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What is SuperBeam?
SuperBeam is a file-sharing app for Android that sends files and entire folders between devices over a direct WiFi connection, with an optional PC companion app for Windows, Mac and Linux. Its selling point is speed and low friction: devices pair by scanning a QR code, tapping NFC, or entering a sharing key, so you don't hunt for IP addresses or type passwords. It is aimed at people moving large files between their own phones, or between a phone and a computer, rather than at cloud storage or sending links to strangers.
What it actually does
- Transfers an unlimited number of files between Android devices, at speeds the site describes as typically optimal between 20–40 Mbps, with some high-end devices reaching around 75 Mbps.
- Uses WiFi Direct when available, falling back to whatever WiFi connection exists.
- The PRO version adds PC transfer, sending whole folders while preserving their structure, sharing with multiple devices at once, and manual sharing-key pairing.
- A free tier covers Android-to-Android transfers, ad-free, with light and dark themes.
Who it suits, and the trade-off
It fits a concrete case: you've shot a few gigabytes of video on your phone and want it on a laptop or a friend's phone without uploading it anywhere. Direct transfer keeps data local and avoids cloud quotas. The trade-off is that both ends need the app (or the PC client for computer transfers), and real-world speed depends heavily on hardware and WiFi conditions — the site itself suggests turning WiFi off on both devices to force direct mode if transfers crawl.
As a next step, check whether your main use is phone-to-phone (the free tier may be enough) or phone-to-computer and folder transfers (which sit behind PRO). The official site is SuperBeam.
How do I transfer files from my Android phone to my computer using SuperBeam?
Install SuperBeam for PC on the computer and SuperBeam on the Android phone, connect both to the same Wi-Fi network, then pair the two devices and pick the files to send. On the phone, pairing happens by scanning a QR code shown by the PC app, tapping via NFC if both devices support it, or entering a manual sharing key. Once paired, choose the files and start the transfer; the PC app receives them.
What you need
- SuperBeam for PC — the site states it is compatible with Windows, Mac and Linux.
- SuperBeam on Android — the free version supports Android 2.3.3 and later.
- Sending to a computer requires the PRO version. The site lists computer transfer as a PRO feature, so the free Android app alone won't send to a PC.
Practical steps
- Install the PC application and open it so it displays a pairing code or QR code.
- Put the phone and computer on the same Wi-Fi network.
- In the Android app, pair by scanning the QR code, using NFC, or typing the sharing key.
- Select files — or an entire folder in PRO, which preserves the folder hierarchy — and start sending.
- Confirm the files arrive in the PC app's receive location.
If transfers are slow
The site's own FAQ suggests turning Wi-Fi off on both devices before starting, which forces direct mode and typically gives higher speeds. Its testing cites 20–40 Mbps as typical, with some high-end devices reaching around 75 Mbps, though real results depend on hardware and distance.
Decision criterion
If you only move files between Android phones, the free version covers unlimited files over Wi-Fi direct. If computer transfer or whole-folder sending matters, budget for PRO. For quick one-off transfers without installing a PC app, a browser-based service such as SnapDrop can be a lighter alternative, though it won't preserve folder structures.
How do I pair two Android devices to share files with SuperBeam?
Pair the two Android phones with a QR code, NFC, or a manual sharing key, then start the transfer. SuperBeam is built for direct device-to-device sharing over WiFi, so no router or password memorization is required.
Pairing options
- QR code: One device displays a QR code and the other scans it with the built-in scanner. This is the quickest option when both screens are visible.
- NFC: Tap the two phones together if both support NFC. Convenient for a one-off handoff, but it depends on hardware.
- Manual sharing key: Type a key on the receiving device. According to the site, this method is a PRO feature. It helps when a camera or NFC tap is impractical, such as across a table or between devices in cases.
A practical example
Suppose you are sending a folder of photos to a friend's phone at a café. Open SuperBeam on your phone, choose the files, and let your friend scan the QR code shown on your screen. The transfer then runs over WiFi Direct or the available WiFi connection. If the transfer feels slow, the site's own FAQ suggests turning WiFi off on both devices before starting, which forces direct mode and can produce higher speeds.
Decision criteria
Choose QR pairing for speed and visibility, NFC for a quick tap when both phones support it, and the manual key when screens are hard to align or NFC is unavailable. If you plan to exchange files regularly, the PRO version also adds computer transfers, whole-folder sending with preserved hierarchy, and sharing with more than one device at once, which matters if you often send the same files to several people.
For the app itself, see SuperBeam.
What can I do to speed up a slow SuperBeam file transfer?
