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Utilities · head to head

Rclone vs Tigris

Rclone logo

Rclone

Utilities

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tigris logo

Tigris

File Storage

Globally distributed S3-compatible object storage with zero egress fees

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.; Tigris lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • They diverge on capability: Rclone covers Unified backend model, Tigris covers Global Distribution.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rclone and Tigris actually diverge.

Attributes where Rclone and Tigris differ
AttributeRcloneTigris
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeUsage-based tiered storage with per-request fees
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, DockerWeb, API, CLI
CategoryUtilitiesFile Storage

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 Rclone

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

Only in Tigris

  • Global Distribution
  • Zero Egress Fees
  • S3 Compatibility
  • Multiple Storage Classes
  • Object Notifications
  • API Access

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 Tigris
  • Encrypted offsite backup to a cheap provider that you do not want reading your filenamesnot Tigris
  • Mounting an object bucket for a media server that expects a filesystem pathnot Tigris
  • Nightly one-way sync from an on-premises NAS to cloud storage as a second copynot Tigris

Tigris

  • Storing and versioning AI training datasets without egress penaltiesnot Rclone
  • Distributing model checkpoints and artifacts globallynot Rclone
  • Serving static assets with low latency across regionsnot Rclone
  • Multi-cloud data portability with standardized APInot 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.

Tigris

  • Lowest tier still more expensive than some cold storage alternatives
  • Retrieval charges on infrequent access tier add cost variability
  • Limited to object storage, no file system semantics
  • Archive retrieval requires planning ahead

Pricing, plan by plan

Rclone

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

Tigris

Free
  • Standard Storage$0.02/GB/month
    • Frequently accessed data
    • No retrieval charges
    • Free data egress
  • Infrequent Access$0.01/GB/month
    • Lower storage cost
    • Retrieval: $0.01 per GB
    • 30-day minimum retention
  • Archive$0.004/GB/month
    • Lowest storage cost
    • Free retrieval
    • 90-day minimum retention
  • Archive Instant Retrieval$0.004/GB/month
    • Archive storage cost
    • Instant retrieval: $0.03 per GB
    • 90-day minimum retention

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 Tigris if

  • You need global distribution.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API, CLI.
  • You also want zero egress fees.
Tigris review

Questions people ask

Is Rclone or Tigris better?
Neither clearly leads. Rclone starts at Free and Tigris at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rclone or Tigris?
Rclone starts at Free and Tigris at Free.
Does Rclone or Tigris run on more platforms?
Rclone runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Docker. Tigris runs on Web, API, CLI.
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 Tigris is typically brought in for.
What can Rclone do that Tigris cannot?
Rclone covers Unified backend model, Crypt overlay, FUSE mount, Bisync. Tigris covers Global Distribution, Zero Egress Fees, S3 Compatibility, Multiple Storage Classes.

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.

Tigris: Is there a free tier?

Yes, new users receive 5 GB of Standard storage monthly plus 10,000 Class A and 100,000 Class B requests at no cost.

Source
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.

Tigris: What are the request costs?

Class A requests cost $0.005 per 1,000 requests, Class B requests cost $0.0005 per 1,000 requests. DELETE and CANCEL operations are free.

Source
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.

Tigris: Do I get charged for data egress?

No, Tigris provides free data egress across all storage tiers.

Source
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