KDE Connect alternatives for Mac: what to use instead on macOS

There is no single free replacement for KDE Connect, because it does many small jobs. Pick by job: LocalSend or NearDrop for files, Google Messages for web for texts, scrcpy for the screen, AirDroid if you need to reach the phone from another network. If you want the notifications, clipboard, files and codes together in one Mac app and are happy to pay for a subscription after a 7-day free trial, that is The Relay. And if KDE Connect already works on your Mac, you do not need any of these.

Publisher note: The Relay publishes this guide and is one of the products discussed. Details about other products come from each maker's own pages, checked on 2 October 2026. Prices and features change, so confirm before you buy.

What does KDE Connect do, and why do people leave it on a Mac?

KDE Connect's home page lists files and links, remote browsing of the phone's files, phone notifications synced to the computer, replies to text messages, custom commands, media control, a phone-as-touchpad and presentation remote, and ringing the phone. Its download page says "A stable release of KDE Connect for macOS is available to download", and also lists Windows, iOS and Linux. It is free: "Open Source. Free to use. For any purpose. Forever."

The reasons people look elsewhere come from KDE's own documents.

• Support wording. The project's README says "Platforms other than Linux are not officially supported" and that it "hasn't yet been completely tested on MacOS". The download page calls the macOS release stable. Both statements are on KDE's pages, so test it on your Mac.
• Clipboard. The wiki says "Android 10 prevents apps from accessing the clipboard", which makes the plugin "uncomfortable to use". The workaround is a "Send Clipboard" button or tile.
• Login codes. On Android 15 and later the wiki says sensitive notification content is hidden unless you grant a permission, which "may not work on all manufacturer's devices".
• Same network. The wiki says the two devices must be on the same network and that it uses ports 1714 to 1764.
• Intel Macs. On 2 October 2026 the stable macOS download linked from the page was an arm64 build, with Intel builds linked only under the untested nightlies. Check the page before you download.

If it will not find your phone, try KDE Connect not working on Mac first.

Which alternatives cover which job?

What replaces the file features?

LocalSend's site says "No account, no login, no servers" and that data "never leaves your local network". NearDrop's README says it works over Wi-Fi LAN only and is visible to everyone on the network while it runs. Neither browses the phone's folders the way KDE's remote file browser does, as far as their pages say. For browsing over a cable, OpenMTP is free; see how to use OpenMTP. Choose between the first two in NearDrop or LocalSend.

What replaces the text and notification features?

For texts, Google's help page says Google Messages for web shows what is in your Messages app, sends SMS through your phone (carrier fees apply), and uses your Google Account to pair. It works in Chrome, Firefox, Safari or Edge. See Android messages on a Mac.

For notifications, the free options are limited. AirDroid's product page lists notifications and SMS in its desktop client, and its pricing page lists notification sync and quick reply on the free plan. Pushbullet's API documentation describes mirrored notifications from Android devices to other devices, and clipboard sharing, but its own site did not open for us, so we cannot say what its current Mac app or plans are. See Android notifications on a Mac.

What replaces remote control and mirroring?

KDE Connect's list has no screen mirroring. scrcpy's README says it mirrors and controls an Android phone from macOS over USB or TCP/IP with "no account, no ads, no internet required", but needs USB debugging. AirDroid lists mirroring and remote control on its product page and says setup means signing in to the same account on both devices. See mirroring Android to a Mac.

Where does The Relay fit?

The Relay is for people who liked KDE Connect's idea but want it made for the Mac. It is an app on the Android phone and the Mac, paired by scanning a QR code shown on the Mac. It syncs the clipboard both ways (text, images and links), shows notifications as Mac notifications, shows incoming texts and copies a login code to the Mac's clipboard, shows incoming calls to accept or decline, browses and moves files, hands links across, and makes the phone a webcam and microphone.

It is one subscription through Google Play that covers your phone and your Mac, with a 7-day free trial, and it needs Android 8.0 or later and macOS 13 Ventura or later. Your clipboard, files, texts, and notifications travel directly between your phone and your Mac over your local network and are not uploaded to The Relay's servers. There is no account or sign-up with The Relay; the subscription is bought through Google Play. See the privacy policy.

What KDE Connect has that The Relay does not: it is free and open source, it runs on Windows, Linux and iOS too, and it offers touchpad and presentation remote, media control, run commands, and sending texts. The Relay does not send texts, has no mirroring, and does not work across the internet. Choose KDE Connect if you mix operating systems or want it free. See The Relay vs KDE Connect.

How do I choose in two minutes?

1. Try KDE Connect once on your Mac, if you have not. It costs nothing.
2. Only files? LocalSend.
3. Only texts? Google Messages for web.
4. The screen? scrcpy.
5. Reach a phone elsewhere? AirDroid.
6. All of it in one Mac app? The Relay, after its 7-day free trial.

We have not tested these products, and we have not measured reliability for any.

Questions people ask

Is there a free alternative to KDE Connect for Mac?

There are free tools for single jobs: LocalSend and NearDrop for files, Google Messages for web for texts, scrcpy for the screen. None bundles everything the way KDE Connect does.

Does KDE Connect have a Mac app?

Its download page offers a macOS release it calls stable, and Homebrew works too. Its README says platforms other than Linux are not officially supported. See KDE Connect on a Mac.

Which alternative works over the internet?

AirDroid lists remote access through an account. KDE Connect's home page mentions OpenVPN support for use on other networks. LocalSend, NearDrop and The Relay are local only.

Is AirDroid or KDE Connect better for a Mac?

It depends on remote access and account use. We compare them in AirDroid vs KDE Connect.