There is no dearth of file transferring apps for Android. As such, SHAREit is a popular app used by a vast majority of smartphone users to transfer photos, videos, music and any other files. The app allows direct file transfer between Windows, Android and iOS devices. In this article, we will discuss in detail the alternatives that can be used instead of SHAREit.
Must See: Top 10 Alternatives for Xender Android Application
While SHAREit is one of the most downloaded file-sharing apps in the Google Play Store bagging 500M+ download, it’s always good to have a look at the different alternatives that are available.
How does it work?
SHAREit and all other wireless FTP(File Transfer Protocol) enabled apps works by using the technology Wi-Fi Direct in general. Wi-Fi direct which was previously known as Wi-Fi peer-to-peer is a Wi-Fi standard used for peer-to-peer wireless communication. Wi-Fi direct as the name implies enables two devices to establish a direct Wi-Fi connection without any intermediary router, internet connection or wireless access point.
Needless to say, Wi-Fi direct has now become a standard feature in smartphones, feature phones and in portable media players as well. Nowadays we can find Wi-Fi in devices like cameras, printers, scanners and many other common devices. Wi-Fi direct makes it much easier to transfer data to and from these devices.
Some brands like Samsung and Huawei let their user transfer files just by using the Wi-Fi direct feature without the need of any third-party app. But these features are less known among the users and of course limited to devices from these brands. So, most people use third-party apps likes SHAREit to transfer files using their Wi-Fi due to their well-established fame and convenience to use.
Now let’s have a look at some of the major alternatives that are available. Even though these apps including SHAREit differ by their name, design and features the prime goal of these apps is to enable wireless communication between devices using the device’s Wi-Fi which is way faster than the conventional Bluetooth.
Xender
Initially launched by the name Flash Transfer, Xender is known for its clean UI and lightweight design. The app claims a transfer speed of up to 40MBps but the speed of transfer would greatly depend on read/write speed of the devices, Wi-Fi standard, the distance between those devices and Wi-Fi interference. The app can also double as a music player but still, we don’t think most people will use this feature as Xender is more established as a file-sharing app. If it matters for you, Dark mode is a new addition to the app.
Xender does support more file formats than SHAREit such as .epub, .txt, .ebk, and the standard doc formats .doc or .ppt. Xender supports multiple device file transfer. The app also supports the transfer of folders. Even though Xender doesn’t allow one to transfer files at the same time, it can always add more files to the current transfer irrespective of their format. Xender allows the users to peek into each other’s phone only if the other permits to. It also allows one to resume failed transfers.
Even though there are no dedicated apps for PC and Mac, Xender does provide a feature called Connect to PC (formerly Xender Web). It is a bit tedious to use this feature because even with the latest feature one must manually type in the alphanumeric Wi-Fi password in their PC/Mac to establish the connection and the feature still needs improvements.
Install Xender: Google Play Store.
Superbeam
Superbeam yet another file-sharing app that makes use of Wi-Fi Direct to share files. It is a visually appealing app with themes like light, dark, and a collection of AMOLED themes to choose from. Sharing files with a PC is done by using a web interface. The Pro version of the app allows you to send files to more than one device, send entire folders, and much more.
The app is free to download but contains ads which is a bummer.
Install Superbeam: Google Play Store.
ShareMe (MiDrop)
Formerly known as Mi Drop the app was developed by the smartphone giant Mi for transferring files within Mi devices. It is a suitable choice for anyone who is looking for an ad-free simple file transfer app for Android. It is a lightweight app and it does support all Android devices.
The app currently doesn’t support multi-user or multi-device sharing. Still, if you have a Mi Device, the app comes pre-installed and you shouldn’t have to install it manually.
Install MiDrop: Google Play Store.
Zapya
Zapya is a cross-platform software that permits file transfer between Android, iOS, Windows phones, Windows PC, Mac, etc. The user can share multiple files of all formats. Supports connecting up to 4 devices at a time. The users can chat and share streaming videos and audio with nearby friends without an internet connection.
Zapya is free to download. Even though there are no in-app purchases the app does display ads.
Install Zapya: Google Play Store.
AirDroid
AirDroid permits the users to access their Android device wirelessly from their PC. The users can transfer and receive files from their Android phone to PC and vice-versa. They can also send and receive messages and access installed apps like WhatsApp from their PC.
The users can also backup files from their phone to the computer, and can also locate the phone in case if it’s lost. Even though the free version of the app provides the user with all the essential features. There are some in-app purchases for additional features.
Install AirDroid: Google Play Store.
ES File Explorer
Even though it was launched as a file explorer the app does support wireless file transfer since a couple of years after its inception. The app just like any other mentioned above support file transfer and it can do quite a lot more like a file explorer.
If you are a person who wants to control your phone to its deepest level then this app is the right choice. Just like music player is an option in Xender, file transfer is a less used feature of this app.
Install ES File Explorer: Google Play Store.
To Conclude
The message is loud and clear here, all these apps are good at doing what they do – Transfer files over Wi-Fi. There is no major features or secret speed-up algorithms that make any one of them better than the other. Choosing one from these falls entirely on the user. If you are a user wants a lightweight app and ad-free that can get the job done then go for Xender or ShareMe if you are person frequently needs to connect their phone to a PC/Mac then Zapya or AirDroid, if you are a kind of a person who wants a good file explorer and a decent file transfer solution then ES File Explorer is the right one for you.
So, at the end of the day, it comes down to user preference and convenience choosing either of them. We hope you have successfully That being said, what is your choice of file transfer app?
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