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Utilities · head to head

Rclone vs Syncthing

Rclone logo

Rclone

Utilities

Command line sync and mount tool for around 70 cloud storage providers

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: Rclone sync deletes files at the destination to make it match the source, so one transposed argument between source and destination can wipe a backup and there is no undo.; Syncthing synchronisation, not backup: a deletion propagates to every device, and versioning must be configured deliberately
  • They diverge on capability: Rclone covers Unified backend model, Syncthing covers Peer-to-peer sync.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rclone and Syncthing actually diverge.

Attributes where Rclone and Syncthing differ
AttributeRcloneSyncthing
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, DockerWindows, 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 Rclone

  • Unified backend model
  • Crypt overlay
  • FUSE mount
  • Bisync
  • Server-side transfers
  • rclone serve

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.

Rclone

  • Migrating tens of terabytes between two object storage providers without staging on local disknot Syncthing
  • Encrypted offsite backup to a cheap provider that you do not want reading your filenamesnot Syncthing
  • Mounting an object bucket for a media server that expects a filesystem pathnot Syncthing
  • Nightly one-way sync from an on-premises NAS to cloud storage as a second copynot Syncthing

Syncthing

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

Where each one falls short

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

Rclone

  • Sync deletes files at the destination to make it match the source, so one transposed argument between source and destination can wipe a backup and there is no undo.
  • Google Drive throttles the shared default OAuth client, so large jobs stall until you register a private API client ID, a step that is documented but easy to miss until a migration is already days behind.
  • Millions of small files hit per-provider request ceilings rather than bandwidth limits, which makes transfer time nearly impossible to estimate from data volume alone.
  • The FUSE mount is not a real filesystem; applications that expect POSIX locking, partial writes or fast directory listings will behave badly or corrupt state on network interruption.
  • Support is a community forum and a single principal maintainer, so an organisation that needs contractual response times on a data movement tool has no vendor to buy that from.

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

Rclone

Free
  • RcloneFree
    • MIT licence with no paid edition
    • All backends and features included
    • Single static binary, no runtime dependencies

Syncthing

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Rclone if

  • You need unified backend model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Docker.
  • You also want crypt overlay.
Rclone 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 Rclone or Syncthing better?
Neither clearly leads. Rclone 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, Rclone or Syncthing?
Rclone starts at Free and Syncthing at Free.
Does Rclone or Syncthing run on more platforms?
Rclone runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Docker. Syncthing runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Docker.
Can I use Rclone for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Rclone best used for?
Rclone is most often used for migrating tens of terabytes between two object storage providers without staging on local disk, encrypted offsite backup to a cheap provider that you do not want reading your filenames, mounting an object bucket for a media server that expects a filesystem path, nightly one-way sync from an on-premises nas to cloud storage as a second copy. Of those, migrating tens of terabytes between two object storage providers without staging on local disk and encrypted offsite backup to a cheap provider that you do not want reading your filenames are not what Syncthing is typically brought in for.
What can Rclone do that Syncthing cannot?
Rclone covers Unified backend model, Crypt overlay, FUSE mount, Bisync. Syncthing covers Peer-to-peer sync, Encrypted transport, File versioning, Selective sync.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rclone: Does rclone cost anything at scale?

The software does not. Your storage provider bills egress and API requests, and a failed transfer that retries pays those charges twice.

Syncthing: Is Syncthing free?

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

Rclone: Can I use it as a backup tool?

It copies and syncs but does not do versioned incremental backup by default. Use it under a backup tool, or use its own crypt and backup-dir options deliberately.

Syncthing: Is Syncthing a backup tool?

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

Rclone: Why is my Google Drive transfer so slow when my link is fast?

You are almost certainly rate limited on the shared OAuth client. Create your own client ID in Google Cloud Console and configure the remote to use it.

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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