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Backup & Disaster Recovery · head to head

Borg Backup vs Sync.com

Borg Backup logo

Borg Backup

Backup & Disaster Recovery

Deduplicating archiver with compression and encryption

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sync.com logo

Sync.com

File Storage & Backup

Cloud storage, backup and sharing with end-to-end encryption

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Borg Backup has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Borg Backup linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform; Sync.com all Teams plans require a minimum of 3 users

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Borg Backup and Sync.com actually diverge.

Attributes where Borg Backup and Sync.com differ
AttributeBorg BackupSync.com
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsLinux, MacWeb
CategoryBackup & Disaster RecoveryFile Storage & Backup
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Borg Backup

  • Content-defined chunking
  • Deduplication
  • Compression
  • Authenticated encryption
  • Pruning
  • Mount archives
  • SSH
  • BorgBase

Only in Sync.com

Nothing recorded that Borg Backup does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Borg Backup

  • Deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensivenot Sync.com
  • Encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintextnot Sync.com
  • Browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over FUSEnot Sync.com
  • Scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to runnot Sync.com

Sync.com

No use cases recorded yet. See the Sync.com review.

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Borg Backup

  • Linux, macOS and BSD only; Windows is not a supported platform
  • Command-line only, with no graphical interface in the project itself
  • Version 2.0 is still in beta, so production use means staying on the 1.4 line
  • Restoring requires the Borg tooling, since archives are a deduplicated chunk store rather than plain files

Sync.com

  • All Teams plans require a minimum of 3 users
  • The advertised low monthly rate (e.g. $4/month for Teams 1TB) is a promotional annual rate described as 50% off; the standard monthly price is $8/month without the promotion
  • Enterprise pricing for 100+ users is custom and requires contacting a dedicated account manager

Pricing, plan by plan

Borg Backup

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Deduplication
    • Compression
    • Encryption

Sync.com

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Sync.com review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Borg Backup if

  • You need content-defined chunking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Mac.
  • You also want deduplication.
Borg Backup review

Choose Sync.com if

Nothing in the data separates Sync.com from Borg Backup on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Sync.com review

Questions people ask

Is Borg Backup or Sync.com better?
Neither clearly leads. Borg Backup starts at Free and Sync.com at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Borg Backup or Sync.com?
Borg Backup has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Borg Backup and On request for Sync.com.
Does Borg Backup or Sync.com run on more platforms?
Borg Backup runs on Linux, Mac. Sync.com runs on Web.
Can I use Borg Backup for free?
Yes. Borg Backup has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sync.com starts at On request.
What is Borg Backup best used for?
Borg Backup is most often used for deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive, encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext, browsing previous versions by mounting an archive over fuse, scripted server backups with no agent or daemon to run. Of those, deduplicated backups where daily full snapshots would otherwise be expensive and encrypted backup to a server you do not fully trust, since the server never sees plaintext are not what Sync.com is typically brought in for.
What can Borg Backup do that Sync.com cannot?
Borg Backup covers Content-defined chunking, Deduplication, Compression, Authenticated encryption.
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