Comparison of file synchronization software

This is a list of file synchronization software. File synchronization is a process of ensuring that files in two or more locations are updated via certain rules.

Contents

Open source

This is a comparison of free and open source software.

Name Protocol Programming language Windows Mac OS X Linux Other OS License Version Portable Detect conflict Detect rename Detect move Undo Scheduling Other information
CleanSync[1] file system C# Yes No No No GPLv3 2010-04-15 = 2.0 Yes
Conduit[2] network/web app Python No No Yes No GPL 0.3.16 Yes Synchronizes files, website, network apps
Create Synchronicity file system Visual Basic .NET Yes No Yes using mono No GPL 2010-08-18 = 4.3 Yes Yes No No Yes native, via OS
DirSync Pro file system Java Yes Yes Yes Yes cross-platform GPLv3 2011-07-24 = 1.44 Yes Yes No No Creates backups Yes native + via OS
DoubleSnap[3] C# Yes No No No GPLv3 2010-04-15 = 2.0 Yes Targeted to synchronizing photos and videos
F. A. S. T. (File-versioning And Syncing Tool)[4] file system C# Yes No No No GPLv3 2010-04-17 = 2.0.1 Yes
FreeFileSync[5] file system C++ Yes No Yes Yes GPL 2011-11-20 = 4.5 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
iFolder file system C#/Mono Yes, client software only Yes, client software only Yes No GPL 2010-7-19 = 3.8.0.3 No Yes, centralized database Yes, files, not folders Yes, files, not folders
JFileSync[6] file system or network Java Yes Yes Yes Yes GPL 2007/07/20 = 2.2 Yes Yes No No No via OS server/client optional but very fast for large number of files
OneSync file system C# Yes No No No GPL 2010-10-21 = 3.0 No Yes Yes Yes No
rsync file system C in a Unix/Linux shell Yes Yes Yes Yes GPL 2011-09-23 = 3.09 Yes No No No No via OS
Synkron file system C++ Yes Yes Yes Yes GPL v2 2011-01-25 = 1.6.2 Yes Yes No No Yes Yes
Toucan[7] file system C Yes No No No GPLv3 2010-11-30 = 3.0.4 Yes Yes No No Yes, recycle bin No supports scripting, encryption, archiving
Unison similar to rsync; uses SSH (or file system) as transport Objective Caml Yes Yes Yes Yes[8][9] GPL 2011-01-?? = 2.40.61 Yes[10] Yes, centralized database No Yes No via OS

Freeware

This is a comparison of proprietary software released as freeware or gratis.

Name OS Vendor Online cloud storage Remote desktop Prior file versions, revision control Comments Detect rename Detect move Scheduling Full duplex transfer
Microsoft ActiveSync Windows Microsoft No No  ? Syncs mobile devices
Windows Mobile Device Center Windows Microsoft No No  ? Syncs mobile devices; successor to Microsoft ActiveSync
Gbridge Windows Gbridge LLC No Yes, via VNC or RDP Sync folders, remote desktop, live web browsing, etc. No No Yes
Microsoft Sync Framework Windows Microsoft  ? No  ? Syncs files, data, services; a framework, not a tool Yes Yes -
Microsoft SyncToy Windows Microsoft No No No, recycle bin only Sync local folders Yes Yes via OS No
Windows Live Mesh Windows (Vista and greater), Windows Mobile, OSX Microsoft Yes Yes No, recycle bin only Sync folders, remote desktop, cloud storage  ?  ? No, syncs whenever it's online 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 Yes Yes No, syncs whenever it's online  ?
Dimio DSyncronize Windows Dimio No No No, recycle bin only Sync folders, real-time, with FTP  ?  ? Yes  ?
Yintersync Windows Yinter Yes No Yes Centrally managed sync service for multiple computers with encryption, scheduler, vss shadow copies, reporting; uses standard Rsync  ?  ? Yes  ?

Commercial

This is a comparison of proprietary software released as commercial.

Name Windows Mac Linux Other OS Open source Online backup service Freeware version Portable Detect conflict File lock Open file support Revision control Detect rename Detect move Full duplex transfer, collaborative Propagate deletes Case sensitive Delta copying (block level transfer)
Allway Sync Yes No No No No via other providers Yes, with limits Yes Yes No No Yes
AIMstor Yes No No No No No Yes, with limits Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes through VSS Yes Yes Yes Yes No case preserving
BackupAssist Yes No No No No via Rsync No No Yes
Backup4all Yes No No No No Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes
BestSyncFTP Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
BestSync Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Box Sync Yes  ?  ? Yes No Yes Yes  ?  ? Yes  ?  ?  ? Yes  ?
broolz Yes Yes Yes No No No yes, non commercial Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Distributed Storage Yes No Yes No No via other providers No Yes Yes Yes
Dmailer Sync Yes No No No No Yes Yes
Easy Computer Sync Yes No No No No No Yes
Easy2Sync for Files Yes No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes, for folders
Egnyte Yes Yes Yes Yes, Android, iPad, iPhone No Yes No No No, handled by versioning Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No, case preserving
File Replication Pro Yes Yes Yes Yes, AIX, BSD, HP-UX, Netware, Solaris, Unix No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes
GoodSync Yes Yes No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Handy Backup Yes No No No No No No
RepliWeb Deployment Yes No Yes Yes No No No Yes, partial Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Robocopy Yes No No No No No Yes No No
SpiderOak Yes Yes Yes No Partial Yes Yes Yes[11] No, one-way sharing only
SugarSync Yes Yes No Yes, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile No Yes Yes No Yes[12]
SuperFlexible Yes Yes Yes No No Yes Yes, Linux only Yes, manual install Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
SureSync Yes See Other OS See Other OS Cross-platform possible, from Windows via UNC path or mapped drive No No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes, file versioning Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
SyncBack Yes No No No No No Yes Yes Yes
Syncdocs Yes No No No, Google Docs web interface only No Yes Yes, beta only Yes Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes for MS Word only[13] Yes
Synchronize It! Yes No No No No No No No
Syncplicity Yes Yes No No No Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Synk No Yes No No No via other providers No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Tonido Yes Yes Yes Yes, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Phone No No Yes Yes Yes No Yes No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Ubuntu One Yes No Yes No Partial Yes Yes
Wuala Yes Yes Yes Yes, Android Partial Yes Yes
ZumoDrive Yes Yes Yes Yes, Android, iPhone, Palm webOS No Yes Yes Yes Yes
Name Windows Mac Linux Other OS Open source Online backup service Freeware version Portable Detect conflict File lock Open file support Revision control Detect rename Detect move Full duplex transfer, collaborative Propagate deletes Case sensitive Delta copying (block level transfer)

See also

References