Stop Renting Storage to Send Files — This Free App Cuts Out the Middleman
Drop file → copy code → friend pastes → done. No cloud. No signup. No cap.
100GB. Encrypted. Laptop → laptop. Zero middleman. Zero bullshit.

🧠 The 10-second pitch — what this thing actually is
Free open-source app. Install → drop any file → get a one-time code → friend pastes code into their AltSendme → file flows direct from your machine to theirs.
Phone call vs voicemail. Old way (WeTransfer/Dropbox) = upload to a stranger’s server, friend downloads later. New way = two laptops, one direct line, nobody in between.
Official tagline: “AirDrop for everyone” — works any OS, any country, any distance. Not stuck behind Apple’s walled garden.
🎟️ How to use it — 3 stupid-simple moves
| Step | What you do |
|---|---|
| Drop file or folder into AltSendme → it spits out a one-time code (the ticket) | |
| Send the ticket via Discord / WhatsApp / SMS / email — it’s just text, safe to share | |
| Friend pastes ticket → transfer starts. Direct. Live. Done. |
Ticket = Uber pickup code. Single-use. Dies after the transfer.
Connection drops mid-transfer? Resumes from where it stopped — no restart-from-zero.
Friend gets a preview (file name, size, type) before committing to download.
🔧 Under the hood — every tech word, translated
| Tech word | Normal-human meaning |
|---|---|
| iroh | The engine inside the app. You drive the car, you don’t tune the carburetor. Free + open source. |
| TLS 1.3 + QUIC | Encryption + a fast lane. Same lock your bank uses. Faster delivery truck. |
| BLAKE3 | A fingerprint check. If even 1 byte got flipped, the app yells. No corrupted files. |
| Hole punching | Both laptops knock on their routers at the same moment → direct pipe opens. Same trick Zoom & FaceTime use. |
| Relay (fallback) | If hole-punching fails → courier mode. Courier can’t open the envelope (still encrypted). |
| Cryptographic identity | Your install IS your password. No accounts, no signup, nothing to leak. |
You don’t need any of this to USE it. This is for the “but how does it actually work” crowd.
⚔️ AltSendme vs WeTransfer vs Dropbox — the brutal table
| Round | AltSendme | WeTransfer / Dropbox |
|---|---|---|
| Account? | None | Yes. Email + password + verify. |
| File size cap | Unlimited (yes, your 100GB game backup works) | 2GB free / 200GB paid |
| Where the file sits | Direct, never stored | On their server, indexed |
| Privacy | E2E encrypted — only your friend has the key | “Encrypted” — they hold the key |
| Speed | Up to 4 Gbps (saturates your pipe) | Capped by their throttle |
| Cost | $0 forever | $0 with limits → $12/mo to unlock |
| Company dies tomorrow? | Self-host the source code, app keeps running | Files gone, account gone, GG |
The math: WeTransfer = TWO trips (upload, then download). AltSendme = ONE trip. Half the wait. Zero snooping.
📥 Download for your OS — every build, every flavor
| OS | Grab it |
|---|---|
| AltSendme.exe | |
| AltSendme.dmg | |
.deb |
|
.rpm |
|
.AppImage |
|
| APK |
Windows + Scoop one-liner:
scoop bucket add extras
scoop install extras/altsendme
Main repo: github.com/tonyantony300/alt-sendme — star it if it saved you a Dropbox bill
All releases + SHA256 checksums: releases page
Terminal-only CLI version: Sendme CLI — same engine, scriptable
🚨 Windows won't launch it? — The WebView2 fix
Symptom: Double-click .exe → nothing happens. No window, no error, nothing in Task Manager.
Cause: Missing Microsoft Edge WebView2 Runtime — the picture frame the app draws inside.
Fix (3 min):
- Settings → Apps → search
WebView2. Missing or old? That’s it. - Grab the Evergreen Standalone Installer straight from Microsoft.
- Right-click → Run as Administrator → install → reboot.
- Relaunch AltSendme. Pops open.
Still broken? Fully uninstall WebView2 first → reinstall fresh as Admin. Half-broken installs are worse than no install.
🛣️ Roadmap — what's cooking next
| Coming | Why you care |
|---|---|
| Same ticket trick, smaller screen | |
horse-battery-staple-correct instead of a random string — readable over the phone |
|
| Your transfers never touch a public middleman, even on corporate wifi | |
| Send from a browser tab, zero install | |
| Speed graphs, peer info, why-is-this-slow diagnostics |
Drop your email on altsendme.com for ship notifications, or just watch the GitHub repo.
Simple-pimple: install → drop file → send code → friend pastes → file lands. Unlimited, encrypted, $0, no signup. Cancel your WeTransfer.
Saved you a Dropbox subscription. Your move on the WeTransfer one.

!