Flying Carpet vs LocalSend
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted file sync & storage options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
LocalSend
Share files to nearby devices without the internet
| Feature | Flying Carpet | LocalSend |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 90 · Excellent | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | File Sync & Storage | File Sync & Storage |
| License | GPL-3.0 | MIT |
| Language | Rust | Dart |
| Setup difficulty | Easy | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 128 MB | 128 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 5,322 | ★ 92,563 |
| First released | 2017 | 2022 |
| Replaces | AirDrop, Snapdrop | AirDrop |
What are Flying Carpet and LocalSend?
Flying Carpet
Flying Carpet is an open source application that transfers files directly between two computers or phones over an ad hoc wireless connection, without needing a router or internet access. It supports Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, and iOS.
- Direct device-to-device transfer
- No router or internet needed
- Encrypted file transfer
- Five-platform support
LocalSend
LocalSend is a cross-platform app to share files and messages between devices on a local network. It uses a secure REST API and works without an internet connection or central server.
- No internet required
- Encrypted local transfer
- Available on all major platforms
Flying Carpet vs LocalSend: key differences
Flying Carpet is written in Rust, while LocalSend is built with Dart. Licensing differs — GPL-3.0 for Flying Carpet versus MIT for LocalSend. Flying Carpet is the more established project (first released 2017), while LocalSend arrived in 2022. LocalSend has the considerably larger community, at 92,563 GitHub stars versus 5,322.
Why pick each one
Choose Flying Carpet if…
- Works fully offline
- Cross-platform including mobile
Watch out for
- Two-device transfers only
- Setup varies by OS
Choose LocalSend if…
- No internet required
- Cross-platform with mobile apps
- AirDrop-like simplicity
Watch out for
- Devices must share network
- No remote transfers
Frequently asked questions
Is Flying Carpet or LocalSend better?
Neither is universally better. LocalSend has the larger community; both share a easy setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are Flying Carpet and LocalSend free and open-source?
Yes. Flying Carpet is licensed under GPL-3.0 and LocalSend under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Flying Carpet and LocalSend with Docker?
Flying Carpet: check the project docs for container support. LocalSend: check the project docs for container support.