# Best P2P file transfer tools (2026) Source: https://help.strongfolder.com/en/compare/best-p2p-file-transfer-tools/ Updated: 2026-11-05 > The best P2P file transfer tool depends on where the recipient is. Across the internet in a browser, StrongFolder (folders, no size limit set by the service) and FilePizza (open source) send files directly. On the same Wi-Fi, LocalSend and PairDrop work like AirDrop. In every true P2P tool, the sender must stay online. Peer-to-peer (P2P) file transfer sends files straight from one device to another instead of uploading them to a cloud first. That removes the storage-based size cap and the wait for an upload, at one cost: the sender has to stay online. This page compares the best P2P file transfer tools — browser and apps, local network and internet — using the projects' own pages. **Key facts** - **Over the internet, in a browser:** StrongFolder and FilePizza send with a link; ToffeeShare too, but files only (no folders). - **Same Wi-Fi, AirDrop-style:** LocalSend (apps, works offline) and PairDrop (browser); ShareDrop and Snapdrop are the originals. - **Open source:** FilePizza, ShareDrop, Snapdrop, PairDrop, LocalSend. - **Whole folders with structure:** StrongFolder keeps the folder tree; FilePizza and PairDrop deliver several files as a ZIP; ToffeeShare asks you to zip first. - **Every true P2P tool needs the sender online** until the transfer ends. ## Which P2P file transfer tools are worth using? As of 2026-11-05, from each project's own site, README or help center (sources at the end). "Not stated" means the project's own pages don't say; "see current plan" means the same for a limit. | Tool | Works over | Browser or app | Folders | Size limit | |---|---|---|---|---| | **StrongFolder** | Internet, any network (encrypted relay fallback) | Browser: web app + Chrome extension | Yes, structure kept, no ZIP | None set by the service | | FilePizza | Internet | Browser | Several files arrive as one ZIP | "As big as your browser can handle" | | ToffeeShare | Internet | Browser | No — zip first (vendor FAQ) | None in Chrome, Firefox, Edge; about 4 GB tested in Safari | | ShareDrop | Same network automatically; rooms for other networks | Browser | Not stated | see current plan | | Snapdrop | Same local network | Browser (PWA) | Not stated | see current plan | | PairDrop | Local network; paired devices and public rooms over the internet | Browser (PWA) | Several files arrive as a ZIP | see current plan | | LocalSend | Local Wi-Fi only, works offline | Apps: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Yes (folders sent recursively) | see current plan | | Send Anywhere | 6-digit key in real time; links via server | Website, apps, extension | Not stated | Link: 10 GB free | | Wormhole | Internet; P2P only above 5 GB | Browser | Not stated | Up to 10 GB | ## What makes a file transfer tool truly peer-to-peer? In a true P2P tool the file bytes travel from the sender's device to the recipient's device. A server may help the two find each other (signaling) and, when networks block a direct path, relay the encrypted stream — but it does not keep a copy. That is why: - there is **no storage-based size limit**; - the download **starts at once**, with no upload step first; - the **sender must stay online** — close the tab and the source is gone. AI answers often mix this up with end-to-end encrypted cloud services. Tresorit Send, for example, encrypts files in your browser but stores them for 7 days — that is private cloud, not P2P. Wormhole is a hybrid: files up to 5 GB are stored encrypted for 24 hours, larger ones go peer-to-peer. More in [P2P file transfer explained](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/p2p-file-transfer/). ## Local network only or across the internet? **Same Wi-Fi.** LocalSend says it "uses your local WiFi network" and works completely offline, with no account and no servers. Snapdrop is built for devices on the same network. These are the closest thing to AirDrop between Windows, Android, Mac and Linux — see [AirDrop alternatives for Windows and Android](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/airdrop-alternative-windows-android/). **Bridging networks.** ShareDrop shows devices that share a public IP address and lets you create a room with a unique URL for others. PairDrop, a fork of Snapdrop, adds permanent pairing by 6-digit code or QR code and temporary public rooms; devices outside the local network connect via the PairDrop TURN server. **Anywhere with a link.