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File Storage · head to head

Google Drive vs Syncthing

Google Drive logo

Google Drive

File Storage

Google's consumer cloud storage app, sharing the same 15GB quota as Gmail and Google Photos

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Syncthing logo

Syncthing

Utilities

Continuous file synchronisation between your own devices

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Drive free storage is a 15GB pool shared with Gmail and Google Photos, so heavy use of any one of those services reduces what is left for the others.; Syncthing synchronisation, not backup: a deletion propagates to every device, and versioning must be configured deliberately
  • They diverge on capability: Google Drive covers Cloud file storage and sync, Syncthing covers Peer-to-peer sync.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Drive and Syncthing actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Drive and Syncthing differ
AttributeGoogle DriveSyncthing
Pricing modelFree tier plus paid storage add-onOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsiOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOSWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, Docker
CategoryFile StorageUtilities

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Google Drive

  • Cloud file storage and sync
  • Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
  • Shared drives and permissions
  • Offline access
  • Version history
  • Third party format support

Only in Syncthing

  • Peer-to-peer sync
  • Encrypted transport
  • File versioning
  • Selective sync

What people use each for

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

Google Drive

  • Backing up and syncing personal files across a phone, laptop and desktopnot Syncthing
  • Collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with othersnot Syncthing
  • Sharing a folder of files with specific permission levels with a defined groupnot Syncthing
  • Storing large attachments to send by link instead of email attachment size limitsnot Syncthing

Syncthing

  • Keeping files in step across personal machines without a cloud accountnot Google Drive
  • Syncing data that must not sit on a third-party server for policy reasonsnot Google Drive
  • Replacing a paid cloud storage subscription for sync-only needsnot Google Drive

Where each one falls short

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

Google Drive

  • Free storage is a 15GB pool shared with Gmail and Google Photos, so heavy use of any one of those services reduces what is left for the others.
  • Version history and recovery for accidentally deleted files has limits, and permanently deleted items are unrecoverable after a set retention period passes.
  • Sharing links can be misconfigured to be more open than intended, and Google's permission model has been a source of accidental oversharing for organisations and individuals alike.
  • Native Google Docs format files do not export perfectly to Microsoft Office formats in all cases, and complex formatting can shift on conversion.
  • This is the consumer product with consumer-grade support; organisations needing admin controls, audit logs and larger storage pools need the separate paid Google Workspace product instead.

Syncthing

  • Synchronisation, not backup: a deletion propagates to every device, and versioning must be configured deliberately
  • Devices must be online simultaneously to sync, so an always-on machine is effectively required
  • Initial setup involves exchanging device IDs and is less approachable than signing into a cloud service
  • No web access to files, since there is no server holding them

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Drive

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 15GB shared across Gmail, Drive and Photos
  • Google One 100GB$1.99/month
    • 100GB shared storage across the same Google services
  • Google One 2TB$9.99/month
    • 2TB shared storage

Syncthing

Free
  • SyncthingFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Drive if

  • You need cloud file storage and sync.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want google docs, sheets, slides.
Google Drive review

Choose Syncthing if

  • You need peer-to-peer sync.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Docker.
  • You also want encrypted transport.
Syncthing review

Questions people ask

Is Google Drive or Syncthing better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Drive starts at Free and Syncthing at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Drive or Syncthing?
Google Drive starts at Free and Syncthing at Free.
Does Google Drive or Syncthing run on more platforms?
Google Drive runs on iOS, Android, Web, Windows, macOS. Syncthing runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Docker.
Can I use Google Drive for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Drive best used for?
Google Drive is most often used for backing up and syncing personal files across a phone, laptop and desktop, collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with others, sharing a folder of files with specific permission levels with a defined group, storing large attachments to send by link instead of email attachment size limits. Of those, backing up and syncing personal files across a phone, laptop and desktop and collaborating on a document, spreadsheet or presentation in real time with others are not what Syncthing is typically brought in for.
What can Google Drive do that Syncthing cannot?
Google Drive covers Cloud file storage and sync, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Shared drives and permissions, Offline access. Syncthing covers Peer-to-peer sync, Encrypted transport, File versioning, Selective sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Drive: Is Google Drive free?

Yes, up to a 15GB storage pool shared with Gmail and Google Photos; more storage requires a paid Google One subscription.

Syncthing: Is Syncthing free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee and no storage costs, because there is no server.

Google Drive: Is this the same as the Save to Google Drive browser extension?

No, that is a separate browser extension for saving web pages directly into Drive; this entry covers the storage and document app itself.

Syncthing: Is Syncthing a backup tool?

No. It synchronises, so deletions propagate. Use it alongside a real backup, not instead of one.

Google Drive: Do I need Google Workspace for business use?

For individual or informal use the free or Google One consumer tiers work, but organisations wanting admin controls and larger pooled storage need Google Workspace.

Syncthing: Do my files pass through anyone else’s servers?

No. Transfers are peer to peer and encrypted. Discovery and relay servers can help devices find each other, and relayed traffic remains encrypted end to end.

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