In this digital world, there are already too many traditional online file sharing services, but they are not secure (not anonymous or even transparent), free (various restrictions) or permanent (can delete your files or even shut down at any time, for any so-called reason) enough. Although Bit Torrent and its derivatives can share files freely, they are still not secure or convenient enough. So there is OnionShare, a good alternative to all online file sharing services.
OnionShare is a free and open-source tool that enables you to securely and anonymously share files or folders of any size, type and number, host websites, and chat with friends on Windows, Mac and Linux platforms via Tor network. It allows you to securely share files directly from your computer to the recipient without revealing your identity in this process. You don't have to sign up for any account and are not dependent on any centralized storage service. Instead, it is a peer-to-peer service that exists on the Tor network, where the recipient only needs to have a Tor Browser to download/upload files to your computer. All operations are done within the Tor network, so no one can track what you are sharing or downloading except the recipient.
OnionShare works by starting a web server, making it accessible as a Tor onion service, and generating a complex, random and temporary URL to access and download files. In other words, you don't need to set up a server on the Internet or use a third-party file sharing service (e.g. Google Drive, DropBox, WeTransfer, Mega, email), which could readily access and control your shared files at will, or even traffic or leak your personal privacy. Instead, you simply host the files on your own computer, and any other user simply uses the Tor Browser and accesses this URL to download your shared files. In short, both of you can bypass all third parties, and use the Tor network to securely share files to other users in a completely anonymous environment.
OnionShare has a user-friendly graphical user interface with drag-and-drop support, the ability to share multiple files and folders at once, supports for multiple simultaneous file downloads, can automatically copy the temporary URL to the clipboard, display the file transfer progress, automatically close itself when the transfer is complete so as to reduce the chance of being attacked, and supports multiple languages, as well as international Unicode encoded filenames. In addition, it also can be used to host websites, and chat anonymously with friends using the Tor network.
Key Features
| Feature | Description |
| Your Private Productivity Suite | Share files, host websites, and chat anonymously via a new tabbed interface for maximum productivity. |
| Share Files | Ever wanted to share something without also sharing it with Google or Dropbox? Tax documents, medical information, or unpublished research? Share files directly and securely without the middlemen. |
| Receive Files | Set up a dropbox for anyone to send you files anonymously. |
| OnionService On-Demand | Host a static website and make it accessible through the Tor Browser without worrying about setting up a server. |
| Ephemeral Chat | Create temporary meeting rooms for discussing important information off the record. No accounts required. |
System Requirements
Related Links
Download URLs
| License | Version | Download | Size |
| Freeware | Latest |  (mir) |
n/a |