Comparison of file synchronization software explained

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

Free and open-source

NamePlatformLicenseStable versionPortableDetect conflictRenames or movesPropagate deletesVersion controlScheduling or serviceOtherBidirectionalOnly client neededProtocol layerApplication layerDelta copying
PythonLinux, FreeBSD 2010[1] Synchronizes files, website, network apps
JavaWindows, macOS, Linux GPLv3 2018[2] (creates backup files) (native + via OS)
C++Windows, macOS, Linux GPL (up to version 12.5)last GPL version 12.5 Jul 21, 2023[3] [4] [5] [6] (versioning, recycler) Older version had OpenCandy adware/malware, but now funded by donations. Since Version 13 license for business usage needed (two-way, mirror, update, custom)
C#, MonoWindows, macOS, Linux, Solaris GPL 2010 (centralized database) (files, not folders)
Kubo (IPFS)GoWindows, macOS, LinuxGPL2022[7] (planned)[8] Noise/TCP and QUIC/UDPLibp2p (network-wide de-duplication)
C++ Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD GPLv3 2018[9] Uses rsync backend
JavaScript, PHP, Shell, Python, Vue[10] Server: Linux, FreeBSD
Clients: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS, Windows Phone 		AGPLv3 2023 [11] Fork of ownCloud
ownCloud community edition PHP, Go, JavaScript, Starlark, Shell[12] Server: Linux, FreeBSD
Clients: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS, Blackberry 		AGPLv3 (server edition) / proprietary (enterprise edition) 2021 [13] External storage support; encryption
Pydio open source homeServer: PHP, Python, C++
Clients: JS, C#, Swift, Java		Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOSAGPLv32017 (Git[14])
Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, Plan9, Solaris - Intel/AMD-64, Intel/AMD-32, ARM-32, ARM-64, MIPS-Big-Endian, MIPS-Little-Endian 2023 (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
C in a Unix-Linux shell Windows, macOS,[15] Linux,[16] [17] BSD 2022 [18] using --delete using --backup and a time-stamped --suffix (via OS) Client and server operation. Multiple comparison criteria (date, check-sum). , but can run in either direction
Seafile community edition C99, Python[19] Server: Linux, Raspbian, Windows
Clients: Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, iOS.[20] 		AGPLv3 (Server) + Apache License 2.0 (Client) 2020 (via Seafile Client) Android and iOS mobile clients
C# 2017 (Git)
Java2018 Plug-in APIs for customization
Synchronizer (krusader) Windows, macOS, Linux 2017
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, BSD, Solaris, 3rd party app for IPhone[21] 2023 Distributed peer-to-peer sync with automatic NAT traversal. Custom topology (star, full-mesh, mixed). Encryption. TCP, QUIC over UDP , block-based copying
C++ Windows, macOS, Linux 2011[22]
Mainly OCamlWindows, macOS, Linux 2024[23] Uses rsync backend
Name Programming language Platform License Last version Portable Detect conflict Renames or moves Propagate deletes Scheduling or service Other info Bidirectional Only client needed

Freeware

This is a comparison of the freeware (proprietary software release free of charge) file synchronization software.

Name Operating system Vendor Comments Portable Detect rename Detect move Scheduling Full duplex transfer
Windows ? Syncs mobile devices
Resilio Sync (formerly BitTorrent Sync) Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD, Android, iOS (via archive folder) Distributed peer-to-peer sync., working also offline in a LAN [24]
Briefcase (part of Windows) (removed in Windows 10 build 14942[25]) Windows ?
Windows CobianSoft , trash folder
Windows ?
Windows ? ? Syncs files, data, services; a framework, not a tool -
Microsoft SyncToy (discontinued January 2021) Windows , recycle bin only Sync. local folders via OS
Windows Live Mesh (discontinued 13 February 2013) Windows (Vista and greater), Windows Mobile, OSX , recycle bin only ? , syncs whenever it is online
OmniGroup OmniPresence OSX, OmniGroup software for iOS, open source framework available , via local Time Machine backup only Sync. local folders via OmniSync or WebDAV server but not to the server itself ? ? , syncs whenever it's online and not paused
Windows Live Sync (discontinued 31 March 2011) Windows, OSX , browsing only , recycle bin only Sync. folders, browse devices from website, remote access; was Microsoft FolderShare, 20,000 file limit , 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.

