Comparison of file synchronization software
This is a list of notable file synchronization software. See also built-in file synchronization functionality in Windows XP [1].
Open source
A comparison of free and open source file synchronization software.
| Name | Protocol | Programming Language | Platforms | License | Version | Conflict Detection | Detect Renaming | Detect Move | Undo | Scheduling |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CleanSync | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| Create Synchronicity | file system | VB.Net | Windows | GPL | 3.0 [25-Feb-2010] | No | ||||
| DirSync Pro | file system | Java | Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | GPL | 1.21 [17-Feb-2010] | No | ||||
| DoubleSnap | for synchronizing digital photos | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| F-A-S-T (File Archiving and Sync Tool) | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| FreeFileSync | file system | C++ | Windows, Linux | GPL | 3.6 [31-Mar-2010] | Yes (centralized database) | No | No | No | via OS |
| GameAnywhere | For synchronizing game settings | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| iFolder | file system | C#/Mono | Windows, Linux, Mac OS X | GPL | 3.8 [25-Nov-2009] | Yes | ||||
| JFileSync | file system | Java | Any Java 5.0 or higher runtine | GPL | 2.2 [20-July-2007] | Yes | ||||
| NETS (Nothing Else To Sync) | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| NSync | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| OneSync | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 2.0 [15-Apr-2010] | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
| Replicator | file system | Visual Basic | Windows | 3.6.8 [28-Nov-2009] | No | |||||
| rsync | file system | C in the Unix/Linux shell | Windows, Linux, OS X, other Unix | GPL | 3.07 [31-Dec-2009] | No | No | No | No | via OS |
| SubSync | file system | C#/Mono | Windows, Linux | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| SyncButler | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 2.0 [15-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| SyncDesk | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| Syncless | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| SyncSharp | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| SyncWizard | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| Synkron | file system | C++ | Windows, Linux, OS X | GPL | 1.6.1 [16-Oct-2009] | Yes | ||||
| Tzync | file system | C# | Windows | GPL | 1.0 [03-Apr-2010] | Yes | ||||
| Unison | similar to rsync; uses SSH (or file system) as transport | OCaml | Windows, Linux, OS X, other Unix | GPL | 2.32.52 [29-Jun-2009] | Yes (centralized database) | No | No | No | via OS |
Commercial
A comparison of proprietary software released as commercial.
| Name | Windows | Mac | Linux | Other OS | Open source | Online backup service | Freeware version | Paid version | Conflict detection | File Locking | Open File Support | previous file versions / revision control | Detect Renaming | Detect Move | Full Duplex Transfer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distributed Storage | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | via other providers | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Allway Sync | Yes | No | No | No | No | via other providers | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | ||||
| BackupAssist | Yes | No | No | No | No | via Rsync | No | Yes | No | Yes | |||||
| Dmailer Sync | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| Dropbox | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes: iPhone | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Easy Computer Sync | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| GoodSync | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||
| Handy Backup | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | |||||||
| PEER Collaboration Package | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| PowerFolder | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[1] | |||||
| RepliWeb Deployment | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | Yes (partial) | Yes | |||||
| Robocopy | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | No | ||||||
| SpiderOak | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[2] | ||||||
| SugarSync | Yes | Yes | No | Yes: Android, iPhone, BlackBerry, Windows Mobile | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes[3] | ||||||
| SuperFlexible | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | |||
| SyncBack | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Synchronize It! | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | No | ||||||
| Syncplicity | Yes | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||||
| TeamDrive | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Ubuntu One | No | No | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| ViceVersa | Yes | No | No | No | No | No | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Wuala | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Partial | Yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| ZumoDrive | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes: iPhone, Android, Palm webOS | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Freeware
This is a list of proprietary software released as freeware or gratis.
| Name | OS | Vendor | online cloud storage | remote desktop | previous file versions / revision control | Comments | Detect Renaming | 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 | ? | Yes | ? | Sync folders, Remote desktop, Live web browsing, etc. | ||||
| Microsoft Sync Framework | Windows | Microsoft | ? | No | ? | syncs files, data and services. A framework, not a tool. | Yes | Yes | - | |
| Microsoft SyncToy | Windows | Microsoft | No | No | ? | Sync local folders. | Yes | Yes | via OS | No |
| Microsoft Live Mesh | Windows, Windows Mobile, OSX | Microsoft | Yes | Yes | No (Recycle Bin only?) | Sync folders, Remote desktop, cloud storage. (Beta software, it's likely to be merged into Windows Live Sync soon(cited).) | ||||
| Windows Live Sync | Windows, OSX | Microsoft | Yes | No | No (Recycle Bin only?) | Sync folders, cloud storage. (Previously Microsoft FolderShare) 20,000 file limit. | ||||
| broolz | Windows, OSX (& Linux in development) | broolz | Yes | No | Yes | Sync folders, user defined cloud storage, collaborate and backup. Some features disabled for beta phase. |
- ^ ""PowerFolder File Sync Archive"". PowerFolder. Retrieved 2010-01-23.
- ^ Susie Ochs (2009-06-11). ""Online Storage Battle: Which Cloud Back-Up Service Reigns Supreme?"". MacLife. Retrieved 2009-11-04.
- ^ ""See How SugarSync Stacks up to the Competition"". SugarSync (formerly called SharpCast). Retrieved 2010-01-13.