Comparison of file synchronization software

Last updated

This is a list of file synchronization software for which there are Wikipedia articles.

Contents

Free and open-source

Name Programming language PlatformLicenseStable version Portable Detect conflictRenames or movesPropagate deletes Version control Scheduling or serviceOtherBidirectionalOnly client needed Protocol layer Application layer Delta copying
Conduit Python Linux, FreeBSD GPL 2010 [1] NoYesSynchronizes files, website, network apps
DirSync Pro Java Windows, macOS, LinuxGPLv32018 [2] YesYesNoYes (creates backup files)Yes (native + via OS) sym-links, filter, metadata, contents, auto-sync
FreeFileSync C++ Windows, macOS, LinuxGPL2023.09. [3] Yes (donation edition) [4] Yes [5] Yes [5] Yes [5] Yes (versioning, recycler) [5] YesOlder version had OpenCandy adware/malware, but now funded by donations. [6] [7] Since Version 13 license for business usage neededYes (two-way, mirror, update, custom)Yes
iFolder C#, Mono Windows, macOS, Linux, SolarisGPL2010NoYes (centralized database)Yes (files, not folders)
Kubo (IPFS) GoWindows, macOS, LinuxGPL2022 [8] YesNo (planned) [9] Noise/TCP and QUIC/UDP Libp2p Yes (network-wide de-duplication)
luckyBackup C++Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSDGPLv32018 [10] YesYesUses rsync backend
Nextcloud JavaScript, PHP, Shell, Python, Vue [11] Server: Linux, FreeBSD
Clients: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS, Windows Phone
AGPLv32023YesYesYesYes [12] YesYesFork of ownCloudYesNo
ownCloud community editionPHP, Go, JavaScript, Starlark, Shell [13] Server: Linux, FreeBSD
Clients: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS, Blackberry
AGPLv3 (server edition) / proprietary (enterprise edition)2021YesYesYesYes [14] YesYesExternal storage support; encryptionYesNo
Pydio open source homeServer: PHP, Python, C++
Clients: JS, C#, Swift, Java
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSAGPLv32017YesYesYesYes (Git [15] )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-Endian MIT 2023YesYesYesYesYesYes (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 shellWindows, macOS, [16] Linux, [17] [18] BSD GPL v3 2022YesNo [19] NoYes using --deleteYes using --backup and a time-stamped --suffixYes (via OS)Client and server operation. Multiple comparison criteria (date, check-sum).No, but can run in either directionYes TCP SSH, Rsh Yes
Seafile community edition C99, Python [20] Server: Linux, Raspbian, Windows
Clients: Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS. [21]
AGPLv3 (Server) + Apache License 2.0 (Client)2020NoYesYesYesYesYes (via Seafile Client)Android and iOS mobile clients
SparkleShare C#Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS GPL v3 and LGPL 2017YesYesNoYes (Git [22] )
SymmetricDS Java Java SE GPL 2018YesYesYesNoYesPlug-in APIs for customization
Synchronizer (krusader)Windows, macOS, Linux GPL v2 2017NoYesNoNoNo
Syncthing Go Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, BSD, Solaris, 3rd party app for IPhone [23] MPL v2 2023YesYesYesYesYesYesDistributed peer-to-peer sync with automatic NAT traversal. Custom topology (star, full-mesh, mixed). Encryption.YesYesTCP, QUIC over UDPYes, block-based copying
Synkron C++Windows, macOS, Linux GPL v2 2011 [24] YesYesNoYesYesYes
Unison Mainly OCaml [25] Windows, macOS, Linux GPL 2024 [26] YesYesYesYesYesYesUses rsync backendYesNo TCP SSH, socket Yes
NameProgramming languagePlatformLicenseLast versionPortableDetect conflictRenames or movesPropagate deletes Version control Scheduling or serviceOther infoBidirectionalOnly 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.

NameOperating systemVendor Online storage Remote desktop Prior file versions, revision control CommentsPortableDetect renameDetect moveSchedulingFull duplex transfer
Microsoft ActiveSync Windows Microsoft NoNo ?Syncs mobile devices
Resilio Sync (formerly BitTorrent Sync)Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS Resilio, Inc. NoNoYes (via archive folder)Distributed peer-to-peer sync., working also offline in a LANNoYesYesPro only [27] Yes
Briefcase (part of Windows) (removed in Windows 10 build 14942 [28] )Windows Microsoft NoNo ?
Cobian Backup WindowsCobianSoftNoNoYes, trash folderBackup software with folder synchronization feature; remote management; Shadow Copy NoNoNoYes
Windows Mobile Device Center Windows Microsoft NoNo ?Syncs mobile devices; successor to Microsoft ActiveSync
Microsoft Sync Framework Windows Microsoft  ?No ?Syncs files, data, services; a framework, not a toolYesYes-
Microsoft SyncToy (discontinued January 2021)Windows Microsoft NoNoNo, recycle bin onlySync. local foldersNoYesYesvia OSNo
Windows Live Mesh (discontinued 13 February 2013)Windows (Vista and greater), Windows Mobile, OSX Microsoft YesYesNo, recycle bin onlySync. folders, online storage NoYes ?No, syncs whenever it is onlineYes
OmniGroup OmniPresenceOSX, OmniGroup software for iOS, open source framework available OmniGroup NoNoNo, via local Time Machine backup onlySync. local folders via OmniSync or WebDAV server but not to the server itselfNo ? ?No, syncs whenever it's online and not pausedYes
Windows Live Sync (discontinued 31 March 2011)Windows, OSX Microsoft No, browsing onlyNoNo, recycle bin onlySync. folders, browse devices from website, remote access; was Microsoft FolderShare, 20,000 file limitNoYesYesNo, 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.