scope=col Name scope=col Operating systemscope=col Freeware versionscope=col Portablescope=col Encrypts filesscope=col Detect conflictscope=col File lockscope=col Open file support scope=col Revision controlscope=col Detect renamescope=col Detect move scope=col Full duplex transferscope=col Propagate deletesscope=col Case sensitivescope=col Delta transferscope=col LAN sync.scope=col P2P sync.
scope=row Windows
scope=row Windows
scope=row AIMstor (discontinued) Windows through VSS
scope=row Windows
scope=row Windows
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux
scope=row Windows,[26] OS X, Android, BlackBerry, iOS ? ? ? ? ? ?
scope=row Windows, OS X, iPhone, Android, HarmonyOS
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, iPhone, Android, Google TV, Samsung TV ? ? ? ? ?
scope=row Windows, Linux
scope=row Dmailer Sync (discontinued) Windows
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, BlackBerry ? ?
scope=row Windows , for folders
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPad, iPhone
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iPad, iPhone, Windows RT, Blackberry
scope=row Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, Android, iOS ? ?
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iPad, iPhone, USB flash drive , beta
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iOS
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iOS
scope=col Name scope=col Operating systemscope=col Freeware versionscope=col Portablescope=col Encrypts filesscope=col Detect conflictscope=col File lockscope=col Open file support scope=col Revision controlscope=col Detect renamescope=col Detect move scope=col Full duplex transferscope=col Propagate deletesscope=col Case sensitivescope=col Delta transferscope=col LAN sync.scope=col P2P sync.
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, BlackBerry [27] [28]
scope=row Windows, Linux
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iOS, Windows Phone, Amazon Kindle Fire, FreeBSD , optional
scope=row Windows
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iOS
scope=row Windows, OS X, Debian, Fedora, Slackware, Android, iOS [29] [30]
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iPhone [31]
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile [32]
scope=row [33]
scope=row Synchronize It! Windows
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, FreeBSD
scope=row Windows, OS X, Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile [34]
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Phone
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, BlackBerry, iOS, Windows Phone , for Windows
scope=row Ubuntu One (discontinued 2 April 2014) Windows, OS X, Ubuntu, iOS, Android[35]
scope=row Wuala (discontinued) Windows, OS X, Debian, Ubuntu, Android, iOS
scope=row ZumoDrive (discontinued)Windows, OS X, Linux, Android, iPhone, Palm webOS
scope=row Windows, OS X, Linux , Preserve file name case & file metadata
scope=col Name scope=col Operating systemscope=col Freeware versionscope=col Portablescope=col Encrypts filesscope=col Detect conflictscope=col File lockscope=col Open file support scope=col Revision controlscope=col Detect renamescope=col Detect move scope=col Full duplex transferscope=col Propagate deletesscope=col Case sensitivescope=col Delta transferscope=col LAN sync.scope=col P2P sync.

Further reading

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Index of /Sources/Conduit/0.3/.
  2. Web site: DirSync Pro.
  3. Web site: FreeFileSync.
  4. Web site: FreeFileSync Forum: Wording in FAQ conflicts with license.
  5. Web site: Free File Sync Software . Portable Edition . live . 30 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180111224139/https://www.stugon.com/free-file-sync-software/ . 2018-01-11 .
  6. Web site: Frequently Asked Questions - FreeFileSync . Features . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20170928133716/https://www.freefilesync.org/faq.php#features . 28 September 2017 . 28 September 2017 .
  7. Web site: Releases · ipfs/kubo. GitHub.
  8. Web site: Versioning: Commit + Repo Datastructures · Issue #23 · ipfs/notes. GitHub. en. https://web.archive.org/web/20190214170648/https://github.com/ipfs/notes/issues/23. 2019-02-14. 2019-02-14.
  9. Web site: LuckyBackup - backup and sync utility.
  10. Web site: Nextcloud. GitHub. 18 January 2017.
  11. Web site: Yes on desktop, but NO on mobile - Issue 19. .
  12. Web site: ownCloud. GitHub. 2015-07-13.
  13. Web site: ownCloud Documentation Overview. ownCloud Documentation.
  14. Web site: Files versionning. 2017-05-14. Pydio. https://web.archive.org/web/20190214161620/https://pydio.com/en/docs/v8/files-versionning. 2019-02-14. live. 2019-02-14.
  15. Web site: rsync Backups on a Mac. 2016-01-24.
  16. Web site: Arch Linux packages. archlinux. 2015-09-16.
  17. Web site: Software packages in "vivid". ubuntu. 2015-09-16.
  18. Web site: How does rsync resolve conflicts?. 2022-08-26. "Rsync doesn't try to resolve conflicts.".
  19. Web site: haiwen/seafile. GitHub. 2015-07-13.
  20. Web site: Seafile clients. Seafile. 2019-11-14.
  21. Web site: Möbius Sync.
  22. Web site: Synkron 1.6.2 released - Synkron Documentation. sites.google.com.
  23. Web site: Release 2.53.4 . . 2024-02-24.
  24. Web site: Sync 2.x change log.
  25. Web site: Briefcase - Add to New Context Menu in Windows 10 . tenforums.com. 2018-10-13.
  26. Web site: What Is the Box Policy for Browser and OS Support? – Box Help. Box. 2014-08-28.
  27. Web site: Software Developer Documentation - MEGA. mega.nz.
  28. Web site: Will MEGAsync use peer-to-peer transfers to achieve faster syncing between computers in the same local area network?. 2020-07-11.
  29. Web site: Online Storage Battle: Which Cloud Back-Up Service Reigns Supreme? . MacLife . Susie Ochs . 2009-06-11 . 2009-11-04 . 2009-12-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20091210194443/http://www.maclife.com/article/reviews/online_storage_battle_which_cloud_backup_service_reigns_supreme?page=0,1 . dead .
  30. Web site: Does SpiderOak backup the whole file every time it changes?. SpiderOak. 24 February 2013. https://archive.today/20130411205527/https://spideroak.com/faq/questions/7/does_spideroak_backup_the_whole_file_every_time_it_changes/. 11 April 2013. dead.
  31. Web site: File Versioning . Citrix ShareFile . Citrix ShareFile . 2015-01-10 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150513205010/http://support.citrixonline.com/en_US/ShareFile/help_files/SF030020?Title=File+Versioning . 2015-05-13 . dead .
  32. Web site: See How SugarSync Stacks up to the Competition . SugarSync (formerly called SharpCast) . 2010-01-13.
  33. Web site: Syncdocs feature list. Syncdocs Web. 14 April 2011.
  34. Web site: Why Delta Sync Doesn't Matter. 2014-05-21 . 2009-07-20.
  35. Web site: Ubuntu One:Downloads. Ubuntu One. 14 April 2013. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110809233713/https://one.ubuntu.com/downloads/. 9 August 2011.

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