LocalSend alternative with clipboard and notifications
LocalSend vs Personal Device Bridge: open source, platforms, transfers across networks, clipboard sync, notifications and touchpad, side by side.
LocalSend is a great way to send files between devices on the same network. Personal Device Bridge is an alternative when you want more than file sending between an Android phone and a Windows PC: clipboard sharing, phone notifications on the PC, your phone as a touchpad, and transfers that keep working when the devices are on different networks. LocalSend, for its part, is open source and runs on macOS and iOS too.
At a glance
- Keeps working when the phone and PC are on different networks.
- Clipboard sharing and phone notifications on the PC.
- The phone doubles as a touchpad and keyboard.
- No account needed with either app.
- End-to-end encryption with the Noise protocol.
Step by step
Install the apps
Get the Windows app (or the Linux command-line tool) and the Android APK from this site.
Pair once
Unlike a quick nearby send, devices pair once so they trust each other: Add device on the PC, Scan QR code on the phone, and matching 6-digit codes.
Send files as before
Tap Files on the phone or drop files on Send files on the PC. Interrupted transfers resume.
Try the extras
Press Ctrl+Shift+B to send your clipboard, or turn on notifications for the PC under Permissions.
Side by side
| Feature | PDB | LocalSend |
|---|---|---|
| PC | Windows · Linux (CLI) | Windows · macOS · Linux |
| Phone | Android | Android · iOS |
| Works without an account | Yes | Yes |
| Transfers between different networks | YesDirect, or an encrypted relay | No |
| Encrypted between devices | YesEnd-to-end (Noise) | YesTLS |
| Clipboard sync | Yes | No |
| Phone notifications on the PC | Yes | No |
| Phone as touchpad and keyboard for the PC | Yes | No |
| Korean 공동인증서 and HWP documents | Yes | No |
| Open source | No | YesApache-2.0 |
| Free to use | Yes | Yes |
Checked on against each vendor’s own documentation. Products change, so please check the sources.
Where the other app does more
- LocalSend is open source (Apache-2.0). Personal Device Bridge is not.
- LocalSend runs on macOS as well as Windows and Linux, and on iOS as well as Android.
- Both are free and work without an account.
When Personal Device Bridge is the better fit
- Your phone and PC aren’t always on the same network.
- You want clipboard sharing, notifications or your phone as a touchpad, not only file sending.
- You move a 공동인증서 or print HWP files.
Questions
Why does Personal Device Bridge need pairing?
Pairing makes two devices trust each other once, with a QR code and a matching 6-digit code. After that they connect automatically, at home or over the internet.
Is it open source like LocalSend?
No. Personal Device Bridge is free to use but not open source.
Can it send to someone who doesn’t have the app?
Yes, from a PC: a one-time link opens in any current browser.
Does it work on iPhone or Mac?
There is no iPhone app, and macOS is not officially supported. You need an Android phone and a Windows PC, or a 64-bit Linux PC with the command-line tool. LocalSend is the better choice for Apple devices.