Open Source rsync Alternatives

The best open source alternative to rsync is Syncthing. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to rsync and many of them is open source so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting open source alternatives to rsync are FreeFileSync, Duplicati, Rclone and Restic.

rsync alternatives are mainly File Sync Tools but may also be Backup Clients or Cloud Storage Services. Filter by these if you want a narrower list of alternatives or looking for a specific functionality of rsync.

rsync alternatives page was last updated

rsync

254

Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool

rsync is a software application for Unix which synchronizes files and directories from one location to another while...

More about rsync

Syncthing
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Cloud Storage Service
Large File Transfer Service
Mac
Windows
Linux
Android
Android Tablet
BSD
Self-Hosted
F-Droid
Cloudron
119 Syncthing alternatives
Syncthing replaces proprietary sync and cloud services with something open, trustworthy and decentralized. Your data is your data alone and you deserve to choose where it is stored.
- - Syncthing is the most popular Windows, Android, Mac & Linux alternative to rsync.
- - Syncthing is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to rsync.
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Syncthing Features
1. DecentralizedSyncthing is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
2. End-to-End EncryptionSyncthing has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
3. Ad-freeSyncthing doesn't contain any form of external advertising.
4. LightweightSyncthing consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
5. Dark ModeSyncthing supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
6. Privacy focusedSyncthing is considered a privacy friendly alternative.
7. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Syncthing without registration.
8. Command line interfaceSyncthing either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
9. PortableSyncthing can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Peer-To-Peer
Folder Sync
Real-time sync
Synchronization
Mesh network
File Versioning
Automatic Backup
Incremental Backup
File Tagging
No Tracking
Comments about Syncthing as a Alternative to rsync
Almost everyone thinks Syncthing is a great rsync alternative.
ikaz
Cannot sync between 2 local directories.
Comment•
0
FreeFileSync
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Freemium • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
Flathub
PortableApps.com
Chocolatey
95 FreeFileSync alternatives
FreeFileSync is a folder comparison and synchronization software that creates and manages backup copies of all your important files. Instead of copying every file every time, FreeFileSync determines the differences between a source and a target folder and transfers only the...
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FreeFileSync Features
1. File VersioningFreeFileSync has a version system that lets you view and go back to older versions of the project/file/document.
2. PortableFreeFileSync can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
3. Command line interfaceFreeFileSync either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
4. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
5. LightweightFreeFileSync consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
6. Dark ModeFreeFileSync supports dark mode for comfortable usage in low light conditions.
7. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in FreeFileSync without registration.
8. Works OfflineFreeFileSync can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
9. DecentralizedFreeFileSync is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
Directory sync
Side by side version compare
Support for SFTP
Drag and Drop
Synchronization
Folder Sync
Multiple languages
Opinions about FreeFileSync as a Alternative to rsync
Most users think FreeFileSync is a great rsync alternative.
Duplicati
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Backup Client
File Sync Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
129 Duplicati alternatives
Duplicati is a backup client that securely stores encrypted, incremental, compressed backups on local storage, cloud storage services and remote file servers. The Duplicati project was inspired by Duplicity and had similar functionality until 2008.
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Duplicati Features
1. Incremental BackupDuplicati supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
2. Schedule BackupDuplicati supports scheduling of your backups at specific times or intervals.
3. Encrypted BackupDuplicati uses encryption algorithms to keep your files safe as well as prevent unauthorized access.
4. Automatic BackupDuplicati will automatically back up your data periodically.
5. File VersioningDuplicati has a version system that lets you view and go back to older versions of the project/file/document.
6. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
7. AES-256 EncryptionDuplicati has AES-256 Encryption, i.e. very strong security.
Data deduplication
Local Storage
Email notifications
Scheduling
Support for Amazon Glacier
Task Scheduling
Web-Based
Backup to Cloud Storage
WebUI Management
Guided configuration
Comments about Duplicati as a Alternative to rsync
pros, cons and recent comments
Christian Westrom
Duplicati is not discontinued anymore. There is a 2.0 version in beta.
Positive comment•
0

Guest
Duplicati does not transfer raw files, it only transfers zips of files
Negative comment•
0
Rclone
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Backup Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Solaris
FreeBSD
NetBSD
OpenBSD
75 Rclone alternatives
Rclone ("rsync for cloud storage") is a command-line program to sync files and directories to and from different cloud storage providers.
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Rclone Features
1. Command line interfaceRclone either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
2. Cloud SyncSync your data (notes, documents, bookmarks, etc.) across your different devices and to the cloud.
3. LightweightRclone consumes less device resources compared to similar apps.
4. End-to-End EncryptionRclone has E2E Encryption, for entire or parts of the app.
5. Multiple Account supportRclone support multiple accounts without the need to logout and login
6. PortableRclone can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
7. Encrypted BackupRclone uses encryption algorithms to keep your files safe as well as prevent unauthorized access.
8. No registration requiredYou can use most of the features in Rclone without registration.
9. Incremental BackupRclone supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
Google Drive integration
Mega.nz integration
Nextcloud integration
Backup to Cloud Storage
Synchronization
Dropbox integration
Box.com integration
Onedrive integration
WebDAV Support
Support for FTP
Comments about Rclone as a Alternative to rsync
Almost everyone thinks Rclone is a great rsync alternative.
Guest
Supports a wide variety of cloud services, easy to set up with most I've tried.
Positive comment•
0

