Samsung’s Quick Share vs. Nearby Share: Which Should You Use

Sharing files and content between devices has never been easier. Thanks to some features and apps like; AirDrop, Quick Share, Nearby Share, Xender Google’s iteration. Users can transfer their images, videos and documents within seconds to other devices close by.

Samsung Quick Share is the company’s version of Apple’s AirDrop. The file-sharing feature, which made its debut on the Galaxy S20 series in 2020, which allows users to share files with nearby contacts who have a compatible Samsung Galaxy device.

That same Year, Google Announced their own called Nearby Share that is available on most Android devices, including Samsung Galaxy smartphones and tablets.

Samsung’s Quick Share is supported by the company’s Galaxy devices such as smartphones, tablets, and their computers. Although it was first launched on the Galaxy S20 series, Samsung has since made it available on most of its smartphones and tablets running Android 10 and later. Devices running Google’s Android Go Edition do not support the feature. Quick Share is also available on Samsung laptops running Windows such as the Galaxy Book models, Galaxy Book Ion series, Galaxy Book Flex series, and more. Google first announced Nearby Share with the Pixel 5 series in August 2020, and has since rolled it out to Android devices from many other

Samsung Quick Share VS Nearby Share: What’s the Difference ?

So what’s the difference between Samsung’s own Quick Share and Google’s Nearby Share. Well, on a basic level, Quick Share and Nearby Share work very similarly. Both allow swift, wireless sharing between two devices when brought into close proximity to one another. But there are some key differences such as:

• Samsung Quick Share is owned by Samsung, which means it can only be used with Samsung devices(phones, tablets, laptops) while the Nearby Share was made by Google and is available on almost all Android devices.
• Quick Share allows users to create sharing profiles and groups. Custom profiles help manage which contacts can see your device and what content you’re sharing. Nearby Share does not currently offer customizable profiles.
• Quick Share lets you share with up to 5 devices simultaneously without the need of pairing devices. The number of connections for Nearby Share depends on your device’s Android version but mostly one.
• Samsung’s Quick Share relies on a combination of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct to transfer files, while Nearby Share also uses Bluetooth to detect nearby devices but transfers files over Wi-Fi, cellular data, or peer-to-peer connections.
• Nearby Share has a 500 files at once on transfers. Quick Share allows files up to 1GB.

Quick Share Vs Nearby Share

Compatibility

Quick Share:

The Quick Share is only compatible with Samsung devices, like how the AirDrop is only compatible with iPhone devices, any other device won’t work for it.

Nearby Share:

Nearby Share is available on almost all Android devices, therefore, which means that you can send your files to any other device.

File Transfer Limits

Quick Share:

With Quick Share, users can share up to 1GB of files at a time. However, the file transfer limit is capped at 2GB per day. That’s enough to share a couple of hundred photos with another user. Note that if sharing files with multiple users, that 2GB transfer cap will be distributed among all the recipients.

Nearby Share:

With Nearby Share, Google allows users to share up to 500 files at once. If a user exceeds the maximum file limit, they’ll be notified and will need to transfer those files separately.

Range

Quick Share:

Quick Share relies on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Direct, which limits its operable sharing range to around 30 feet.

Nearby Share:

Nearby Share can extend beyond that range by using cellular data or wireless internet connectivity to transfer files if devices are further apart.

FAQ

Can You Use Both Quick Share and Nearby Share Together?

Yes, Samsung Galaxy devices support both Quick Share and Nearby Share, and they can co-exist on the same phone or tablet. However, they serve slightly different purposes and may not work at the same time for the same file transfer.

Here’s how it works:

Quick Share is Samsung’s default sharing feature, and it appears first when you try to share a file with other Samsung devices.

Nearby Share is Google’s built-in sharing tool for all Android phones, and it works with a wider range of devices, which includes non-Samsung phones, Chromebooks, and Windows PCs.

Ready To Start Sharing

If you’re using a Samsung device and sharing with another Samsung user, Quick Share is the faster and more integrated option. But if you’re sending files to non-Samsung Android devices, Chromebooks, or Windows PCs, Nearby Share is the better fit due to its wider compatibility.

Since Samsung phones support both, you don’t need to choose just one. Use whichever works best in the moment, both make wireless are sharing fast and easy.