Clipcroft vs LocalSend

LocalSend is a polished open-source file-sharing tool that runs as a native app on every desktop and mobile OS. Its design is local-network-only — your data never leaves the LAN, no internet required. Clipcroft is a browser-based clipboard built for the opposite case: when devices aren't on the same network, you don't want to install anything, and you also want a real-time text clipboard with persistent history.

Feature comparison

Note: third-party feature details change. The summary above reflects what was publicly documented at the time of writing.

Where LocalSend wins

• Open source under Apache 2.0. Read the code, audit it, fork it. For users where open source is a hard requirement, LocalSend is the right pick over Clipcroft. We're not OSS.
• Local-network-only by design — strong privacy story. Data never leaves your LAN. There's no relay server to compromise, no TURN credentials to manage, no third-party operator. For users whose threat model includes "what happens if the relay operator is subpoenaed", that's the strongest possible answer. Clipcroft's design rejects an offline-receiver relay too — but our cross-network feature uses WebRTC over the open internet (TURN where needed), which is a different trust posture from "everything stays on the LAN".
• Native apps everywhere. First-class apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS. Faster than a browser-clipboard API for very rapid copy-paste loops, and the apps integrate with native OS features (system share sheet, file manager). Clipcroft is browser-only.
• No cost, no ads, no tracking. LocalSend is funded as an open-source project; Clipcroft's hosted service is free with an ad gate after 5 MB cumulative session traffic. If you prefer a no-ad model, LocalSend wins.
• No install of any service. The local-only model means you don't need to trust *anyone's* hosted relay — even ours. If a future Clipcroft policy change worries you, that risk doesn't exist with LocalSend.

Where Clipcroft wins

• Cross-network transfers — the use case LocalSend explicitly doesn't cover. If you're on cellular and your laptop is on home Wi-Fi, or you're at a café on guest Wi-Fi and your home desktop is on residential, LocalSend can't connect you. Clipcroft uses WebRTC over the open internet (with TURN fallback for hard NATs), so the two devices can be anywhere.
• Real-time text clipboard, not just file sharing. LocalSend is built around "pick a recipient, send a file or message". Clipcroft is built around a continuously-synced clipboard — text and files appear live on every connected device. If most of your sharing is text snippets between your own devices, that's a very different experience.
• Persistent clipboard history. Thousands of items per clipboard, organised into Texts / URLs / Files / Images sections, with bulk operations per category. Configurable 3-day default retention TTL. LocalSend has no history concept; the artefact only exists where the receiver saved it.
• Browser-only on every platform — zero install. No app to push to managed devices, no permissions check on a corporate laptop, no admin rights required. Open the URL on both devices, you're connected. LocalSend has a web app but the full UX expects the native app on at least one side.
• Optional end-to-end encryption with locally-derived keys. LocalSend uses HTTPS in transit + optional PIN verification — strong for the LAN threat model. Clipcroft adds optional per-clipboard E2E encryption: with a password set, contents are encrypted in the browser via PBKDF2-derived AES-GCM before they leave the device, including the localStorage at rest. This protects the relay path too, not just transport.
• Multiple clipboards per device. One browser holds many independent clipboards (work / personal / family / project), each with its own history, password, retention, and device list. LocalSend has the concept of paired devices but they share a single device pool.
• Multi-file transfer queue with retry, cancel, and resume. Eight queue states (Queued, Preparing, Connecting, Transferring, Retrying, Completed, Failed, Canceled). Cancel one without disturbing the rest. Auto-resume from the last received byte if the network drops. LocalSend handles transfers individually; queue semantics are simpler.

Use-case recommendations

Use LocalSend when: both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, you have strict no-cloud requirements that include "no relay anywhere", you're happy installing native apps, and open source is a hard requirement.

Use Clipcroft when: devices are on different networks; you want a browser-only flow on every platform; you want a real-time text clipboard with persistent history; you want optional end-to-end encryption that protects the relay path; or you want multiple separate clipboards per device.

Frequently asked questions

What is LocalSend?

LocalSend is a free, open-source (Apache 2.0) cross-platform file-sharing tool. It has native apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS, plus a web app at web.localsend.org. Its design is local-network-only — devices on the same Wi-Fi discover each other and transfer files directly, without anything leaving the local network and without needing internet access.

Does LocalSend work between two devices on different networks?

Not by design. LocalSend's privacy story is that data never leaves the local network — it requires both devices to be on the same Wi-Fi or LAN. If you want to share between, say, your phone on cellular and your desktop on home Wi-Fi, LocalSend won't help. Clipcroft is built for cross-network transfers via WebRTC over the open internet (with TURN fallback), so the two devices can be on different networks.

Is LocalSend encrypted?

Yes. LocalSend uses HTTPS for all transfers and offers optional PIN verification for extra security. Because everything stays on the LAN, the threat model is mostly "protect against another device on the same Wi-Fi". Clipcroft adds optional per-clipboard end-to-end encryption with a user-derived key (PBKDF2 + AES-GCM), which protects against the relay path itself even if a TURN server is compromised.

Does LocalSend have a real-time text clipboard?

No. LocalSend is built around discrete file or message sends — pick a recipient on the LAN, hit send. Clipcroft is a continuously-synced clipboard: paste text on one device and it appears on every connected device live, with persistent history.

Can I run LocalSend on a device that doesn't have an installer?

There is a web app at web.localsend.org for browsers, which acts as a sender to native LocalSend apps on the LAN. But the full feature set requires the native app on at least one side. Clipcroft is browser-only on every platform — no install on either end.

Which one should I use?

Use LocalSend when both devices are on the same Wi-Fi, you want strong local-only privacy, and you're happy installing the native app. Use Clipcroft when devices are on different networks (or you don't want to think about networks), you want a real-time text clipboard with history, you want a browser-only flow with no install, or you want optional end-to-end encryption that protects the relay path too.