Alternatives to Syncthing
Continuous P2P folder sync without a server
Syncthing ranks #4 of 11 in File sync, with an Alt Score of 89. It is licensed under MPL-2.0, free from Free and available on Windows, macOS, Linux and Android. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.
People who want to keep files in sync across their own computers and phones without relying on a cloud provider. Useful for individuals and small teams who need direct, private device-to-device sync.
A continuous, real-time file synchronization tool with no central server involved. Folders sync directly between devices you control, identified by cryptographic device IDs rather than accounts. All traffic is encrypted end-to-end with TLS and authenticated certificates. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD, and Android, and is fully open source.
Each device runs the Syncthing daemon and is identified by a unique device ID; devices pair by exchanging IDs and discover each other via local network broadcast or a discovery server, then connect directly (peer-to-peer) over an open, published protocol (Block Exchange Protocol). Once paired, designated folders sync changes automatically between devices, with no data passing through or stored on any third-party server.
Where Syncthing stands out
Verified capabilities most alternatives don't have.
Why people leave Syncthing
Dashed reasons are sourced facts; the rest are opinions. Vendors can dispute.
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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.
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 c.
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 | Syncthing | GoodSync | Seafile | SyncBackPro | Syncovery | Unison |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 Syncthing is verified against its own pages. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.
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License MPL-2.0 verified 2026-07-08
This Source Code Form is subject to the terms of the Mozilla Public License, v. 2.0.
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/syncthing/syncthing/main/LICENSE -
Pricing model Free verified 2026-07-08
All code is licensed under the MPLv2 License
https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/blob/main/README.md -
Starts at Free verified 2026-07-08
All code is licensed under the MPLv2 License
https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/blob/main/README.md -
Platforms Windows, macOS, Linux, Android verified 2026-07-08
Android via community app; no official iOS.
Syncthing v2.1.2 is available for Windows (Intel/AMD 64-bit & 32-bit, ARM 64-bit), macOS (Universal, Intel/AMD 64-bit, ARM 64-bit), Linux
https://syncthing.net/downloads/ -
Status active verified 2026-07-08
Syncthing v2.1.2
https://syncthing.net/downloads/ -
Peer-to-peer (no server) Yes verified 2026-07-08
Syncthing does not upload your data to the cloud but exchanges your data across your machines as soon as they are online at the same time.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/faq.html -
Self-hostable server No verified 2026-07-08
Pure P2P; no central server component to self-host.
Syncthing does not upload your data to the cloud but exchanges your data across your machines as soon as they are online at the same time.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/faq.html -
Selective sync Yes verified 2026-07-08
If some files should not be synchronized to (or from) other devices, a file called `.stignore` can be created containing file patterns to ignore.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/ignoring.html -
Delta sync Yes verified 2026-07-08
Files are divided into blocks. ... To update a file, Syncthing compares the block list of the current version of the file to the block list of the desired version of the file.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/syncing.html -
Conflict handling Yes verified 2026-07-08
When a file has been modified on two devices simultaneously and the content actually differs, one of the files will be renamed to `<filename>.sync-conflict-<date>-<time>-<modifiedBy>.<ext>`.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/syncing.html -
Untrusted-device encryption Yes verified 2026-07-08
It is possible to set a password on a folder when it's shared with another device. Data sent will be encrypted by this password, and data received will be decrypted by the same password.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/untrusted.html -
Bandwidth limits Yes verified 2026-07-08
maxSendKbps: Maximum send rate to use for this device.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/config.html -
LAN sync Yes verified 2026-07-08
The router needs to allow/forward broad-/multicasts for local discovery to work.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/firewall.html -
File versioning Yes verified 2026-07-08
Syncthing supports archiving the old version of a file when it is deleted or replaced with a newer version from the cluster.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/versioning.html -
Ignore patterns Yes verified 2026-07-08
a file called `.stignore` can be created containing file patterns to ignore.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/ignoring.html -
Mobile support Partial verified 2026-07-08
Official Android archived Dec 2024; community fork available; no official iOS.
An Android app for the Syncthing binary with extended functionality.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/contrib.html -
Open source Yes verified 2026-07-08
Syncthing is an open source file synchronization tool.
https://docs.syncthing.net/users/faq.html
FAQ
Yes. GoodSync, Unison and rclone have a free tier or are fully free. Free-tier limits in the comparison table are verified and dated.
Seafile, Unison and rclone — every license claim links its source.