Pushbullet did a lot of things in one app: it mirrored phone notifications to your computer, let you text from your desktop, pushed links and files between devices, and synced your clipboard. That’s why no single app replaces it cleanly. The best alternative depends on which of those features you actually used.
So instead of one ranked list, this guide picks the best replacement for each feature.
Why people are leaving Pushbullet
- No iPhone app. As of October 2026, Pushbullet isn’t in the US App Store, so it can’t connect an iPhone to anything.
- Clipboard sync costs extra. Universal Copy & Paste is a Pro feature, and it was built around Android phones and the Windows desktop app.
- No Linux app, and the free plan caps things like how many texts you can send from your computer.
If Pushbullet still covers everything you need on Android, there’s no urgent reason to switch. If any of the above affects you, read on.
The short answer
| If you used Pushbullet for… | Use this instead | Platforms | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy and paste between devices | Syncra | iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, web | Free plan; Premium subscription |
| Texting from your computer | Google Messages for web, or Phone Link | Android + any browser / Android + Windows | Free |
| Phone notifications on your computer | Phone Link, or KDE Connect | Android + Windows / Android + Linux, Windows, Mac | Free |
| Sending files and links | LocalSend, or KDE Connect | Everything, same network | Free, open source |
| One app for most of it (Android) | AirDroid | Android + Windows, Mac, web | Free plan; Premium subscription |
| Push alerts from scripts and services | Pushover | iPhone, Android, desktop browsers | One-time purchase per platform |
Clipboard sync: Syncra
If Universal Copy & Paste was the Pushbullet feature you loved, Syncra is the most direct replacement, and it covers devices Pushbullet no longer does, like iPhone and Linux.
- Every platform: iPhone, iPad, Android, Windows, Mac, Linux, plus a web app.
- Over any network: sync goes through the cloud, so phone and computer don’t need to share Wi-Fi.
- History: searchable clipboard history with pins, not just your latest copy.
- Free to start: clipboard sync isn’t locked behind the paid plan.
Honest limits: the free plan keeps your 10 most recent items on up to 3 devices; images and files sync too, up to 10 MB each. Premium raises that to 1,000 items on 10 devices with larger file limits. On iPhone and on Android 10 and later, the operating system blocks apps from reading the clipboard in the background. So on your phone you send items with Share → Syncra, or open the app after copying. Pushbullet’s Android app is affected by the same restriction. On desktop, Syncra picks up your copies automatically.
Step-by-step setup: iPhone and Windows, Android and Mac.
Texting from your computer: Google Messages for web or Phone Link
- Google Messages for web (messages.google.com/web) lets you send and receive your Android phone’s texts from any browser on any computer. Pair it once by scanning a QR code from the Messages app. It’s free and made by Google, so it keeps working through Android updates.
- Microsoft Phone Link does the same on Windows, built into the operating system, and adds calls and notifications. It also works with iPhone for messages, notifications and calls, with fewer features than on Android.
Notifications on your computer: Phone Link or KDE Connect
- Phone Link (Windows) mirrors your Android notifications to your PC, and lets you reply to many of them from there.
- KDE Connect does the same for Android and Linux, and also has Windows and Mac versions. It’s free and open source, and it works over your local network, so nothing goes through a cloud service. Both devices need to be on the same Wi-Fi.
On iPhone, iOS doesn’t let apps mirror notifications to another device. Phone Link’s iPhone support uses Bluetooth and is more limited than on Android.
Sending files and links: LocalSend or KDE Connect
- LocalSend is a free, open-source app for sending files and text between nearby devices, like AirDrop for everything. It runs on iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac and Linux and needs no account. Both devices need to be on the same network.
- KDE Connect also sends files and links, alongside its other features.
If you need to send a file to a device that isn’t on the same network, Syncra syncs images and files through the cloud alongside your clipboard, up to 10 MB on the free plan.
One app for most of it: AirDroid
If you’re on Android and want one app that covers most of Pushbullet, AirDroid comes closest: file transfer, notification mirroring and texting from your computer, through desktop apps or a browser. It has a free plan with limits and a paid Premium plan. It’s built mainly around Android phones; the iPhone version does less.
Push alerts from scripts: Pushover
Some people used Pushbullet’s API to get alerts from servers, home automation or scripts. Pushover is built for exactly that: a simple API and reliable apps on iPhone and Android. It has a free trial, then a one-time purchase per platform rather than a subscription.
How to choose
- You mainly copied and pasted between phone and computer, especially with an iPhone in the mix: Syncra.
- You texted from your computer: Google Messages for web (any computer) or Phone Link (Windows).
- You want notifications on your computer: Phone Link on Windows, KDE Connect on Linux or Mac.
- You sent files around the house: LocalSend.
- You want the closest all-in-one on Android: AirDroid.
- You used the API for alerts: Pushover.
Comparing clipboard tools specifically? See the best cross-platform clipboard managers, or the head-to-head Syncra vs Pushbullet.