ZiggSend vs Android File Transfer · Head to head

ZiggSend vs Android File Transfer

Android File Transfer was the only official cable path from Android to a Mac. Google quietly removed its download in 2024, and the old address now redirects to Quick Share for Windows.

Rather see the screens? Illustrated step by step, over Wi-Fi or by cable →

What it does well

  • It was official and free
  • Simple drag and drop over a cable
  • Nothing to configure

Where it stops

  • No longer offered; no download from Google
  • Users long reported freezes and disconnects on large folders (MTP)
  • No verification, no resume, no Wi-Fi

Side by side

CriterionAndroid File TransferZiggSend
DevicesAndroid → Mac onlyiPhone, Android, Mac, Windows
Original qualityYesAlways, verified byte for byte
Size limitNoneNone
CableYes (MTP)Yes, Android to Mac, over USB debugging (not MTP)
VerificationNot advertisedSHA-256 on every file (by cable, exact size when the phone cannot compute it)
PriceFreeFree with 1 phone; Pro $39/year

When to use which

If you still have a copy of Android File Transfer and it works on your phone, it copies files. ZiggSend is the maintained replacement: cable or Wi-Fi, resume, and a hash check on every file.

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.

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Questions people actually ask

Why did Android File Transfer stop working?

Google removed the official download in 2024 without an announcement. Users report the copies still around failing on modern phones and macOS versions.

Does ZiggSend use MTP?

No. The Mac app uses Android’s USB debugging (its assistant walks you through turning it on, once), which is how it avoids MTP’s freezes.

Does it work over Wi-Fi too?

Yes. Same app, same verification, no cable needed.

Related guides

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

Compared with

ZiggSend vs AirDropZiggSend vs Phone LinkZiggSend vs LocalSendZiggSend vs Snapdrop and PairDrop