Comparison Of File Sharing Applications
File sharing is a method of distributing electronically stored information such as computer programs and digital media. Below is a list of file sharing applications.
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| Name | Network | Anonymous P2P | Link system compatibility | Price | Platform | License | Programming language | Spyware-adware free | Latest release version | Extra information | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition | gnutella, BitTorrent | No | magnet | Nagware or US$17.99 | OS X | GPL | Objective-C, Java | Yes | 2.2 (v223) | Alternative to LimeWire for Mac users; uses Cocoa GUI | |
| aMule | eDonkey, Kad | No | eD2k | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 2.3.1 | ||
| ANts P2P | ANts | Yes | ed2k | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 2010 | Proxies other users' IP addresses making it hard to determine who is downloading | |
| Ares Galaxy | Ares, BitTorrent | No | arlnk | Free | Windows | GPL | Object Pascal (Delphi) | Yes | 2.1.9
) |
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| BearShare (pre v6.0) |
gnutella | No | ed2k, magnet | Free or US$3.29 monthly | Windows | Proprietary | C++ | No | 10.0.0.98413 | Since version 6: clone of the commercial iMesh software; does not connect to gnutella and restricts downloads to media formats | |
| BitComet | BitTorrent, eDonkey, Kad | No | ed2k, magnet | Free | Windows | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 1.34 | Exploits SuperSeeding and thus is often banned by trackers and peers. Compatible with e2DK links through an eMule plugin which gives access to eDonkey and Kad networks and cross-network sharing abilities with BitTorrent network. | |
| BitTornado | BitTorrent | No | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | Open source | Python | Yes | 2006 | ||
| BitTorrent | BitTorrent | No | No | Free | Windows, Mac OS X | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 2010 | µTorrent rebrand | |
| broolz | Direct Connect | No | No | Free or US$59.95 | Windows, OS X, Linux | Proprietary | Java | Yes | 2011 | Internal p2p protocols that allow only secondary users authorised by primary user to share | |
| Cabos | gnutella | No | magnet | Free | OS X, Windows | GPL | Java, REALbasic | Yes | 0.8.2 | ||
| DC++ | Direct Connect | No | magnet | Free | Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 0.799 May 5, 2012; 7 months ago (2012-05-05) | Many modifications exist, for example LinuxDC++ | |
| Deluge | BitTorrent | Unknown | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Python | Yes | 1.3.5 | ||
| eDonkey2000 | eDonkey, Overnet | No | ed2k | Free or US$19.95 | Linux, OS X, Windows | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 2005 | Discontinued | |
| eMule | eDonkey, Kad | No | ed2k | Free | Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 0.50a | Supports protocol obfuscation | |
| ExoSee | ? | No | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | ? | Yes | 2007 | ExoSee appears to have no business model | |
| Free Download Manager | BitTorrent | No | metalink | Free | Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 3.9 (Build 1249) | ||
| Freenet's FProxy | Freenet | Yes | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 0.7.5 (Build 1423) | ||
| Frost | Freenet | Yes | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 2009 | ||
| FrostWire | gnutella, BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 5.5.0 | Fork of LimeWire, with no copyrighted-material blocker planned | |
| giFT | OpenFT and, with plugins, Ares, gnutella, FastTrack | No | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C | Yes | 0.11.8.1 | ||
| Gnucleus | gnutella, Gnutella2 | No | No | Free | Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 2.2.0.0 | ||
| GNUnet | GNUnet | Yes | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C | Yes | 0.9.4 | ||
| gtk-gnutella | gnutella | No | magnet | Free | Linux, Windows | GPL | C | Yes | 0.98.3 | ||
| iMesh (pre v6.0) |
FastTrack, gnutella, Gnutella2 | No | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 2008 | ||
| I2Phex | I2P (protocol gnutella) | Yes | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 2011 | need I2P to run | |
| I2PSnark | I2P (protocol BitTorrent) | Yes | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 2010 | Integrated into I2P distribution | |
| iMule | I2P (protocol Kad) | Yes | ed2k | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 2.3.2.0 | internal I2P is old and buggy, use separate I2P installation | |
| Kazaa | FastTrack | No | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | C++ | adware & spyware | 2006 | Illegal in Australia. | |
| Kazaa Lite | FastTrack | No | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | ? | Yes | 2007 | Adware-disabled version of Kazaa (fake versions in circulation) | |
| KCeasy | Ares, gnutella, FastTrack, OpenFT | No | No | Free | Windows | GPL | C++, Object Pascal (Delphi) | Yes | 2008 | Uses integrated giFT file sharing daemon as back-end | |
| KTorrent | BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 4.3.0 | Part of the KDE desktop, can be installed separately | |
| LimeWire | gnutella, BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free or US$18.88 | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | No | 2010 | Shutdown permanently due to injunction from MGM v. Grokster in which Limewire was ordered to disable all functionality of the software. | |
