You have a 12GB file and someone waiting for it. Email gave up at 25MB. WeTransfer cuts you off at 3GB. Google Drive wants an hour of uploading, then an hour of downloading. P2P file sharing skips all of it — the file travels straight from your device to theirs. No server. No upload queue. No size limit. No account.
We compared the seven most popular P2P file sharing tools of 2026. Full disclosure up front: Perkoon is our tool. It's one of the seven, and we'll tell you exactly where it wins and where a competitor is honestly the better choice.
Quick answer: sending a big file to one person over the internet? Skip the comparison and the upload.
Start a free transferNo size limits. No signup. Works in your browser.
The Best P2P File Sharing Tools in 2026
Seven tools, seven different jobs. Jump to the one that matches yours.
Best overall · internet transfers
Perkoon
Free, no size limit, no account, runs in your browser
Best for same-WiFi
LocalSend
Open-source AirDrop replacement that works offline
Best no-install local sharing
PairDrop
Open a website on both devices, done
Best mobile app
Send Anywhere
Polished apps and 6-digit codes — but ads and a 10GB cap
Best for offline recipients
Wormhole
Auto-expiring links with cloud fallback, 10GB max
Best for privacy purists
ToffeeShare
Nothing ever touches a server
Best for self-hosting
FilePizza
Open-source and developer-friendly
All 7 Tools at a Glance
| Tool | Runs in | Over the internet | Size limit | Account |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perkoon | Browser | Yes | None | No |
| LocalSend | App | Same network only | None | No |
| PairDrop | Browser | With pairing code | None | No |
| Send Anywhere | App + Web | Yes | 10GB free | Optional |
| Wormhole | Browser | Yes | 5GB P2P / 10GB cloud | No |
| ToffeeShare | Browser | Yes | None | No |
| FilePizza | Browser | Yes | None | No |
What Is P2P File Sharing?
Cloud sharing uploads your file to a server, then the other person downloads it. You wait twice, and someone else's server holds your file in between. P2P streams the file directly from your device to theirs — usually over an encrypted WebRTC connection in the browser. That gets you four things cloud services can't match:
Not upload + download — the file travels once
Your file never sits on third-party storage
No server storage means nothing to ration
Nothing is stored, so there's nothing to bill
[Updated March 2026] The classic trade-off — both people online at the same moment — is softening. Some tools (like Perkoon) now queue the transfer: hit send, and it fires when the receiver joins. The real remaining limit is that P2P is one-to-one. For one-to-many distribution, you still want cloud sharing.
The Reviews
Judged on five things: friction, size limits, reach, timing flexibility, and privacy.
The least friction of any tool here for sending a file of any size to anyone, anywhere. Yes, it's ours — here's the case, and the honest caveats.
How it works: Open perkoon.com, drop your files, share a 6-character code. The file streams browser-to-browser, end-to-end encrypted. The receiver doesn't need to be online when you hit send — the transfer queues and fires the moment they join.
Pros
- ✓No file size limit — 100GB works like 100MB
- ✓No account, no install, no ads
- ✓Works across the internet, not just your WiFi
- ✓Receiver can join late — queued transfers start automatically
- ✓End-to-end encrypted
Cons
- ✕Best in Chrome, Edge, Brave — Firefox/Safari have WebRTC restrictions
- ✕Sender's tab stays open until the transfer finishes
- ✕One-to-one only — team distribution means paid cloud storage
Bottom line: Sending a large file to one person over the internet, both of you with a browser? This is the shortest path. Moving files between your own devices on the same WiFi every day? LocalSend (next) is the better habit.
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Send a file freeThe best AirDrop replacement that exists. If both devices are on the same WiFi, nothing here beats it.
How it works: Install the open-source app on both devices (Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS). Devices on the same network discover each other automatically — select files and send.
Pros
- ✓Works fully offline — no internet required at all
- ✓Free, open-source, end-to-end encrypted
- ✓No size limits, no account
- ✓Native apps on every platform
Cons
- ✕Same network only — useless across the internet
- ✕Requires installing an app on both ends
Bottom line: Phone-to-laptop, laptop-to-laptop, you-to-the-person-next-to-you: install it once and stop emailing yourself files. Useless the moment the recipient is in another city.
LocalSend's convenience without the install — at the cost of some reliability on tricky networks.
How it works: Open pairdrop.net on both devices. Same-network devices see each other automatically (it's the successor to Snapdrop); remote devices can pair with a 6-digit code.
Pros
- ✓Zero install — great on borrowed or locked-down devices
- ✓Free, open-source, self-hostable
- ✓No size limits
Cons
- ✕Both tabs must stay open for the whole transfer
- ✕Flaky on VPNs and corporate firewalls
- ✕Remote pairing works but isn't its strength
Bottom line: The right tool when you can't install anything. For regular local use, LocalSend is sturdier; for internet transfers, Perkoon or ToffeeShare handle it more reliably.
The most polished app experience here, with the most asterisks: ads, a 10GB cap, and your files briefly touching their servers.
How it works: Open the app or website, select files, get a 6-digit code. The recipient enters the code and the transfer starts.
Pros
- ✓Works across the internet with slick native apps
- ✓256-bit encryption, in-app media playback
- ✓Wi-Fi Direct option for offline transfers
Cons
- ✕Free tier capped at 10GB per transfer
- ✕Ads in the free version
- ✕Files stored on their servers for 48 hours — not pure P2P
Bottom line: If you share files from your phone daily and want a dedicated app, it's good. If "never touches a server" matters to you, this one technically fails the test.
The simplest answer when the other person isn't online yet — as long as your file is under 10GB.
How it works: Drop a file, get a link, send the link. Files under 5GB go peer-to-peer; bigger files ride their encrypted cloud temporarily, so the link works even before the recipient shows up.
Pros
- ✓Clean interface, end-to-end encrypted
- ✓Links auto-expire — nothing lingers
- ✓Recipient doesn't need to be online immediately
Cons
- ✕5GB ceiling for true P2P, 10GB absolute maximum
- ✕Tab must stay open for P2P transfers
Bottom line: Great for one-off sends under 10GB. Past that, you're back to tools without caps — see our guide to sending files larger than 10GB.
A clean, open-source WebRTC transfer tool you can read, fork, and self-host. Minimal by intention.
How it works: Drag a file onto the page, get a link, share it. The recipient downloads directly from your browser via WebTorrent.
Pros
- ✓Open source, self-hostable, no size limits
- ✓Dead-simple interface
Cons
- ✕One-to-one only, both parties online
- ✕Browser compatibility varies, no features beyond the basics
Bottom line: Pick it because you want to own the stack, not because it's the smoothest experience.
The 30-Second Decision Guide
Same WiFi, happy to install an app
LocalSend
Same WiFi, can't install anything
PairDrop
Different locations, any file size
Perkoon →Recipient offline, file under 10GB
Wormhole
File must never touch a server
ToffeeShare
You want to self-host it
FilePizza or PairDrop
You live on your phone
Send Anywhere
The Bottom Line
All seven tools are free for basic use, so the real question is which one matches your situation. Sharing between your own devices at home? Install LocalSend and forget about it. Sending a big file to a client, a friend, or a collaborator anywhere on the internet? Perkoon is the shortest path — try a transfer now, it's faster than reading this paragraph. Recipient offline for days and the file under 10GB? Wormhole has you covered.
Whatever you pick, you'll have stopped paying — in money, time, or privacy — for a server you never needed in the middle of your files.