FreeFileSync

Open-source folder comparison and synchronisation

As of 29 August 2026, FreeFileSync is free to use. Open-source folder sync and comparison with a visible diff before anything is written. Softwr lists it under Utilities. FreeFileSync is available on Windows, macOS, Linux.

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Overview

What FreeFileSync does

FreeFileSync compares and synchronises folders across local drives, network shares, external media and cloud storage. Its defining behaviour is that it shows you the comparison result before doing anything: every file it intends to copy, update or delete, listed and reviewable. That matters because sync tools destroy data when a direction is misconfigured, and a preview is the difference between noticing and discovering it later. It also supports real versioning, so overwritten files can be recovered.

What people use it for

Mirroring a working drive to external storage on a schedule
Comparing two folders to find what actually differs
Backup routines where seeing the plan before it runs matters

Where it falls short

Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about FreeFileSync.

The interface is dense and functional rather than friendly, and the sync direction is easy to misread
Some convenience features are held behind the paid Donation Edition
The installer has historically bundled optional offers, which is worth reading carefully during setup
Not a versioned cloud backup: it synchronises what you point it at and nothing more

Cross-shopped

What people choose instead of FreeFileSync

Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.

FreeFileSyncvs
Syncthing
Syncthing: Continuous peer-to-peer sync between devices, where FreeFileSync is scheduled folder comparison

Pricing

What FreeFileSync costs

Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.

Free

Core functionality
Personal use

Capabilities

Features

Comparison before sync
Every intended change listed and reviewable before it runs
Multiple sync modes
Two-way, mirror and update, chosen explicitly
Versioning
Overwritten and deleted files retained for recovery
Batch jobs
Saved configurations runnable on a schedule

Answered, with sources

Questions people ask

Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.

Is FreeFileSync free?

Yes, open source and free. A paid Donation Edition adds convenience features such as parallel sync and portable installs.

Is it a backup tool?

It synchronises folders and supports versioning, which covers many backup needs, but it is not a managed cloud backup service.

Can it sync to cloud storage?

Yes, including Google Drive and SFTP or FTP targets alongside local and network paths.

Keep looking

Where to go from FreeFileSync

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Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for FreeFileSync, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.

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