Alternatives to ChronoSync
Mac file sync and backup app with bidirectional sync, cloning and cloud support
ChronoSync ranks #8 of 11 in File sync, with an Alt Score of 74. It is sold as a one-time purchase from $49.99 and available on macOS. 11 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
ChronoSync, by Econ Technologies, is a macOS application for incremental and bidirectional file/folder synchronization, bootable backups, and drive cloning, with support for SFTP, network shares and cloud services like iCloud, Backblaze and Dropbox. It offers event- and schedule-based automation and is the leading dedicated sync tool in the Mac ecosystem.
Mac users and administrators who need to back up, synchronize, or clone data across local drives, other Macs, NAS/file servers, or cloud storage, ranging from individuals protecting a personal Mac to admins managing scheduled jobs on multiple machines.
A macOS app for creating synchronization and backup tasks with rule-based file/folder filtering, incremental (changed-file) copying with conflict detection, versioned archives of overwritten or deleted files, and bootable or data-volume backups, plus connections to local networks, NAS/file servers, and cloud services such as iCloud, Dropbox, Google Drive, Amazon S3, and Backblaze B2.
You configure a synchronizer document pairing a source and target location, optionally run a trial synchronization to preview what will change, and then let ChronoSync copy only modified files on a manual run or a schedule, using safe-copy and change-detection logic to catch conflicts before files are overwritten.
Why people leave ChronoSync
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Ranked alternatives
Ordered by Alt Score. Click any score to see the breakdown.
GoodSync is proprietary file synchronization and backup software from Siber Systems for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS and Android.
SyncBackPro, made by 2BrightSparks, is Windows backup/sync software used by individuals, small businesses and organizations including law enforcement and healthcare.
Syncovery, from Super Flexible Software, is a Windows/Mac/Linux sync and backup tool supporting two-way sync, versioning, encryption, and dozens of cloud/FTP/SFTP/WebDAV targets.
Unison is a free, open-source, cross-platform file synchronization tool that runs on Linux, macOS and Windows.
FolderSync is a sync client (Android app plus Windows/Mac/Linux desktop companion) that keeps device folders synchronized with 20+ cloud providers and protocols including S3, WebDAV, FTP/SFTP, SMB and.
Feature comparison
Rows come from the File sync checklist (16 rows). Human-verified cells only. ? means the value has not been verified.
| File sync checklist | ChronoSync | GoodSync | Seafile | SyncBackPro | Syncthing | Syncovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | ||||||
| Starts at | ||||||
| License | ||||||
| Platforms | ||||||
| Peer-to-peer (no server) | ||||||
| Self-hostable server | ||||||
| Selective sync | ||||||
| Delta sync | ||||||
| Conflict handling | ||||||
| Untrusted-device encryption | ||||||
| Bandwidth limits | ||||||
| LAN sync | ||||||
| File versioning | ||||||
| Ignore patterns | ||||||
| Mobile support | ||||||
| Open source |
Every fact and feature listed for ChronoSync is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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Pricing model One-time verified 2026-07-30
Vendor markets it as a 'Lifetime subscription' but it is a single payment per license, not recurring billing.
ChronoSync is a Lifetime subscription that includes free updates for life.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/product/chronosync/ -
Platforms macOS verified 2026-07-30
ChronoSync itself is macOS-only; it can sync to an iPhone/iPad only via the separate free InterConneX companion app.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS macOS 10.14 or newer, Tahoe compatible.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/overview.html -
Starts at $49.99 verified 2026-07-30
Cheapest option is a single-Mac license; 2/5/25-packs bring the per-unit price down further.
Single $ 49.99 ChronoSync Single
https://www.econtechnologies.com/product/chronosync/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-30
ChronoSync Version 12.0.2 released on May 13th, 2026
https://www.econtechnologies.com/downloads/downloads.html -
Peer-to-peer (no server) Yes verified 2026-07-30
Uses a direct Mac-to-Mac connection (Wi-Fi/Ethernet + built-in file sharing) with no central server required.
Connect your Mac directly to another Mac to backup or sync files using ChronoSync.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/guide-direct-connect.html -
Self-hostable server Yes verified 2026-07-30
ChronoSync syncs directly to a file server or NAS you control; no vendor-hosted cloud is required.
a file server or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device on a local area network (LAN)
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/guide-network-connections.html -
Selective sync Yes verified 2026-07-30
narrow your sync/backup tasks by targeting specific folders, Excluding files & folders, filtering files & rules using Rules
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/features.html -
Delta sync Partial verified 2026-07-30
Documented as whole-file incremental copying; no mention of block/byte-level delta transfer.
Only files that have been modified since your last backup will be copied.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/features.html -
Conflict handling Yes verified 2026-07-30
ChronoSync's unique change detection algorithm makes it ideally suited to detect and report such conflicts.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/features.html -
Untrusted-device encryption Partial verified 2026-07-30
Available when the sync/backup target is an encrypted disk image; not an automatic property of every destination type.
Choose Encryption if you want to password-protect your data inside and prevent unauthorized access to your files.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/guide-sync-with-disk-image.html -
LAN sync Yes verified 2026-07-30
connect a ChronoSync Mac to another Mac, a file server or a Network Attached Storage (NAS) device on a local area network (LAN)
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/guide-network-connections.html -
File versioning Yes verified 2026-07-30
ChronoSync saves old versions of your files in case you need to go back in time.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/features.html -
Ignore patterns Yes verified 2026-07-30
Filtering is done via manual excludes and name/date/size/extension-based Rules rather than glob/wildcard ignore files.
ChronoSync offers multiple methods to exclude files and folders from your sync/backup task.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/features.html -
Mobile support Partial verified 2026-07-30
ChronoSync itself runs only on macOS; iPhone/iPad access requires the separate free InterConneX companion app.
InterConneX is a free app that connects directly to ChronoSync running on a Mac.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/chronosync/what-is-chronosync.html -
Open source No verified 2026-07-30
Commercial, license-key-activated product sold from the vendor's store; no source repository or open license is published.
All content is Copyright 2026 by Econ Technologies, Inc. | All rights reserved.
https://www.econtechnologies.com/product/chronosync/
FAQ
Yes. GoodSync, Syncthing and Unison have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Seafile, Syncthing and Unison — every license claim links its source.