ZiggSend vs Phone Link · Head to head

ZiggSend vs Phone Link

Phone Link is built into Windows and does a lot. For files it has grown: on Windows 11, an Android 11+ phone shows up in File Explorer, and an iPhone can share files through its share sheet. What Microsoft does not promise is resume or a check that each file arrived intact.

What it does well

  • Calls, messages and notifications on the PC
  • On Windows 11, an Android 11+ phone appears in File Explorer
  • Built into Windows 10 and 11, free

Where it stops

  • Drag and drop only on select Android brands, up to 100 files of 512 MB each
  • On iPhone (iOS 16+): files only through the share sheet, no folder view of the phone
  • No resume and no per-file check advertised

Side by side

CriterionPhone LinkZiggSend
DevicesAndroid (File Explorer on Windows 11), iPhone (share sheet)iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows
Original qualityYesAlways, verified byte for byte
Size limit512 MB per file by drag and drop; not published for the other pathsNone
Needs the cloudNo, but a Microsoft account (Android)No, no account
VerificationNot advertisedSHA-256 on every file
PriceFreeFree with 1 phone; Pro $39/year

When to use which

Keep Phone Link for messages and calls on the PC. For a camera roll, a 4K clip or a folder of documents, ZiggSend moves the real files, on any phone, and proves they arrived.

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

Does Phone Link transfer files from iPhone?

Yes, through the iPhone share sheet (“Link to Windows”, iOS 16 or later), several files at a time, and from the PC to the iPhone too. Microsoft does not publish resume or verification. For a camera roll or a big video, ZiggSend does iPhone to Windows over Wi-Fi and checks every file.

Does Phone Link work with every Android?

The basics, yes. On Windows 11, any Android 11 or later with Link to Windows can also appear in File Explorer; drag and drop between the screens is limited to select brands (Samsung, HONOR, OPPO, ASUS, vivo, Xiaomi), up to 100 files of 512 MB each.

Do I need a Microsoft account for ZiggSend?

No account of any kind. On the same Wi-Fi, pick the PC under “Devices nearby” or scan its QR code, and check the safety code on both screens.

How do I set up Phone Link, and what can it not do?

Windows: open Phone Link, choose Android or iPhone, scan the QR code with the phone app (“Link to Windows” on Android). It mirrors calls, messages and notifications. For files: on Windows 11, an Android 11+ phone shows up in File Explorer; drag and drop works only on some brands (up to 100 files of 512 MB each); on iPhone, files go through the share sheet. No resume or per-file check is advertised. For a camera roll, ZiggSend.

Related guides

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

Compared with

ZiggSend vs AirDropZiggSend vs LocalSendZiggSend vs Snapdrop and PairDropZiggSend vs iCloud