Comparison of browser synchronizers
The following tables compare general and technical information for a number of web-based browser synchronizers. Please see the individual products' articles for further information. Unless otherwise specified in footnotes, comparisons are based on the stable versions.
Transmute is excluded because it is a MS Windows-based offline tool (with privacy advantages). Xmarks used to provide an option to avoid the Xmarks server, which required using a WebDAV or FTP server to store bookmarks, however this feature is no longer reasonably available. If any other tools offer a privacy advantage, list them in this paragraph or add a column to the tables.
Another aspect of synchronization not covered in this table is OPML import and export. Exporting OPML enables many other tools to read the feeds, bookmarks/favorites and other browser data. There may be significant differences in capability between multiple levels of subscription – some tools such as Transmute have three levels of subscription.
General
| Client | Creator | Software license | Latest release | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BookmarkSync | Jack Dean | Proprietary | Windows: 3.0.0 (August 2010) [±] Mac OS X: | ||||||||||||
| Opera Link | Opera Software | Proprietary | Opera:
29.0.1795.47 (April 28, 2015[1]) [±]
| ||||||||||||
| SiteBar Server | Ondrej Brablc | GPL | 3.3.9 | ||||||||||||
| Firefox Sync | Mozilla Foundation | Mozilla Public License | N/A (part of Firefox) [±] | ||||||||||||
| Xmarks | Xmarks | Proprietary | Firefox: 4.3.5 (January 28, 2015) [±] IE: 1.3.15 (January 28, 2015) [±] | ||||||||||||
| Client | Creator | Software license | Latest release |
Operating system support
| PC operating system | Mobile operating system | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Client | Windows | OS X | Linux | FreeBSD | iOS | Android | BlackBerry OS | Symbian | Windows Phone | other |
| BookmarkSync | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Opera Link | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Solaris, Java ME, S60, UIQ3, BREW |
| Firefox Sync | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[6] | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | OpenSolaris[7] |
| Xmarks | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Xmarks Premium | Xmarks Premium | Xmarks Premium | No | Xmarks Premium | No |
| Client | Windows | OS X | Linux | FreeBSD | iOS | Android | BlackBerry OS | Symbian | Windows Phone | other |
Syncable Browsers
| Client | Internet Explorer | Mozilla Firefox | Opera | Safari | Google Chrome | other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BookmarkSync | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes (Mac Only) | No | SeaMonkey |
| Opera Link | No | No | Yes | No | No | Opera Mini, Opera Mobile |
| Firefox Sync | No | Yes | No | No | No | Firefox for Mobile[8]SeaMonkey |
| Xmarks | Yes | Yes | No, but there is a sync viewer in a menu | Yes (Mac Only) | Yes | No |
| Client | Internet Explorer | Mozilla Firefox | Opera | Safari | Google Chrome | other |
Syncable Items
| Client | Bookmarks | Favicons | Browsing history | Form history | Web feed subscriptions | Search engine plugins | Passwords | Dictionary | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BookmarkSync | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | No | No |
| Opera Link | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes in <= 12.16 | No | Personal bar, speed dial, notes, typed browser history, content blocker list |
| Firefox Sync | Yes | No but planned to be added in future | Last 60 days[9] | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | open tabs, tab groups, personas, preferences, add-ons (up to 25MB by default)[9] |
| Xmarks | Yes | Yes | Yes (Firefox) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes (deprecated) | No | open tabs |
| Client | Bookmarks | Favicons | Browsing history | Form history | Web feed subscriptions | Search engine plugins | Passwords | Dictionary | Other |
Features
| Client | Encrypted transfer | Encrypted storage | Server changing | Web-based UI | Exporting | Link verification | Duplicate link checker | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arado Websearch | ? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | It doesn't provide any server for built-in internet based sync. |
| Bookmark | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | No | Server-side backup, restore of bookmarks, sync profiles so that only certain bookmarks sync to certain browsers. Feb 12, 2012: Doesn't work properly with IE9 (bookmarks don't appear on web UI). |
| BookmarkSync | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Feb 12, 2012: Sync doesn't work properly. |
| Bookmark Sync and Sort | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | |
| Chipmark | ? | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Provides IE plug-in and Firefox extension. Feb 12, 2012: Registration process in official site fails with the following message: "There was an error communicating with our mail server, or the email address entered was not valid. Registration was not successful. Please try again at a later time.". |
| Link Commander | ? | No | ? | ? | XBEL | ? | ? | It doesn't provide any server for built-in internet based sync. |
| Network Menus | ? | No | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | Feb 12, 2012: Stops IE9 from loading when trying to install the plug-in. |
| Opera Link | Yes[10] | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (only webbased) | |
| Portable Bookmarks | ? | Yes | ? | ? | XBEL | ? | ? | It doesn't provide any server for built-in internet based sync: its portability is based on USB drives. |
| Power Favorites | ? | Yes | ? | ? | XBEL | Yes | Yes | Extensions for Firefox and Opera. Feb 12, 2012: It doesn't automatically sync with IE9 (export/import based). |
| SyncBookmarks | ? | No | ? | ? | XBEL | ? | ? | Feb 12, 2012: Last modified timestamp on official download site is 01/02/2007 04:28:512012. |
| Firefox Sync | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | No | Data is encrypted on the client and not accessible even to Mozilla server operators.[11] |
| xbelSync | ? | No | ? | ? | XBEL | ? | ? | It doesn't provide any server for built-in internet based sync. |
| Xmarks | Yes | Partial[12] | Yes(firefox only) | Yes | Yes | No | Yes (web) | Server-side backup, restore of bookmarks, sync profiles so that only certain bookmarks sync to certain browsers; password storage is deprecated, Xmarks recommends using LastPass instead. |
| Client | Encrypted transfer | Encrypted storage | server changing | webbased UI | exporting | Link Verification | Duplicate Link Checker | Notes |
History
History of bookmarks (favorites) sync:
- 2005 - Maxthon 1.3
- 2006 - Google Browser Sync (extension for Firefox)
- 2007 - Opera
- 2009 - Google Chrome
- 2011 - Firefox
See also
- Comparison of online backup services
- Comparison of file hosting services
- Comparison of revision control software
- Comparison of file synchronization software
References
- ↑ "Access the same tabs from your computer and your Android phone". 2015-04-28. Retrieved 2015-04-28.
- ↑ "Opera Mini - Fast web browser - Android Apps on Google Play". 13 April 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
- ↑ "Opera Mini web browser on the App Store on iTunes". 10 March 2015. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ↑ "Opera Mini - beta | Windows Phone Apps+Games Store (United States)". 9 December 2014. Retrieved 11 March 2015.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "New Opera Mini for Java and BlackBerry - Opera Software". 12 March 2014.
- ↑ "weave port". FreshPorts. 2009-10-09. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ↑ mconnor (2009-07-29). "Weave 0.5 Released". Mozilla. Retrieved 2009-08-01.
- ↑ mconnor (2009-06-27). "Weave 0.4.0 Released". Mozilla. Retrieved 2009-06-30.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "What is Firefox Sync?". Firefox Help. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
- ↑ "Opera Link explained". Opera Software. 7 September 2007. Retrieved 2009-06-06.
- ↑ "How secure is my Sync data?". Firefox Help. Retrieved 11 April 2012.
- ↑ Encrypted password storage is supported
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