OnionShare

OnionShare is a free, open-source Tor application for people who want to exchange files, collect anonymous submissions, host an onion website, or chat without putting content on a conventional hosting service. It is best suited to privacy-conscious individuals and groups willing to run a service from their own computer. The trade-off is clear: you retain control of the data, but you also retain responsibility for the computer and anything uploaded to it.

Overview

OnionShare starts web servers locally and publishes them as Tor onion services. Files therefore remain on your computer instead of being sent to a third-party server, and Tor onion-service connections are end-to-end encrypted. A private key protects services by default, so access is not based solely on discovering an onion address.

The same architecture supports several jobs: sending files, receiving anonymous uploads, hosting onion websites, and running private chat rooms that do not log chat history. Its private-dropbox workflow is particularly useful when people need to submit material without identifying themselves. This local model is a strong fit for journalists, activists, researchers, and anyone avoiding centralized file hosts; it is less convenient for users who want a managed service that stays online independently of their computer.

Key features

File sharing and receiving

Send files directly from your computer through a Tor service. Sharing stops automatically after a recipient finishes downloading unless you disable that setting, which limits the window in which a link can be used. Receive mode reverses the flow: another person can upload files anonymously to your machine. That suits tip lines, application intake, and private submissions, but it requires careful operational judgment because the documentation warns that uploads may be malicious and provides no system-protection mechanism for them.

Onion sites and chat

OnionShare can publish a website from your computer as an onion service, useful for small, temporary, or privacy-sensitive sites rather than conventional public hosting. Its chat rooms are private and do not retain chat history, making the feature appropriate for conversations where persistence is undesirable.

Notifications and privacy

Receive mode can issue an HTTP POST to a webhook URL when files or messages arrive, allowing an external workflow to react without polling the application. OnionShare says its desktop and mobile apps collect no analytics or behavioral tracking. Website logs are retained for two weeks without IP addresses. The project is maintained by the worker-owned Lockdown Systems collective and released under GPLv3; it also cautions that, like any software, it may contain bugs or vulnerabilities.

Pricing

OnionShare is free, open source, and released under the GPLv3 license. There is no paid tier, subscription, quota, seat allowance, or free-trial period to weigh. That makes it suitable when budget is zero and local control matters more than hosted convenience. The price advantage does not remove the practical cost of operating your own computer, protecting it from dangerous uploads, and keeping it available when others need access.

Platforms

Desktop downloads are available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with mobile apps for Android and iOS. Android users can also obtain a de-Googled build through F-Droid. The mobile applications are developed with Guardian Project and The Calyx Institute. OnionShare is preinstalled in QubesOS, Tails, and ParrotOS, which makes it an especially natural option for users of those systems. A desktop app is available, and download tracking is provided.

Who it's for

Choose OnionShare for anonymous file collection, direct private transfers, ephemeral chat, or a small onion site when you can keep the host computer secure and online as needed. It is a poor fit for teams that need centralized administration, guaranteed availability, or automatic malware screening for incoming files. The upload warning is decisive for public dropboxes: isolate and inspect received material before it reaches the rest of your system.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Files stay on your computer rather than a third-party server; Tor onion connections are end-to-end encrypted; private-key protection is enabled by default; sending can end automatically after download; anonymous receiving, onion hosting, and no-history chat share one free tool; apps collect no analytics or behavioral tracking.
• Cons: Received files may be malicious, and OnionShare does not protect your system from them; locally hosted services depend on your computer; Tor-based access is not a substitute for endpoint security; the project acknowledges possible bugs or vulnerabilities.

Alternatives

For a broader selection, see Secure File Transfer Software and File transfer services.

• WinSCP is a free, open-source Windows client for SFTP, FTP, FTPS, SCP, WebDAV, and S3; choose it for protocol-based server transfers instead of Tor-hosted sharing.
• SendSafely offers Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, Windows, an API, and an extension; its Personal plan allows 50 MB per month and Basic costs $10 a month for 250 MB monthly with expiration control, making it preferable when you want a hosted freemium workflow.
• FileZilla Client is a free Windows, macOS, and Linux client for FTP, FTPS, and SFTP; pick it for conventional server access.
• ExaVault provides a self-hosted appliance free for up to 50 users; choose it when user administration and a managed file-transfer installation matter more than anonymous Tor services.
• TransferNow has a free-forever plan with 5 GB per transfer and seven days of availability; choose it for straightforward hosted links.
• MASV charges $0.25 per GB after the first 15 GB free each month on its on-demand plan; choose it for usage-based large-transfer pricing.
• Tresorit offers encrypted links and storage across major desktop and mobile platforms; choose it when managed encrypted storage is the priority.
• CrushFTP is a paid, self-hosted and web-capable option; choose it when you need a commercial managed file-transfer server.

Verdict

OnionShare is the right choice for privacy-focused users who want free, open-source file exchange, anonymous intake, onion hosting, or no-history chat without surrendering files to a hosting provider. Its decisive advantage is direct local control through Tor. Look elsewhere if you need hosted uptime, centralized controls, or safer handling of untrusted uploads.