Comparison of file synchronization software
This is a list of file synchronization software for which there are Wikipedia articles.
Free and open-source
Name
Programming language
Platform
License
Last version
Portable
Detect conflict
Renames or moves
Propagate deletes
Version control
Scheduling or service
Other
Bidirectional
Only client needed
Protocol layer
Application layer
Delta copying
Conduit Python
Linux, FreeBSD
GPL 2010[ 1]
No
Yes
Synchronizes files, website, network apps
DirSync Pro Java
Windows, macOS, Linux
GPLv3
2018[ 2]
Yes
Yes
No
Yes (creates backup files)
Yes (native + via OS)
sym-links, filter, metadata, contents, auto-sync
FreeFileSync C++
Windows, macOS, Linux
GPL (up to version 12.5)
last GPL version 12.5 Jul 21, 2023[ 3] [ 4]
Yes (donation edition)[ 5]
Yes[ 6]
Yes[ 6]
Yes[ 6]
Yes (versioning, recycler)[ 6]
Yes
Older version had OpenCandy adware/malware, but now funded by donations.[ 7] [ 8]
Yes (two-way, mirror, update, custom)
Yes
iFolder C#, Mono
Windows, macOS, Linux, Solaris
GPL
2010
No
Yes (centralized database)
Yes (files, not folders)
Kubo (IPFS)
Go
Windows, macOS, Linux
GPL
2022[ 9]
Yes
No (planned)[ 10]
Noise /TCP and QUIC /UDP
Libp2p
Yes (network-wide de-duplication)
luckyBackup C++
Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD
GPLv3
2018[ 11]
Yes
Yes
Uses rsync backend
Nextcloud JavaScript, PHP, Shell, Python, Vue[ 12]
Server: Linux, FreeBSD Clients: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS, Windows PhoneAGPLv3
2023
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes[ 13]
Yes
Yes
Fork of ownCloud
Yes
No
ownCloud community editionPHP, Go, JavaScript, Starlark, Shell[ 14]
Server: Linux, FreeBSDClients: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS, BlackberryAGPLv3 (server edition) / proprietary (enterprise edition)
2021
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes[ 15]
Yes
Yes
External storage support; encryption
Yes
No
Pydio open source home
Server: PHP, Python, C++ Clients: JS, C#, Swift, Java
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
AGPLv3
2017
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (Git [ 16]
Yes
rclone Go Linux , Windows , macOS , FreeBSD , NetBSD , OpenBSD , Plan9 , Solaris - Intel/AMD-64, Intel/AMD-32, ARM-32, ARM-64, MIPS-Big-Endian, MIPS-Little-EndianMIT 2023
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (via OS)
Supports over 50 cloud, protocol and virtual backends including S3 buckets, Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive, and other high-latency file storage. Capabilities include sync, cache, encrypt, compress and mount.
In alpha version since 2021[citation needed
Yes
rsync C in a Unix-Linux shell
Windows, macOS,[ 17] [ 18] [ 19]
GPL v3 2025
Yes
No[ 20]
No
Yes using --delete
Yes using --backup and a time-stamped --suffix
Yes (via OS)
Client and server operation. Multiple comparison criteria (date, check-sum).
No, but can run in either direction
Yes
TCP SSH , Rsh Yes
Seafile community editionC99 , Python[ 21] Server: Linux, Raspbian, WindowsClients: Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS.[ 22] AGPLv3 (Server) + Apache License 2.0 (Client)2020
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes (via Seafile Client)
Android and iOS mobile clients
SparkleShare C#
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android , iOS
GPL v3 and LGPL 2017
Yes
Yes
No
Yes (Git [ 23]
SymmetricDS Java
Java SE GPL 2018
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Plug-in APIs for customization
Synchronizer (krusader )
Windows, macOS, Linux
GPL v2 2017
No
Yes
No
No
No
Syncthing Go
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android , BSD , Solaris , 3rd party app for IPhone[ 24]
MPL v2 2023
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Distributed peer-to-peer sync with automatic NAT traversal. Custom topology (star, full-mesh, mixed). Encryption.
