NEARDROP VS NEARBY DROP · MAC + ANDROID
NearDrop and Nearby Drop are different Mac apps
NearDrop (one word) and Nearby Drop (two words) are separate projects. NearDrop is grishka’s partial Nearby Share / Quick Share implementation for macOS. Nearby Drop is Arslan Basharat’s independent macOS menu bar app. They have different source repositories, release pages, and feature sets; neither app is an official Google product.
Compare the published project details
| Detail | NearDrop | Nearby Drop |
|---|---|---|
| Official project | grishka/NearDrop on GitHub | Arslan Basharat’s Nearby Drop on GitHub |
| Wireless Quick Share | The project README describes a partial implementation that works over Wi-Fi LAN. | Send and receive over a reachable local network; physical testing is documented for a Pixel 8 Pro. |
| USB MTP | Not listed as a feature in the project README. | Browse Android storage over a USB connection. |
| Finder sharing | The README documents sharing a file from Finder. | The app supports Finder sharing for files, folders, and links. |
| QR workflows | The README documents Android discovery using a QR code or intent. | Show a Mac-generated code or scan an Android-generated code; the documented Pixel 8 Pro validation is on the Nearby Drop site. |
This table summarizes the linked project documentation checked on October 24, 2026. “Not listed” means the feature was not documented in that README; it does not prove the other app can never support it.
Which app fits your workflow?
Choose based on the current release and the features you need. If you want a simple Wi-Fi Quick Share client, compare both projects’ installation and compatibility notes. If you also need USB MTP storage browsing, QR scanning in the app, or Finder sharing for links and folders, Nearby Drop documents those workflows.
Nearby Drop is free to download for macOS 14 or later on Apple silicon and Intel. Its current release is ad hoc signed and not notarized, so macOS may show a Gatekeeper warning. Review the project and release page before installing.