NameOperating systemFreeware versionPortableEncrypts filesDetect conflictFile lockOpen file support Revision control Detect renameDetect moveFull duplex transferPropagate deletesCase sensitive Delta transfer LAN sync. P2P sync.
@MAX SyncUp WindowsLimitedNoYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYes
Allway Sync WindowsLimitedYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYes
AIMstor (discontinued)WindowsLimitedYesYesYesYesYes through VSSYesYesYesYesCase
preserving
only
Argentum Backup WindowsNoYesNoYesYes
BackupAssist WindowsNoNoYes
Beyond Compare Windows, OS X, LinuxLimitedYesNoYesYesYesYes
Box Sync Windows, [29] OS X, [29] Android, BlackBerry, iOS [29] LimitedYes ? ?Yes ? ? ?Yes ?No
Cloudike Windows, OS X, iPhone, Android, HarmonyOSYesNoYesYesNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
CloudMe Windows, OS X, Linux, iPhone, Android, Google TV, Samsung TVYesNoYes ? ?NoYesNo ? ?Yes ?No
Distributed Storage Windows, LinuxNoYesYesYes
Dmailer Sync (discontinued)WindowsYes
Dropbox Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, BlackBerryYesNoYes ? ?YesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Easy2Sync for Files WindowsYesYesYesYes, for folders
Egnyte Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPad, iPhoneNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesCase
preserving
only
YesYes
Gladinet Windows, OS X, Android, iPad, iPhone, Windows RT, BlackberryYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
GoDrive Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOSLimitedYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes ?YesYes ?Yes
GoodSync Windows, OS X, Android, iPad, iPhone, USB flash driveLimitedYesYes, betaYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
IBM Connections Windows, OS X, Android, iOSNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
MediaFire Windows, OS X, Android, iOSYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo
NameOperating systemFreeware versionPortableEncrypts filesDetect conflictFile lockOpen file support Revision control Detect renameDetect moveFull duplex transferPropagate deletesCase sensitive Delta transfer LAN sync. P2P sync.
Mega Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, BlackBerryYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNo [30] No [31]
RepliWeb Windows, LinuxNoPartialYesYesYesYesYesYes
Resilio Sync (ex. BitTorrent Sync) Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Amazon Kindle Fire, FreeBSDLimitedNoYes, optionalYesNoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Robocopy WindowsYesNoNo
SecureSafe Windows, OS X, Android, iOSYesYesNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNoNo
SpiderOak Windows, OS X, Debian, Fedora, Slackware, Android, iOSNoNoYes [32] NoNoYes [33] Yes
ShareFile Windows, OS X, Android, iPhoneYesYesYes [34] YesYesYesYes
SugarSync Windows, OS X, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows MobileNoNoYesYes [35] YesYesYes
Syncdocs Windows, web app Beta
versions
only
YesYesNoYesYesYesYes Microsoft Word only [36] Yes
Synchronize It!WindowsNoNo
Syncovery Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSDNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYesYes
Syncplicity Windows, OS X, Android, iPhone, Windows MobileYesYesYesYesYesNo [37] No
Tonido Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows PhoneYesYesYesNoYesNoYesYesYesYes
Tresorit Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows PhoneLimitedYesYesYesYes, for WindowsYesYesYesNo
Ubuntu One (discontinued 2 April 2014)Windows, OS X, Ubuntu, iOS, Android [38] Yes
Wuala (discontinued)Windows, OS X, Debian, Ubuntu, Android, iOSYesYes
ZumoDrive (discontinued)Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, Palm webOSYesYesYes
Zetta.net Windows, OS X, LinuxNoYesYesYesYesYesYesYes, Preserve file name case & file metadataYesYes
NameOperating systemFreeware versionPortableEncrypts filesDetect conflictFile lockOpen file support Revision control Detect renameDetect moveFull duplex transferPropagate deletesCase sensitive Delta transfer LAN sync. P2P sync.

Glossary

Platform
Operating system & / or software platform like Java SE or .NET.
Edit conflict detection
Detect 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 type
Network-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

Related Research Articles

rsync File synchronization protocol and software

rsync is a utility for transferring and synchronizing files between a computer and a storage drive and across networked computers by comparing the modification times and sizes of files. It is commonly found on Unix-like operating systems and is under the GPL-3.0-or-later license.

Filesystem in Userspace (FUSE) is a software interface for Unix and Unix-like computer operating systems that lets non-privileged users create their own file systems without editing kernel code. This is achieved by running file system code in user space while the FUSE module provides only a bridge to the actual kernel interfaces.

