ZiggSend vs AirDrop · Head to head

ZiggSend vs AirDrop

AirDrop is the reason people expect phone-to-computer transfer to be effortless. It is also built for Apple devices, and when the receiving device does not support HEIC or HEVC it may quietly send a converted copy.

What it does well

  • Instant between iPhone, iPad and Mac, no setup
  • Free and built in
  • Sends true originals when “All Photos Data” is on

Where it stops

  • No Windows; on Android, only some recent phones (Pixels first), through Quick Share, with the Apple device set to “Everyone for 10 minutes”
  • May convert HEIC/HEVC to JPEG/H.264 when the receiving device does not support them (Apple documents this)
  • Encrypted in transit, but no per-file check you can see: a smaller file arriving is not reported

Side by side

CriterionAirDropZiggSend
DevicesApple (plus a few recent Androids, through Quick Share)iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows
Original qualityWith “All Photos Data” onAlways, verified byte for byte
Size limitNone publishedNone
Needs the cloudNoNo
VerificationNot advertisedSHA-256 on every file (on the cable, exact size when the phone cannot compute it, as on an older Android)
PriceFreeFree with 1 phone; Pro $39/year

When to use which

Between two Apple devices with “All Photos Data” on, AirDrop is fine. The moment a Windows PC or an Android phone is involved, or when you need proof the file arrived intact, ZiggSend is the path.

Measured, not promised. 22 GB in 184 files with 0 failures from an Android to a Mac over a USB 2 cable (about 28 MB/s); an 806 MB video over home Wi-Fi in 46 s; up to 49.7 MB/s over Wi-Fi from a Mac to an iPhone. Every file is checked against the original on arrival. How we measure.

Free forever with 1 phone. Pro when you need it.

The phone apps are free. So is the computer app, with one paired phone. Pro — several phones, full history, automatic folders, up to 3 computers — is $39 a year, or $19 once for the first 1,000 founders.

Get ZiggSend

Questions people actually ask

Is there an AirDrop for Windows?

Not from Apple. ZiggSend is the closest equivalent: iPhone to Windows over Wi-Fi, originals only, verified.

Does AirDrop compress video?

It can convert: Apple documents that when the receiving device does not support HEVC, the video may be shared as H.264, which is a re-encode. With Options → “All Photos Data” on, it sends the original. Our guide on AirDrop video quality shows how to check.

Can ZiggSend replace AirDrop on a Mac?

For files, yes, and it adds verification. For sharing a link or a contact, AirDrop stays handier.

Is there an AirDrop for Android or Windows?

Not from Apple: AirDrop is built for Apple devices, and only a few recent Androids (Pixels first) reach it. What people call “AirDrop for Android/Windows” is any app that moves files between nearby devices — Quick Share (Android and Windows; a few recent Androids also swap files with iPhone and Mac through AirDrop) or ZiggSend (all four systems, originals verified byte for byte). No APK or website installs AirDrop on Android.

Does it work with Samsung, Motorola, Xiaomi and other brands?

Yes. ZiggSend does not depend on the maker’s software (no Smart Switch, no ShareMe, no Quick Share): any Android with the app on the same Wi-Fi works the same way (from Android to a Mac, also by USB cable). Our cable measurement (22 GB, 184 files, 0 failures) was on a Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

Related guides

Videos from iPhone to a PC or laptop without compressionVideos from iPhone to a Mac or MacBook without compressionVideos from Android to iPhone without compression

Compared with

ZiggSend vs Phone LinkZiggSend vs LocalSendZiggSend vs Snapdrop and PairDropZiggSend vs iCloud