OpenDrop vs Snapdrop: Which Should You Use?

Two Tools, Two Philosophies

OpenDrop is a native application (desktop GUI, CLI, and mobile apps) that I built for direct device-to-device file transfer. Snapdrop is a web-based tool that runs entirely in the browser. Both solve the same core problem: moving files between devices without USB cables or cloud uploads.

People compare these two constantly, and most of the comparisons I've seen get key details wrong. Some claim browser-based is always simpler. Others insist native apps are always faster. The truth depends on what you're doing, how big your files are, and whether your devices share a network.

I've tested both extensively on my own devices: a Windows 11 desktop (i7-13700K, 48GB DDR5), M5 MacBook Pro, iPhone 15 on iOS 26.2, and a Redbeat D5 on Android 14. Here's what the testing actually showed, and which common beliefs about these tools are wrong.

Myth 1: Browser-Based Transfer Is Just as Fast as Native Apps

The reality: Not for large files.

Snapdrop uses WebRTC for peer-to-peer transfer between browsers. WebRTC is impressive technology, but it runs inside a browser sandbox with memory constraints, garbage collection pauses, and JavaScript overhead. For small files (under 50MB), the speed difference is negligible. Both Snapdrop and OpenDrop transfer a 10MB file in about the same time on LAN.

The gap opens with larger files. WebRTC data channels in browsers typically max out at 50-100 MB/s in ideal conditions, but real-world performance depends on the browser, OS, and how the data channel is configured. Chrome on desktop handles it better than Safari on iOS. Mobile browsers are generally slower than desktop browsers for WebRTC data transfer.

OpenDrop's LAN transfer uses direct HTTP streaming on port 8000, outside the browser sandbox. There's no JavaScript overhead, no garbage collection interrupting the data flow, and the file streams as raw bytes. On my home network, a 2GB file transfers in about 18 seconds between my Windows desktop and MacBook. The same file through a browser-based WebRTC connection takes noticeably longer, especially on mobile.

For files under 100MB, pick whichever is more convenient. For files over 500MB, native apps have a measurable speed advantage.

Myth 2: You Don't Need to Install Anything with Snapdrop

The reality: You don't install an app, but you still need a browser open on both devices, the website loaded, and an active network connection to the Snapdrop server for signaling.

The "no install" advantage is real for quick one-off transfers. Open a browser tab on each device, navigate to the Snapdrop URL, and devices on the same network discover each other. This is genuinely convenient if you're borrowing someone else's computer or on a device where you can't install apps.

The trade-off: you need to repeat this setup every time. Open browser, navigate to URL, wait for the page to load, wait for peer discovery. If you close the tab, the connection is gone. There's no persistent background service, no notification when files arrive, and no file history.

OpenDrop installs once. After that, it runs in the background (or launch it when needed), discovers devices automatically via mDNS, and keeps a record of transferred files. For daily use between your own devices, the 30-second install saves time after the third or fourth transfer. For a single one-time transfer on a stranger's laptop, Snapdrop's browser approach is faster to get started.

Myth 3: Both Tools Only Work on the Same WiFi

The reality: This is true for Snapdrop but not for OpenDrop.

Snapdrop requires both devices to be on the same local network. The WebRTC signaling server helps devices find each other, but the actual data transfer goes peer-to-peer within the LAN. If your phone is on cellular and your laptop is on WiFi, Snapdrop can't connect them. There's no remote transfer mode, no tunnel, no relay.

OpenDrop works across different networks. On the same WiFi, it uses direct LAN transfer via mDNS discovery (the _opendrop._tcp.local. service on port 8000). When devices are on different networks, it falls back to remote transfer: free users get Cloudflare tunnel-based transfers with 5MB chunks at ~8 Mbps, and Pro users get Fly.io relay streaming at 30-50+ Mbps.

This distinction matters more than most comparisons acknowledge. If you only ever transfer files at home or in the office where everything is on the same WiFi, both tools work. If you sometimes need to send a file from your phone on cellular to your PC at home, or between a laptop at a coffee shop and a desktop at your apartment, OpenDrop handles it and Snapdrop doesn't.

Myth 4: Snapdrop and OpenDrop Use the Same Technology

The reality: They use completely different protocols.

Snapdrop uses WebRTC, which is a browser-native protocol designed for real-time communication (originally video calling, repurposed for data). WebRTC establishes a peer-to-peer connection through a signaling server, negotiates NAT traversal via STUN/TURN, and creates a data channel for the file transfer. The entire stack runs in JavaScript inside the browser.

OpenDrop uses HTTP for LAN transfers and WebSocket for remote relay transfers. On LAN, the receiving device runs an HTTP server on port 8000, and the sending device POSTs the file directly to it. For remote transfers, both devices connect to a relay server over WebSocket with binary frames. Authentication uses HMAC-SHA256 signing with a 30-second timestamp window to prevent replay attacks.

Neither approach uses Bluetooth, NFC, or WiFi Direct. Neither is "peer-to-peer" in the strict networking sense, though both avoid uploading files to permanent cloud storage. The fundamental architectural difference is that Snapdrop runs entirely in the browser (constrained by browser APIs and security sandbox) while OpenDrop runs as a native application with direct network access.

Myth 5: Browser Apps Are More Private Because There's No Install

The reality: Privacy depends on the data path, not the install method.

The argument goes: "If I don't install anything, there's less risk to my privacy." This confuses installation risk with data handling risk. What matters for file privacy is where your data goes during the transfer.

Snapdrop's file data transfers peer-to-peer via WebRTC, which means it doesn't pass through Snapdrop's server (only the signaling data does). That's good for privacy. But the original Snapdrop domain is no longer maintained, and many forks exist. If you use a fork hosted by an unknown party, the signaling server and any modifications to the JavaScript could theoretically inspect metadata or inject code. You're trusting whoever runs the server to serve unmodified JavaScript.

OpenDrop's LAN transfers are direct HTTP between devices on your local network. Data never leaves the network. No server involvement at all. Remote transfers go through Cloudflare's network (free) or Fly.io (Pro), both of which provide TLS encryption in transit. The server code doesn't store transferred files, but the data does pass through infrastructure I control.

Both tools have reasonable privacy properties for their respective architectures. The real privacy difference is marginal. What's not marginal is that OpenDrop is open-source and you can inspect exactly what the native app does, while browser-based tools serve fresh JavaScript on every page load, which could theoretically change at any time.

When Each Tool Wins

Snapdrop is better when: You need a one-time transfer on a device you don't own. No installation, no account, just open a browser. For transferring a few photos or a document under 100MB at a friend's house, it's the fastest path from zero to done.

OpenDrop is better when: You transfer files regularly between your own devices. The native apps, background operation, auto-discovery, file history, and remote transfer support make it a permanent solution rather than a quick hack. For files over 500MB, the speed advantage of native HTTP over browser WebRTC is significant. For transfers across different networks, it's the only option of the two that works.

I obviously built OpenDrop because I thought the native app approach was the right one for my use case. But I'm not going to pretend Snapdrop is bad. For its specific niche (quick, installation-free, same-network transfers of small files), it's excellent. The tools solve different variations of the same problem, and the best choice depends on whether you need a screwdriver for a single screw or a power drill you'll use every day.