| Manolito | MP2P | No | MP2P | Free or US$19.95 | Windows | Proprietary | ? | No | 2008 | ||
| MLDonkey | BitTorrent, eDonkey, FastTrack, (gnutella, Gnutella2), Kad | No | ed2k, magnet, sig2dat | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | OCaml | Yes | 3.1.3 | P2P application, telnet / web-interface / GUI interface, complete and complex remote usage. Sancho GUI makes automatic SSH tunnels. | |
| MonoTorrent (client library) | BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | MIT/X11 | C# | Yes | 0.90 | Requires either Mono or .NET Framework to be installed | |
| Morpheus | NEOnet, gnutella, Gnutella2, BitTorrent | No | No | Free or US$19.95 | Windows | Proprietary | ? | Yes | 5.55.1 | ||
| Calypso | MUTE | Yes | No | Donation | Linux, Windows | GPL | C++, Qt | Yes | 2010 | Prior name: Kommute | |
| MUTE | MUTE | Yes | No | Donation | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 2007 | ||
| Nodezilla | Private | Yes | No | Free | Linux, Windows | partly GPL | Java | Yes | 2008 | Most is proprietary, GUI is GPL | |
| Opera | BitTorrent | No | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 12.11 | ||
| Piolet | MP2P | No | MP2P | Free or US$19.95 | Windows | Proprietary | ? | No | 2008 | ||
| qBittorrent | BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free | Linux, Solaris, OS X, Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 3.0.6 | ||
| Retroshare | Retroshare | Yes | Own format | Free | Windows, Linux, Mac OS | GPL | C++ | Yes | March 2011 | Uses PGP for friend authentication. Decentralized F2F network type. | |
| RShare | RShare | Yes | No | Free | Windows | GPL | C# | Yes | 2007 | eMule-like usability | |
| Robert | BitTorrent | Yes | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Python | Yes | 2012 | needs I2P to run | |
| Share | Share | Yes | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | Object Pascal (Delphi) | Yes | 2006 | Anonymous developer; tries to be Winny successor | |
| Shareaza | eDonkey, BitTorrent, gnutella, Gnutella2 | No | ed2k, magnet, Piolet/MP2P, gnutella | Free | Windows | GPL | C++ | Yes | 2.6.0.0 | Uses a powerful files library; maintained by volunteer group | |
| Sharing Max | Sharing Max | No | Yes | Free | Windows | Proprietary | Visual Basic | No | 2010 | ||
| SoMud | SoMud | No | magnet uri, meta link | Free | Windows, OS X | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 2010 | Search and download P2P and web video networks such as YouTube and Yahoovideo etc. | |
| StealthNet | RShare | Yes | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | C# | Yes | 2011 | Evolution of the RShare client with many functions. | |
| Soulseek | Soulseek | No | No | Free, donations for privileges | Windows | Proprietary | ? | Yes | SoulseekQt build 8/5/2012 | Folder downloads, browse users with folder trees, no multi-source downloads | |
| SymTorrent | BitTorrent | No | No | Free | Symbian S60 | GPL | C++ | Yes | 2008 | Runs on mobile phones with Symbian operating system | |
| Thaw | Freenet | Yes | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 2008 | ||
| Transmission | BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free | BeOS, Linux, OS X | MIT | C, Objective-C | Yes | 2.75 | Lightweight, cross-platform | |
| TrustyFiles | eDonkey, Overnet, gnutella, Gnutella2, FastTrack, BitTorrent | No | ed2k | Free or US$29 | Windows | Proprietary | ? | adware & spyware | 2005 ? | Has code stolen from Gnucleus, giFT, and avlib; Linux version announced, but never released; takeover similar to the Shareaza.com and Lphant issues is likely to have happened | |
| µTorrent | BitTorrent | No | magnet | Free | OS X, Windows, Linux | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | Microsoft Windows 3.2.3 (Build 28705) OS X for Intel |
Specifically designed to be very small; entire program runs from a 315KB compressed executable which can be either installed or run as a stand-alone. | |
| Vuze (formerly Azureus) |
BitTorrent | No (except when using I2P) | magnet | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | GPL | Java | Yes | 4.8.1.0 | ||
| Warez P2P | iP2P DHT | No | No | Free or US$19.99 | Windows | Proprietary | ? | Yes | 2007 | Developer claims Warez v3.0 beta is malware-free | |
| WinMX | WinMX Peer Network (independent, now user-operated), OpenNAP, chatrooms supported | No | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 2004 | Official development has ceased due to RIAA coercion. Versions 3.53, 3.54 beta 4 and older are available from 3rd parties. | |
| Winny | Winny | Yes | No | Free | Windows | Proprietary | C++ | Yes | 2003 | ||
| Wuala | Wuala | No | No | Free | Linux, OS X, Windows | Proprietary | Java | Yes | 2009 | ||
| Datawire | P2P Private Networking (chat supported) | Yes | No | Free | Windows, Linux, OS X | Proprietary | Java | Yes | 2011 | ||
| FSProject | P2P File Sharing (chat supported) | Yes | No | Free | Windows, Linux, OS X | Proprietary | C# | Yes | Not released yet. | ||
| Name | Network | Anonymity | Link system compatibility | Price | Platform | License | Programming language | Spyware or adware free | Last release year | Extra information |
- Note that several applications had adware or spyware tied in in the past and may have it again in the future. The same goes for clones of open source apps, e.g. eMule. This list attempts to display the current status only.
Read more about Comparison Of File Sharing Applications: Comparison Pages, File Sharing Web Application
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