File synchronization in computing is the process of ensuring that computer files in two or more locations are updated via certain rules.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">BackupPC</span>

BackupPC is a free disk-to-disk backup software suite with a web-based frontend. The cross-platform server will run on any Linux, Solaris, or UNIX-based server. No client is necessary, as the server is itself a client for several protocols that are handled by other services native to the client OS. In 2007, BackupPC was mentioned as one of the three most well known open-source backup software, even though it is one of the tools that are "so amazing, but unfortunately, if no one ever talks about them, many folks never hear of them".


This is a comparison of notable free and open-source configuration management software, suitable for tasks like server configuration, orchestration and infrastructure as code typically performed by a system administrator.

This is a comparison of online backup services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ubuntu One</span> Cloud service operated by Canonical Ltd.

Ubuntu One is an OpenID-based single sign-on service operated by Canonical Ltd. to allow users to log onto many Canonical-owned Web sites. Until April 2014, Ubuntu One was also a file hosting service and music store that allowed users to store data "in the cloud".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syncplicity</span>

Syncplicity is a file share and synchronization service developed by Syncplicity Inc. The service lets users store and synchronize files between computers. It supports Microsoft Windows and macOS.

Syncovery is backup and file synchronization software that allows backing up and synchronizing files to the same or different drives, to different media, or to a remote server.

CloudMe is a file storage service operated by CloudMe AB that offers cloud storage, file synchronization and client software. It features a blue folder that appears on all devices with the same content, all files are synchronized between devices. The CloudMe service is offered with a freemium business model and provides encrypted SSL connection with SSL Extended Validation Certificate. CloudMe provides client software for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Google TV, Samsung Smart TV, WD TV, Windows Storage Server for NAS and web browsers.

ownCloud Free software for cloud computing

ownCloud is a free and open-source software project for content collaboration and sharing and syncing of files in distributed and federated enterprise scenarios. It allows companies and remote end-users to organize their documents on servers, computers, and mobile devices and work with them collaboratively while keeping a centrally organized and synchronized state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SparkleShare</span> Cloud storage and file synchronization client app

SparkleShare is an open-source cloud storage and file synchronization client app. By default, it uses Git as a storage backend. SparkleShare is comparable to Dropbox, but the cloud storage can be provided by the user's own server, or a hosted solution such as GitHub. Advantage of self-hosting is that the user retains control over their data. In the simplest case, self-hosting only requires SSH and Git. SparkleShare's support for both Android and iOS devices is on hold due to the lack of developer resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">@MAX SyncUp</span>

@MAX SyncUp is a free proprietary backup and file synchronization program developed by @MAX Software for Windows. It is targeted at individuals and small businesses. The software supports backup to locally writable folders, including attached USB devices, network drives and local directories. It also supports backup and synchronization to WebDAV servers, (S)FTP servers and the cloud storages such as Google Drive and Dropbox.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syncthing</span> Free and open-source peer-to-peer file synchronization application

Syncthing is a free and open source peer-to-peer file synchronization application available for Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Solaris, Darwin, and BSD. It can sync files between devices on a local network, or between remote devices over the Internet. Data security and data safety are built into its design. Version 1.0 was released in January 2019 after five years in beta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seafile</span> Open-source, cross-platform file-hosting software system

Seafile is an open-source, cross-platform file-hosting software system. Files are stored on a central server and can be synchronized with personal computers and mobile devices through apps. Files on the Seafile server can also be accessed directly via the server's web interface. Seafile's functionality is similar to other popular file hosting services such as Dropbox and Google Drive. The primary difference between Seafile and Dropbox/Google Drive is that Seafile is a self-hosted file sharing solution for private cloud applications. In private clouds, storage space and client connection limits are determined exclusively by the users' own infrastructure and settings rather than the terms and conditions of a cloud service provider. Additionally, organizations, whose data privacy policies bar them from using public cloud services can draw on Seafile to build a file sharing system of their own.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pydio</span> Mature open source software solution for file sharing and synchronization

Pydio Cells, previously known as just Pydio and formerly known as AjaXplorer, is an open-source file-sharing and synchronisation software that runs on the user's own server or in the cloud.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nextcloud</span> Free and open-source file hosting software suite

Nextcloud is a suite of client-server software for creating and using file hosting services. Nextcloud provides functionality similar to Dropbox, Office 365 or Google Drive when used with integrated office suites Collabora Online or OnlyOffice. It can be hosted in the cloud or on-premises. It is scalable, from home office software based on the low cost Raspberry Pi, all the way through to full sized data centers that support millions of users. Translations in 60 languages exist for web interface and client applications.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rclone</span> Cloud storage management software

Rclone is an open source, multi threaded, command line computer program to manage or migrate content on cloud and other high latency storage. Its capabilities include sync, transfer, crypt, cache, union, compress and mount. The rclone website lists supported backends including S3 and Google Drive.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unison (software)</span>

Unison is a file synchronization tool for Windows and various Unix-like systems. It allows two replicas of a collection of files and directories to be stored on different hosts, modified separately, and then brought up to date by propagating the changes in each replica to the other. Syncing replicas directly Unison is independent of third-party providers.

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Further reading