Yes
Yes
TCP, QUIC over UDP
Yes, block-based copying
Synkron C++
Windows, macOS, Linux
GPL v2 2011[ 25]
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Unison Mainly OCaml [ 26]
Windows, macOS, Linux
GPL 2024[ 27]
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Uses rsync backend
Yes
No
TCP SSH , socket Yes
Name
Programming language
Platform
License
Last version
Portable
Detect conflict
Renames or moves
Propagate deletes
Version control Scheduling or service
Other info
Bidirectional
Only client needed
Protocol layer Application layer Delta copying
Freeware
This is a comparison of the freeware (proprietary software release free of charge ) file synchronization software.
Name
Operating system
Vendor
Online storage Prior file versions, revision control
Comments
Scheduling
Microsoft ActiveSync Windows
Microsoft No
No
?
Syncs mobile devices
Resilio Sync (formerly BitTorrent Sync)Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS
Resilio, Inc. No
No
Yes (via archive folder)
Distributed peer-to-peer sync., working also offline in a LAN
No
Yes
Yes
Pro only[ 28]
Yes
Briefcase (part of Windows) (removed in Windows 10 build 14942[ 29] Windows
Microsoft No
No
?
Cobian Backup Windows
CobianSoft
No
No
Yes, trash folder
Backup software with folder synchronization feature; remote management; Shadow Copy
No
No
No
Yes
Windows Mobile Device Center Windows
Microsoft No
No
?
Syncs mobile devices; successor to Microsoft ActiveSync
Microsoft Sync Framework Windows
Microsoft ?
No
?
Syncs files, data, services; a framework, not a tool
Yes
Yes
—
Microsoft SyncToy (discontinued January 2021)Windows
Microsoft No
No
No, recycle bin only
Sync. local folders
No
Yes
Yes
via OS
No
Windows Live Mesh (discontinued 13 February 2013)Windows (Vista and greater), Windows Mobile, OSX
Microsoft Yes
Yes
No, recycle bin only
Sync. folders, online storage
No
Yes
?
No, syncs whenever it is online
Yes
OmniGroup OmniPresenceOSX, OmniGroup software for iOS, open source framework available
OmniGroup No
No
No, via local Time Machine backup only
Sync. local folders via OmniSync or WebDAV server but not to the server itself
No
?
?
No, syncs whenever it's online and not paused
Yes
Windows Live Sync (discontinued 31 March 2011)Windows, OSX
Microsoft No, browsing only
No
No, recycle bin only
Sync. folders, browse devices from website, remote access; was Microsoft FolderShare, 20,000 file limit
No
Yes
Yes
No, syncs whenever it's online
?
Commercial
This is a comparison of commercial software in the field of file synchronization. These programs only provide full functionality with a payment. As indicated, some are trialware and provide functionality during a trial period; some are freemium , meaning that they have freeware editions.
Glossary
Platform Operating system & / or software platform like Java SE or .NET .Edit conflict detectionDetect if an operation may result in data loss. See File Synchronization
Renames/moves Propagate renaming/moving of a file/directory. This saves bandwidth for remote systems but increases the analysis duration. Commonly done by calculating and storing hash function digests of files to detect if two files with different names, edit dates, etc., have identical contents. Programs which do not support it, will behave as if the originally-named file/directory has been deleted and the newly named file/directory is new and transmit the "new" file again.
Version control Can revert to a precedent version of a file/directory.
Scheduling or service Run automatically (via a scheduler or as a system service), or manually for each sync.
Online storage Online file storage option and typeNetwork-attached storage Can sync. with NAS shares.
Only client needed It is only needed to install synchronizing software on the client side. Server is only running arbitrary storage protocol like SFTP, SMB, NFS, etc. All synchronization logic is handled by client. This is generally good, because cheap cloud storage usually does not allow users to run custom software on storage server, they only provide access to storage.