varian93
It works very well on many platforms. The only complaint is that, much like rsync, you have to familiarize yourself with a bunch of "command line" parameters to be able to use it.
Positive comment•
0
Restic
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Backup Client
Online Backup Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
BSD
Arch Linux
FreeBSD
OpenBSD
46 Restic alternatives
restic is a program that does backups right. The design goals are: Easy, Fast, Verifiable, Secure, Efficient, Free.
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Restic Features
1. Encrypted BackupRestic uses encryption algorithms to keep your files safe as well as prevent unauthorized access.
2. Incremental BackupRestic supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
3. Command line interfaceRestic either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
4. Schedule BackupRestic supports scheduling of your backups at specific times or intervals.
Data deduplication
Remote backup
Data Compression
Déjà Dup
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Backup Client
Linux
90 Déjà Dup alternatives
Déjà Dup is a simple backup tool. It hides the complexity of doing backups the Right Way (encrypted, off-site, and regularly) and uses Duplicity as the backend.
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Déjà Dup Features
1. Encrypted BackupDéjà Dup uses encryption algorithms to keep your files safe as well as prevent unauthorized access.
2. Schedule BackupDéjà Dup supports scheduling of your backups at specific times or intervals.
3. Incremental BackupDéjà Dup supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
Remote backup
Unison File Synchronizer
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Mac
Windows
Linux
51 Unison File Synchronizer alternatives
Unison is a file-synchronization tool for POSIX-compliant systems (e.g. *BSD and GNU/Linux), macOS and Windows, with the caveat that the platform must be supported by OCaml. It allows two replicas of a collection of files and directories to be stored on different hosts (or diffe.
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Unison File Synchronizer Features
1. Command line interfaceUnison File Synchronizer either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
2. DecentralizedUnison File Synchronizer is based on a decentralized infrastructure with no single entity controlling it.
3. Works OfflineUnison File Synchronizer can be used without the need to connect to the internet.
4. Selective SynchronizationUnison File Synchronizer allows you to pick which files are synced between the server and your devices.
Bidirectional sync
Synchronization
2 way sync
Folder Sync
Gtk
Well documented
Back In Time
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
System Restore Tool
System Backup Tool
Linux
53 Back In Time alternatives
Back In Time is a simple backup tool for Linux, inspired by "FlyBack project".
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Back In Time Features
1. Incremental BackupBack In Time supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
2. Schedule BackupBack In Time supports scheduling of your backups at specific times or intervals.
Time-machine
DirSync Pro
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Backup Client
Mac
Windows
Linux
90 DirSync Pro alternatives
DirSync Pro is a small, but powerful utility for file and folder synchronization. DirSync Pro can be used to synchronize the content of one or many folders recursively. Use DirSync Pro to easily synchronize files from your desktop PC to your USB-stick.
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DirSync Pro Features
1. Incremental BackupDirSync Pro supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
2. Command line interfaceDirSync Pro either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
Folder Sync
Tree view
Discontinued
No activity/development anymore. Last stable version from 2018-03-07, last development version from 2018-12-28.
Synkron
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Mac
Windows
Linux
PortableApps.com
68 Synkron alternatives
Synkron is an application for folder synchronisation and folder-backups that allows you to configure your synchronisations in detail. Despite having many features, the user interface of Synkron is very user-friendly and easy to use.
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Synkron Features
1. PortableSynkron can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
Folder Sync
Synchronization
Multiple languages
Discontinued
Last Update: 2014-10-11, see https://sourceforge.net/projects/synkron/
rdiff-backup
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
Windows
Linux
81 rdiff-backup alternatives
rdiff-backup backs up one directory to another, possibly over a network. The target directory ends up a copy of the source directory, but extra reverse diffs are stored in a special subdirectory of that target directory, so you can still recover files lost some time ago.
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rdiff-backup Features
File-system view
Add a screenshot
Toucan
Is this is a good alternative?
Yes
No
Free • Open Source
File Sync Tool
Backup Client
Windows
PortableApps.com
62 Toucan alternatives
Toucan is a small portableapp utility allowing you to synchronise, backup and secure your data with more options than the built in suite utilities. It is split up into 7 tabs, allowing you to easily find the function that you want.
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Toucan Features
1. Encrypted BackupToucan uses encryption algorithms to keep your files safe as well as prevent unauthorized access.
2. Incremental BackupToucan supports incremental backups (only back up the changed or new-added data since the last backup).
3. AES-256 EncryptionToucan has AES-256 Encryption, i.e. very strong security.
4. PortableToucan can be used from a USB stick or similar with no prior installation.
5. Command line interfaceToucan either have CLI support or is a CLI-only app.
Multiple languages
Folder Sync