Synchronizes files between two or more computers in real time, safely protected from prying eyes. Your data is your data alone and you deserve to choose where it is stored, whether it is shared with some third party, and how it’s transmitted over the internet.
Reviewed by Gabriel Bachmann
Syncthing
syncthing.net 2 ratings so far*
File Sharing & Sync Open SourceE2E encryptedNo accountDecentralizedWindowsmacOSLinuxAndroidFree Sweden
Rate Syncthing: No account needed
Threat level
Hardened
A hardened pick. Worth the effort once you have chosen to shrink your footprint on purpose. Enough for most people. Threat levels
Our take
Continuous file sync between your own devices with no cloud and no account anywhere in the middle, which is exactly what you want if a third-party server is the thing you are trying to avoid. The trade is setup and topology: you connect devices yourself, both ends need to be online to sync, and there is no provider to fall back on. Excellent for people who want to own their sync entirely; not for those expecting cloud-style always-available access from anywhere.
GitHub at a glance
syncthing/syncthing
Stars
86,515
+ 1,325 this week
Last commit
15d ago
healthy
License
MPL-2.0
Latest release
v2.1.1
1mo ago
Stars, last 37d
Website at a glance
syncthing.net
D score 30
Weak website security headers
Graded by Mozilla HTTP Observatory, tested 3d ago
Inspect this site yourself
Measures the security configuration of the tool's own website, not the privacy of the product itself. A strong tool can still score low here.
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Syncthing license, in plain English
MPL-2.0 Weak copyleft
Use it freely, even commercially. Changes to the project's own files must stay open, but you can combine it with closed-source code.
Permits
- Commercial use
- Modification
- Distribution
- Patent use
- Private use
Requires
- Disclose source of modified files
- Same license on those files
- License and copyright notice
Does not provide
- Trademark use
- Liability cover
- Warranty
Why it matters: Weak copyleft protects the project's own files: improvements to them stay open, while the code can still sit alongside closed-source software.
Plain-language summary of the project's license, not legal advice. Read the full text for the exact terms.
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