See also
References
^ "Index of /Sources/Conduit/0.3/" .^ "DirSync Pro" .^ "FreeFileSync" .^ "FreeFileSync Forum: Wording in FAQ conflicts with license" .^ "Free File Sync Software" . Portable Edition . Archived from the original on 2018-01-11. Retrieved 30 January 2022 .^ a b c d "Frequently Asked Questions - FreeFileSync" . Features . Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 28 September 2017 .^ Akerlund, Geoff (June 2014), FreeFileSync comes bundled with the OpenCandy malware. , retrieved 2 February 2018 ^ FFS FAQ , retrieved 27 June 2018 ^ "Releases · ipfs/kubo" . GitHub ^ "Versioning: Commit + Repo Datastructures · Issue #23 · ipfs/notes" . GitHub . Archived from the original on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-02-14 .^ "LuckyBackup - backup and sync utility" .^ "Nextcloud" . GitHub . Retrieved 18 January 2017 .^ "Yes on desktop, but NO on mobile - Issue 19" . GitHub ^ "ownCloud" . GitHub . Retrieved 2015-07-13 .^ "ownCloud Documentation Overview" . ownCloud Documentation .^ "Files versionning" . Pydio . 2017-05-14. Archived from the original on 2019-02-14. Retrieved 2019-02-14 .^ "rsync Backups on a Mac" . Retrieved 2016-01-24 .^ "Arch Linux packages" . archlinux . Retrieved 2015-09-16 .^ "Software packages in "vivid" . ubuntu . Retrieved 2015-09-16 .^
"How does rsync resolve conflicts?" . Retrieved 2022-08-26 . Rsync doesn't try to resolve conflicts.
^ "haiwen/seafile" . GitHub . Retrieved 2015-07-13 .^ "Seafile clients" . Seafile . Retrieved 2019-11-14 .^ Bons, Hylke (2019-02-12), Share and collaborate by syncing with any Git repository instantly. Linux, macOS, and Windows.: hbons/SparkleShare archived from the original on 2019-02-14, retrieved 2019-02-14 ^ "Möbius Sync" .^ "Synkron 1.6.2 released - Synkron Documentation" . sites.google.com .^ Pierce, Benjamin (2021-12-18), Unison File Synchronizer , retrieved 2021-12-19 ^ "Release 2.53.4" . GitHub . Retrieved 2024-02-24 .^ "Sync 2.x change log" .^ "Briefcase - Add to New Context Menu in Windows 10" . tenforums.com . Retrieved 2018-10-13 .^ a b c "What Is the Box Policy for Browser and OS Support? – Box Help" . Box. Retrieved 2014-08-28 .^ "Software Developer Documentation - MEGA" . mega.nz .^ "Will MEGAsync use peer-to-peer transfers to achieve faster syncing between computers in the same local area network?" . Retrieved 2020-07-11 .^ Susie Ochs (2009-06-11). "Online Storage Battle: Which Cloud Back-Up Service Reigns Supreme?" . MacLife. Archived from the original on 2009-12-10. Retrieved 2009-11-04 . ^ "Does SpiderOak backup the whole file every time it changes?" . SpiderOak. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 24 February 2013 .^ Citrix ShareFile. "File Versioning" . Citrix ShareFile. Archived from the original on 2015-05-13. Retrieved 2015-01-10 . ^ "See How SugarSync Stacks up to the Competition" . SugarSync (formerly called SharpCast). Retrieved 2010-01-13 .^ "Syncdocs feature list" . Syncdocs Web. Retrieved 14 April 2011 .^ "Why Delta Sync Doesn't Matter" . 2009-07-20. Retrieved 2014-05-21 .^ "Ubuntu One:Downloads" . Ubuntu One. Archived from the original on 9 August 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2013 .
Further reading
