Softwr

Utilities · head to head

PeaZip vs Syncthing

PeaZip logo

PeaZip

Utilities

Open-source archive manager for Windows and Linux supporting more than two hundred formats

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: PeaZip there is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.; Syncthing synchronisation, not backup: a deletion propagates to every device, and versioning must be configured deliberately
  • They diverge on capability: PeaZip covers Wide format support, Syncthing covers Peer-to-peer sync.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which PeaZip and Syncthing actually diverge.

Attributes where PeaZip and Syncthing differ
AttributePeaZipSyncthing
PlatformsWindows, Linux, BSDWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, Docker

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Utilities).

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 PeaZip

  • Wide format support
  • Strong encryption
  • Secure delete
  • Checksums and hashes
  • Split and join
  • Portable builds

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.

PeaZip

  • Opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refusenot Syncthing
  • Sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a passwordnot Syncthing
  • Deploying one archiver across Windows and Linux desktops with the same interface and behaviournot Syncthing
  • Running from a USB stick on machines where software cannot be installednot Syncthing

Syncthing

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

Where each one falls short

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

PeaZip

  • There is no supported macOS build, so any organisation with Mac users has to standardise on something else or maintain two tools.
  • It is effectively a single-maintainer project, and for software deployed to every desktop in a company that concentration of risk deserves an explicit decision.
  • The interface exposes a great many options at once and looks dated next to the system archiver, which generates support questions from non-technical users.
  • Bundled backend binaries sometimes trigger antivirus heuristics on managed Windows fleets, so deployment usually needs an allowlist entry prepared in advance.
  • Its own PEA and ARC formats are not readable by other tools, so using them for anything you send externally creates a dependency for the recipient.

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

PeaZip

Free
  • PeaZipFree
    • LGPLv3 licensed
    • Commercial use permitted
    • All formats and encryption features included

Syncthing

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

Which should you pick?

Choose PeaZip if

  • You need wide format support.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Linux, BSD.
  • You also want strong encryption.
PeaZip 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 PeaZip or Syncthing better?
Neither clearly leads. PeaZip 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, PeaZip or Syncthing?
PeaZip starts at Free and Syncthing at Free.
Does PeaZip or Syncthing run on more platforms?
PeaZip runs on Windows, Linux, BSD. Syncthing runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Docker.
Can I use PeaZip for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is PeaZip best used for?
PeaZip is most often used for opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refuse, sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a password, deploying one archiver across windows and linux desktops with the same interface and behaviour, running from a usb stick on machines where software cannot be installed. Of those, opening old or unusual archive formats that current tools refuse and sending encrypted archives outside the organisation with a keyfile as well as a password are not what Syncthing is typically brought in for.
What can PeaZip do that Syncthing cannot?
PeaZip covers Wide format support, Strong encryption, Secure delete, Checksums and hashes. Syncthing covers Peer-to-peer sync, Encrypted transport, File versioning, Selective sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

PeaZip: Is PeaZip free for business use?

Yes. It is LGPLv3 licensed with no personal-use restriction and no paid edition.

Syncthing: Is Syncthing free?

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

PeaZip: Does it work on macOS?

No supported build is offered. Mac users need a different archiver.

Syncthing: Is Syncthing a backup tool?

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

PeaZip: How does it differ from 7-Zip?

It uses similar backends but adds far wider format support, a password manager, keyfile two-factor encryption, secure deletion and a graphical front end that also runs on Linux.

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.

PeaZip: Should I use the PEA format?

Only for your own storage. Nothing else reads it, so anything sent to another party should be 7z or ZIP with AES-256.

Share

Related pages

More on PeaZip

More on Syncthing

Keep looking

Other head to heads