Transferring files from one system to another is one of the most basic things that we do on a computer system. Some command-line tools like Samba, FTP, and SSH can be used to transfer files but this often requires the knowledge of commands.
In this article, I will discuss the 9 best local file transfer applications for Linux most of them are GUI-based and are easy to use.
Warpinator
Warpinator is a free and open-source tool that is used for sending and receiving files locally. Both the sending and receiving devices should be connected to the same network and they have Warpinator installed on them.
It provides an easy-to-use customizable user interface. Warpinator is developed by Linux Mint and it is the default file sharing tool in Linux Mint.
The key features of Warpinator are –
- Free and opensource
- Simple and easy to use GUI
- Automatically detects the computer running Warpinator
- You can connect multiple computer systems
- Allow port selection
- Configure options of group code
KDE Connect
KDE Connect is an application for wireless communication and local file transfer which is developed by KDE. It is a cross-platform application that is available for different distributions of Linux and Android.
It is reimplemented for the GNOME desktop environment as GSConnect. It uses DBus interfaces from UI agnostic libraries for a specific operating system for its functioning.
The key features of KDE Connect are –
- Cross-platform
- Simple and customizable UI
- Shared clipboard which allows copying and pasting between devices
- Notification sync which allows reading and replying to android notifications from the desktop
- Share files and URL
- Allow controlling multimedia remotely
- You can use your phone screen as a virtual touchpad for your desktop
Syncthing
Syncthing is a free and open-source application for peer-to-peer file synchronization. It can be used to transfer files between the devices on the local network or between remote devices over the internet.
It is a cross-platform application that is available for installation on Linux, Windows, macOS, BSD, Android, Solaris, etc. Data safety and user privacy is the priority of Syncthing.
The key features of Syncthing are –
- Free and opensource
- Simple and powerful
- Highly portable
- File synchronization in realtime
- Can be used on local network or internet
- Private and secure
- Commercial support is also available
EasyJoin
EasyJoin is an application for wireless communication and file transfer. It allows you to easily connect and interact with all devices that use EasyJoin in your network.
This application is cross-platform available for installation on Linux, Windows, macOS, Android, Browser, etc.
The key features of EasyJoin are –
- Easy to use interface
- Decentralized connection
- Allow sending files to multiple devices at once
- Offers shared clipboard
- Notification synchronization between two devices
- You can send text and URLs
- Allow remote control of a device functionality
- End to end encryption ensures the safety of data
- Ensures user privacy
LAN Share
LAN Share is a free and open-source cross-platform application for file transfer on a local area network. It is fast and capable of transferring a whole folder at once.
The application is built using the Qt GUI framework, it can send small or large files immediately without any additional configuration.
The key features of LAN Share are –
- Free and opensource
- Simple and easy to use user interface
- Fast and capable of sending multiple files at once
- No size file limitation
- Built with Qt C++ framework
Snapdrop
Snapdrop is a free and open-source local file-sharing web application. It runs in a browser, creates a P2P connection using WebRTC to share files and directories.
This application is inspired by Apple’s Airdrop can be used to transfer files instantly. To use it simply open https://snapdrop.net/ on both the devices it will automatically detect the device just click on it to send a file.
The key features of Snapdrop are –
- Free and opensource
- Simple and fast
- The web-based application so does not requires installation
- Secure file sharing
- Peer to Peer
- Drag and drop to send a file
Wormhole
The Wormhole is a free and open-source command-line tool for sharing files. The file sending device initially generates and displays a wormhole code which must be typed into the receiving device to establish the connection and start the file transfer.
The key features of Wormhole are –
- Free and opensource
- Secure and encrypted connections
- You can share files, directories, text, and URLs
- Don’t need internet for its functioning
- You can share files between multiple devices
- Allow sending or receiving files using a web browser
- It uses uprotocol and open content-sharing protocol
GSConnect
GSConnect is a free and open-source tool for file sharing. It is the complete implementation of KDE Connect for GNOME Shell with Nautilus, Chrome, and Firefox integration.
It doesn’t rely on KDE Connect and will not work together in a system.
The key features of GSConnect are –
- Easy to use user interface
- You can share files links and text
- Shared clipboard which allows copying and pasting between devices
- Notification sync which allows reading and replying to android notifications from the desktop
- Share files and URL
- Allow controlling multimedia remotely
- You can use your phone screen as a virtual touchpad for your desktop
NitroShare
NitroShare is a free and open-source cross-platform network file transfer application. It allows sharing of files between devices connected to the same local network.
You can share files between different operating systems. This application is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
The key features of NitroShare are –
- Free and opensource
- Simple and intuitive user interface
- Automatically discovers devices
- Incredibly fast transfer speeds
- Transfer entire directories
- Optional TLS encryption
- Local HTTP API
- Runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS
There are so many other applications here we discussed only a few of them. Now for any queries or suggestions, you can write us in the comments below.