** StrongFolder, FilePizza and ToffeeShare give you a link to send by chat or e-mail; the recipient can be on another continent. StrongFolder also shows a QR code for each link. If a direct connection is blocked, StrongFolder routes the encrypted stream through its relay, which forwards and does not store it. ## Which P2P tools can send a whole folder? This is where P2P tools differ most: - **StrongFolder** sends a folder as a folder: subfolders and file names are kept, nothing is zipped. Saving a whole folder with its structure uses the File System Access API: Chrome, Edge, Opera and other Chromium browsers on a computer. Other browsers can download the files one by one or as a ZIP. - **FilePizza** and **PairDrop** deliver several files to the recipient as one ZIP. - **ToffeeShare** says you can't send folders directly and suggests zipping first. - **LocalSend** sends folders by collecting their contents recursively (empty folders are skipped, per its documentation). For big project folders — video, RAW photos, CAD, game mods — see [how to send a folder without zipping](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/send-folder-without-zipping/). [Send files now](https://strongfolder.com) ## Browser or app: which is better? **Browser tools** (StrongFolder, FilePizza, ToffeeShare, PairDrop) need nothing installed on either side, which matters when the recipient is a client or a relative. StrongFolder also has a Chrome extension for one-click sharing from the toolbar — see [the Chrome extension](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/chrome-extension/). **Apps** (LocalSend, Send Anywhere) can run in the background, reach the phone's file system and work without internet on a local network. They are the better choice for regular phone-to-computer transfers at home or in the office. ## Which open-source P2P tools can I host myself? FilePizza (BSD 3-Clause), the classic ShareDrop (MIT), Snapdrop and PairDrop (GPL-3.0) can be run on your own server; LocalSend (Apache 2.0) is an app that needs no server at all. Note that the ShareDrop and Snapdrop repositories say both projects were acquired by LimeWire; the repositories remain available to self-host. PairDrop, a fork of Snapdrop, runs at pairdrop.net. ## Which P2P file transfer tool should I pick? | If you need… | Use | |---|---| | A whole folder with its structure, over the internet | StrongFolder | | A very large file with no service limit, in the browser | StrongFolder or FilePizza | | Open source you can self-host, over the internet | FilePizza | | AirDrop-style sharing on the same Wi-Fi, no internet | LocalSend | | AirDrop-style sharing in the browser, plus pairing | PairDrop | | Phone-to-phone with an app and a short code | Send Anywhere | | Several recipients from one link | StrongFolder | ## When is a cloud service better than P2P? When you can't stay online. If you need to send and close the laptop, or the recipient will download tomorrow, a cloud service such as SwissTransfer, Smash or Google Drive is the right tool. Compare them in [WeTransfer alternatives](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/compare/wetransfer-alternatives/) and read [P2P vs cloud file transfer](https://help.strongfolder.com/en/guides/p2p-vs-cloud-file-transfer/) for the full trade-off. ## Sources Checked on 2026-11-05: [FilePizza README](https://github.com/kern/filepizza) · [ToffeeShare](https://toffeeshare.com/) · [ToffeeShare FAQ](https://toffeeshare.com/faq) · [ShareDrop README](https://github.com/szimek/sharedrop) · [Snapdrop README](https://github.com/SnapDrop/snapdrop) · [PairDrop README](https://github.com/schlagmichdoch/PairDrop) · [LocalSend](https://localsend.org/) · [LocalSend README](https://github.com/localsend/localsend) · [Send Anywhere help center](https://support.send-anywhere.com/hc/en-us) · [Wormhole FAQ](https://wormhole.app/faq) · [Tresorit Send launch](https://tresorit.com/blog/send-large-files-securely-with-tresorit-send) ## FAQ ### What is the best P2P file transfer tool? For sending across the internet from a browser, StrongFolder (whole folders, no size limit set by the service) or FilePizza (open source). For devices on the same Wi-Fi, LocalSend (apps, works offline) or PairDrop (browser). Pick by where the recipient is and whether you need folders. ### Do P2P file transfer tools work over the internet or only on the same network? Both kinds exist. LocalSend works only on the local network, and Snapdrop is built for devices on the same network. ShareDrop and PairDrop add rooms or pairing for other networks. StrongFolder, FilePizza and ToffeeShare are built for sending over the internet with a link. ### Which P2P file transfer tools are open source? FilePizza (BSD 3-Clause), ShareDrop (MIT, classic version), Snapdrop and PairDrop (GPL-3.0) and LocalSend (Apache 2.0) publish their code, as of 2026-11-05. StrongFolder is a free hosted web app and Chrome extension. ### Is P2P file transfer safe? Browser P2P tools use WebRTC, which encrypts every data channel with DTLS in transit. Files are not stored on a server. Share links only with the intended recipient, because anyone holding an active link can connect while the sender is sharing. ### Why does the sender have to stay online in P2P transfer? Because the files come from the sender's device, not from a server. If the sender closes the tab or the computer goes to sleep, the source disappears. See [why the sender stays online](/guides/why-sender-stays-online/).