Zynk vs LocalSend

LocalSend is free and open-source. But it stops at the network edge, forgets devices between sessions, and its browser path falls back to plain HTTP. Zynk is end-to-end encrypted, remembers your devices, and keeps working over the internet.

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Send, preview, sign, and message anywhere

You want a menu-bar tray that always shows online devices and contacts.
You want to right-click a file in Finder or Explorer and send it without opening the main window.
You want the file to land in a conversation with in-app preview, PDF signing, and voice notes.
You need transfers that don't stop at the Wi-Fi edge, plus share links, drop links, and a CLI.

Feature by feature

Feature by feature, what Zynk does and what LocalSend does.

Feature	Zynk	LocalSend
PlatformsZynk wins	Native apps on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Android TV. Linux builds include Raspberry Pi and Steam Deck. CLI anywhere you can open a terminal.	Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS.
NetworkZynk wins	Same Wi-Fi or over the internet.	Same Wi-Fi only. Requires port 53317 open and AP isolation disabled.
EncryptionZynk wins	End-to-end encrypted. Only the receiver devices you send to can unlock the file.	HTTPS between apps. Browser transfers fall back to unencrypted HTTP.
File sizeEven	No file-size cap on direct transfers.	No file-size cap.
Menu bar and trayZynk wins	Lives in the macOS menu bar and the Windows and Linux system tray. Drop a file onto a contact, paste a message, or see who's online without opening the main window.	Main window only.
Finder and share menuZynk wins	Right-click "Send with Zynk" in Finder and Windows Explorer. Send from the iOS, Android, and macOS share menus.	Open the app, then pick the file.
Remembered devicesZynk wins	Sign in with your phone number. Your devices and contacts stay with you on any network.	Per-session discovery. Devices forget each other when you close the app.
ConversationsZynk wins	Every device and every contact gets its own chat: text messages, emoji reactions, edits, replies, and full history.	Per-session transfer list, gone when the session ends.
Voice notesZynk wins	Record a voice note with a waveform inside the app and send it like any other file.	No.
In-app previewZynk wins	Optional preview for PDFs, video, audio, images, markdown, and code with syntax highlighting.	Files open in your OS app.
PDF signingZynk wins	Open a PDF, draw or type a signature, send the signed copy back. No third-party portal.	No.
Share linksZynk wins	Yes. Browser recipients don't need the app.	No.
Drop linksZynk wins	Yes. Others upload to you.	No.
CLIZynk wins	Yes, anywhere you can open a terminal.	No.

PlatformsZynk wins

Zynk: Native apps on macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, and Android TV. Linux builds include Raspberry Pi and Steam Deck. CLI anywhere you can open a terminal.
LocalSend: Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS.

NetworkZynk wins

Zynk: Same Wi-Fi or over the internet.
LocalSend: Same Wi-Fi only. Requires port 53317 open and AP isolation disabled.

EncryptionZynk wins

Zynk: End-to-end encrypted. Only the receiver devices you send to can unlock the file.
LocalSend: HTTPS between apps. Browser transfers fall back to unencrypted HTTP.

File sizeEven

Zynk: No file-size cap on direct transfers.
LocalSend: No file-size cap.

Menu bar and trayZynk wins

Zynk: Lives in the macOS menu bar and the Windows and Linux system tray. Drop a file onto a contact, paste a message, or see who's online without opening the main window.
LocalSend: Main window only.

Finder and share menuZynk wins

Zynk: Right-click "Send with Zynk" in Finder and Windows Explorer. Send from the iOS, Android, and macOS share menus.
LocalSend: Open the app, then pick the file.

Remembered devicesZynk wins

Zynk: Sign in with your phone number. Your devices and contacts stay with you on any network.
LocalSend: Per-session discovery. Devices forget each other when you close the app.

ConversationsZynk wins

Zynk: Every device and every contact gets its own chat: text messages, emoji reactions, edits, replies, and full history.
LocalSend: Per-session transfer list, gone when the session ends.

Voice notesZynk wins

Zynk: Record a voice note with a waveform inside the app and send it like any other file.
LocalSend: No.

In-app previewZynk wins

Zynk: Optional preview for PDFs, video, audio, images, markdown, and code with syntax highlighting.
LocalSend: Files open in your OS app.

PDF signingZynk wins

Zynk: Open a PDF, draw or type a signature, send the signed copy back. No third-party portal.
LocalSend: No.

Share linksZynk wins

Zynk: Yes. Browser recipients don't need the app.
LocalSend: No.

Drop linksZynk wins

Zynk: Yes. Others upload to you.
LocalSend: No.

CLIZynk wins

Zynk: Yes, anywhere you can open a terminal.
LocalSend: No.

What we noted

LocalSend is free, open-source, and private. Files stay on the local network with no account and no external server. It does same-room transfer well.
For a one-off handoff between two machines already on the same Wi-Fi, LocalSend's no-account setup is less to think about. Zynk's saved devices and contacts earn their keep once you send to the same people, or across networks.