Turn off Wi-Fi on both the sending and receiving device before you start SuperBeam, then begin the transfer. The site's own FAQ recommends this: with Wi-Fi off, SuperBeam is forced into Wi-Fi Direct mode instead of routing through an existing network, which it says gives much greater speeds. Re-enable Wi-Fi afterward if you need it.
Why this works, and what to expect
Wi-Fi Direct creates a direct link between the two devices, so traffic doesn't pass through a router or access point that may be slow, congested or on a weaker band. According to SuperBeam's FAQ, typical speeds land around 20–40 Mbps, with some high-end devices reaching roughly 75 Mbps. Treat those as the site's testing figures, not a guarantee — distance, device hardware and interference all matter.
Other practical steps
- Keep the two devices close together and in direct line of sight; Wi-Fi Direct signal drops quickly with distance and walls.
- Move away from crowded Wi-Fi environments (busy offices, apartments with many networks), since interference affects direct links too.
- Pair with QR code or NFC rather than typing a manual key — fewer failed attempts means less time re-establishing the connection.
- For very large jobs, send entire folders in one go (a PRO feature) rather than many separate transfers, so you set up the link once.
- If you're sending to or from a computer, use the SuperBeam PC app for Windows, Mac or Linux, which the PRO version covers.
When the bottleneck isn't the connection
If speeds stay low after forcing direct mode, the limit is likely the devices themselves — older Android hardware, slow storage, or a phone busy with background work. In that case, no setting will close the gap much; expect closer to the low end of the 20–40 Mbps range.
For the full feature list and current pricing, see SuperBeam.
What features do I get with SuperBeam PRO compared to the free version?
SuperBeam PRO adds four things over the free version: sending and receiving files between an Android device and a computer through the SuperBeam PC app, sending entire folders while preserving their hierarchy, sharing with more than one device at the same time, and pairing devices with a manual sharing key. The free version already covers unlimited file transfers between Android devices over WiFi Direct, so the upgrade is mainly about computers, folders, multi-device sharing and pairing without QR codes or NFC.
| Capability | Free | PRO |
|---|---|---|
| Android-to-Android transfers, unlimited files | Yes | Yes |
| WiFi Direct high-speed transfer | Yes | Yes |
| Ad-free, light/dark themes | Yes | Yes |
| Transfer to and from a computer (Windows, Mac, Linux) | No | Yes |
| Send whole folders with hierarchy preserved | No | Yes |
| Share with several devices at once | No | Yes |
| Pair using a manual sharing key | No | Yes |
Who benefits most
If you only move photos or videos between your own phone and a friend's, the free version is enough. PRO matters when your workflow crosses devices: for example, a photographer who shoots on a phone and needs to drop entire event folders onto a laptop without rebuilding the folder structure, or someone distributing a batch of files to a small team at once rather than repeating the transfer device by device. The manual sharing key is a small convenience, but it helps on devices without working NFC or when scanning a QR code is awkward.
A practical next step
List the transfers you did in the past month. If any involved a computer, a folder tree, or more than one recipient at a time, PRO covers exactly those gaps; if all of them were single phone-to-phone sends, stay on the free tier. For cross-platform transfers on a mixed set of devices, it is also worth comparing alternatives such as Snapdrop for browser-based sharing or LocalSend for open-source local transfers, since SuperBeam's computer support is tied to its own PC application.
Can I send an entire folder with its subfolder structure using SuperBeam?
Yes—but only on the PRO version. According to SuperBeam's own feature list, sending entire folders and preserving their hierarchy is one of the PRO features, priced at $1.99 on Google Play. The free version transfers an unlimited number of individual files between Android devices, but folder-structure sending is not listed among its features.
What this means in practice
- Free users: You can share many files at once, but expect to recreate the folder layout manually on the receiving device if organization matters.
- PRO users: Folder trees arrive intact, which is the main draw for people moving project folders, photo libraries sorted by date, or music collections organized by artist and album.
- Computer transfers: Sending to and from a PC (Windows, Mac, Linux) is also PRO-only, so folder transfers involving a computer require PRO on both counts.
A concrete scenario
Suppose you're handing off a client project from your phone to a colleague's Android tablet: a main folder with subfolders for drafts, finals, and reference images. On the free version, every file lands in one destination and your colleague has to rebuild the structure. With PRO, the tree arrives as sent, which matters if the folder is meant to be dropped into a shared drive or opened in an app that expects a specific layout.
Decision criterion
Pay for PRO only if at least one of these is true: you regularly move organized folder trees, you need phone-to-computer transfers, or you want to send to multiple devices simultaneously (also PRO). If you mostly send a handful of loose files between phones, the free version covers it—and its WiFi Direct transfers are the same speed either way.
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