Payload – Cross-platform desktop app for LAN file transfers
Hi HN. I built Payload to make file transfers easy for less-technical users who need large/fast transfers, so I have focused on auto-discovery, drag-and-drop, visually distinct device icons. It's using Tauri (an "Electron alternative" built on Rust) which keeps my binaries small and bundles to .msi, .dmg, .deb and .appimage. No CLI, iOS or Android support (yet). The network stack is a separate binary written in Go. It uses mDNS for local network discovery and TLS over TCP or Quic, with a public Ed25519 keypair for each device. The protocol is ad-hoc and symmetrical control stream using…
In plain words
Payload is a desktop application for transferring files quickly across local networks. It is designed for non-technical users and emphasizes ease of use through automatic device discovery, drag-and-drop functionality, and clear visual indicators. The app runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, uses encrypted connections with TLS, and is built with Rust and Go for efficient performance.
written from the facts on this page · September 2026
From the sources
In the maker’s words, at launch
Hi HN. I built Payload to make file transfers easy for less-technical users who need large/fast transfers, so I have focused on auto-discovery, drag-and-drop, visually distinct device icons. It's using Tauri (an "Electron alternative" built on Rust) which keeps my binaries small and bundles to .msi, .dmg, .deb and .appimage. No CLI, iOS or Android support (yet). The network stack is a separate binary written in Go. It uses mDNS for local network discovery and TLS over TCP or Quic, with a public Ed25519 keypair for each device. The protocol is ad-hoc and symmetrical control stream using JSON and binary data streams. Planning to open source these parts eventually.. Transfers should saturate the local network link. It reaches ~116 MB/s wired at my home, but if you have a >1000 Mbit link, I'd be curious to see how much speed you can squeeze out. See also: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=21575869 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=24351111
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