Softwr

Utilities · head to head

Rclone vs WizTree

Rclone logo

Rclone

Utilities

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

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
WizTree logo

WizTree

Utilities

Windows disk space analyser that reads the NTFS master file table, scanning a drive in seconds

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.; WizTree it is free for personal use only, so deploying it across company machines without licences is a compliance problem rather than a saving.
  • They diverge on capability: Rclone covers Unified backend model, WizTree covers Master file table scanning.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rclone and WizTree actually diverge.

Attributes where Rclone and WizTree differ
AttributeRcloneWizTree
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, DockerWindows

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 WizTree

  • Master file table scanning
  • File list view
  • Treemap
  • Hard link handling
  • Portable version
  • File deletion and export

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

WizTree

  • Clearing a full system drive quickly when someone is waiting and a multi-minute scan is unacceptablenot Rclone
  • Finding large files across a whole volume without knowing which folder to look innot Rclone
  • Repeated checks on a machine where disk space fills unpredictablynot Rclone
  • Support work where the scan must finish while you are still on the callnot 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.

WizTree

  • It is free for personal use only, so deploying it across company machines without licences is a compliance problem rather than a saving.
  • The speed advantage exists only on local NTFS volumes; network shares, exFAT, FAT32 and ReFS fall back to ordinary directory scanning and lose the advantage entirely.
  • Reading the master file table requires administrator rights, so it cannot be used by standard users on managed machines without an elevation policy.
  • It is Windows only, with no macOS or Linux build, so a mixed estate needs a second tool anyway.
  • It analyses one machine at a time with no scheduling or central reporting, so it is a diagnostic tool rather than a way to manage storage across an organisation.

Pricing, plan by plan

Rclone

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

WizTree

Free
  • WizTree FreeFree
    • Full scanning and treemap features
    • Personal, non-commercial use only
    • No feature limitations for home users
  • WizTree Professional and Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Licence required for any business use
    • Per-user and site licensing tiers
    • Commercial deployment rights

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 WizTree if

  • You need master file table scanning.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows.
  • You also want file list view.
WizTree review

Questions people ask

Is Rclone or WizTree better?
Neither clearly leads. Rclone starts at Free and WizTree at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rclone or WizTree?
Rclone starts at Free and WizTree at Free.
Does Rclone or WizTree run on more platforms?
Rclone runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Docker. WizTree runs on Windows.
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 WizTree is typically brought in for.
What can Rclone do that WizTree cannot?
Rclone covers Unified backend model, Crypt overlay, FUSE mount, Bisync. WizTree covers Master file table scanning, File list view, Treemap, Hard link handling.

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.

WizTree: Why is it so much faster than other analysers?

It reads the NTFS master file table, the index the filesystem already maintains, instead of walking directories. It is one read of a structure rather than thousands of folder operations.

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.

WizTree: Can I use the free version at work?

No. The free build is licensed for personal use only, and business use requires a paid licence. WinDirStat and TreeSize Free are the no-cost options that allow commercial use.

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.

WizTree: Is it fast on network drives?

No. Master file table access needs local NTFS. Over a network share it scans conventionally and is no faster than the alternatives.

WizTree: Does it need administrator rights?

Yes, for master file table access. Without elevation it either cannot scan or falls back to the slow method.

Share

Related pages

More on Rclone

More on WizTree

Keep looking

Other head to heads