for local transfers. The main difference is reach. LocalSend also runs on Windows, Android and Linux. DropCopy is built for Apple devices only, and it runs on Macs much older than LocalSend supports. DropCopy has been available since at least 2006, five years before AirDrop arrived.
| DropCopy | LocalSend | |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Vision Pro (Apple only) | iOS, Android, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Oldest Mac supported | Mac OS X 10.4 (DropCopy 1.77) | macOS 11 Big Sur |
| Price | Free local transfers between your devices; Secure Remote Send: 5 free, then $0.99/month | Free |
| Local transfers | Free and unlimited between your own devices | Over local Wi-Fi or LAN |
| Send to someone outside your network | Yes, Secure Remote Send | Not covered here |
| Account | No account needed | No account |
| Encryption | Secure Remote Send is end-to-end encrypted | Encrypted transfers |
LocalSend is the wider tool. It runs on iOS 13 or later, Android 7 or later, Windows 10 or later, and macOS 11 or later, and it sends files over local Wi-Fi or LAN without going through the internet. If a Windows PC or an Android phone is part of the transfer, LocalSend is the practical choice.
DropCopy stays inside the Apple ecosystem. It moves files, text and clipboard contents between Macs, iPhones, iPads and Apple Vision Pro. If all your devices are Apple, one app covers the whole set.
DropCopy runs on Macs that LocalSend cannot. Each release below is free from our direct download page. Pick the row that matches your Mac.
| Your Mac | Use this DropCopy version | Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| macOS 15 or later | 6.41 (current) | macOS 15 or later |
| macOS 11 to 14 | 5.07 | macOS 11 or later |
| Intel Mac, below macOS 11 | 3.0 | OS X 10.7 or later, Intel |
| PowerPC Mac, or Mac OS X 10.4 to 10.6 | 1.77 | Mac OS X 10.4 to 10.6, PowerPC and Intel |
LocalSend requires macOS 11 Big Sur or later, so on any Mac below that, DropCopy is the one that runs. Get the older versions from our direct download page.
Local transfers between your own devices are free and unlimited in DropCopy. To send to someone else, Secure Remote Send gives you 5 free transfers, then costs $0.99 per month. The recipient opens a link in a browser, with no install and no account.
LocalSend is free and open source, and it is well liked, with about 755 US App Store ratings. Its transfers stay on your local Wi-Fi or LAN, which suits sharing within one home or office.
DropCopy also moves text and clipboard contents, so you can send a snippet of text from one device to another without saving it as a file first.
If you also want to see what is connected to your network, IP Scanner by 10base-t is a native scanner for Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Vision Pro. It reads MAC addresses on each platform and needs no account.
Yes. LocalSend is free and open source, runs on iOS, Android, Windows, macOS and Linux, and needs no account. DropCopy local transfers between your own devices are also free.
Yes. DropCopy 1.77 runs on Mac OS X 10.4 to 10.6 (PowerPC and Intel), DropCopy 3.0 on OS X 10.7 or later (Intel), and DropCopy 5.07 on macOS 11 or later. LocalSend requires macOS 11 Big Sur or later.
Yes, with Secure Remote Send in DropCopy. You get 5 free transfers, then it costs $0.99 per month. The recipient opens a link in a browser, with no install and no account. LocalSend transfers over local Wi-Fi or LAN.
Use DropCopy if every device is an Apple device, since it moves files, text and clipboard contents between Macs, iPhones and iPads. Use LocalSend if you also need Windows, Android or Linux, since it covers those platforms as well as iPhone and Mac.
Download DropCopy from the App Store. If your Mac runs an older macOS, get the matching older release from the 10base-t direct download page.
Download DropCopyOlder Mac versions
DropCopy moves files, text and clipboard contents between your Apple devices, with Secure Remote Send for anyone else. ← Back to DropCopy