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Syncthing alternatives: 6 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Syncthing: A device must be online for others to sync, and no public share links. We ranked 6 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Syncthing, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Resilio Sync currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Nextcloud logoNextcloudOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +44 of 462.6
2Seafile logoSeafileOpen sourceYesWeb, Windows, macOS +43 of 359.6
3rclone logorcloneOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +13 of 355.3
4LocalSend logoLocalSendOpen sourceYesWindows, macOS, Linux +25 of 538.6
  1. Nextcloud logo

    1. NextcloudTop pick

    Best for: Organisations and tinkerers who want Google Drive features on their own server

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Syncthing

    Server-based sync with web access and share links.

    Pros

    • Free, open source and fully self-hostable
    • Large app ecosystem beyond files
    • Data stays wherever you choose to run it

    Cons

    • You handle updates, backups and performance
    • Can feel slow on modest hardware
    • Quality varies across community apps
    Visit Nextcloud Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Nextcloud a good Syncthing alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Self-hosting
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Enterprise price
    From €71.29 per user/year (100 users)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client apps
    Free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026nextcloud.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Seafile logo

    2. Seafile

    Best for: Teams that want fast, reliable self-hosted sync without a big app suite

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Self-hosted

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Syncthing

    Self-hosted server for when you also need web access.

    Pros

    • Fast sync, even with many small files
    • Per-library versioning and optional encryption
    • Pro edition free for a few users

    Cons

    • Library model takes getting used to
    • Fewer extras than Nextcloud
    • Some advanced features only in the Pro edition
    Visit Seafile Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Seafile a good Syncthing alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Open source
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026seafile.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro edition free tier
    Up to 3 users without a licence
    Checked Oct 25, 2026seafile.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Desktop clients
    Windows 10+, macOS 11+
    Checked Oct 25, 2026seafile.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. rclone logo

    3. rclone

    Best for: Power users moving or syncing data between cloud providers

    Open sourceSelf-hostableWindows, macOS, Linux, Self-hosted

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Syncthing

    Command-line sync to and from many cloud providers.

    Pros

    • Supports 70+ storage providers
    • Mount any cloud as a local drive
    • Optional client-side encryption layer

    Cons

    • Command line first, with a learning curve
    • Not a storage service itself
    • Mounts can be slow without careful caching settings
    Visit rclone Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is rclone a good Syncthing alternative?

    Verified facts

    3 of 3 verified
    Supported providers
    Over 70
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rclone.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Interface
    Command line
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rclone.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Commands
    rsync, cp, mv, mount and more equivalents
    Checked Oct 25, 2026rclone.org(opens source in a new tab)
  4. LocalSend logo

    4. LocalSend

    Best for: Households and offices mixing Apple, Android, Windows and Linux devices on one network

    Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS

    38.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Syncthing

    For one-off sends between nearby devices rather than keeping folders in sync.

    Pros

    • Works across every major desktop and mobile OS
    • No account, internet or cloud server needed
    • Open-source with no ads or trackers

    Cons

    • Both devices must be on the same network
    • No share links for remote recipients
    • Some routers and guest networks block device discovery
    Visit LocalSend Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.37
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is LocalSend a good Syncthing alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    License
    Apache-2.0
    Checked Oct 25, 2026github.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Platforms
    Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
    Checked Oct 25, 2026localsend.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Internet required
    No
    Checked Oct 25, 2026localsend.org(opens source in a new tab)
    Account
    None needed
    Checked Oct 25, 2026localsend.org(opens source in a new tab)
    End-to-end encryption
    Yes
    Checked Oct 25, 2026localsend.org(opens source in a new tab)

The best Syncthing alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Resilio Sync logo

Best Syncthing alternative for most people

Resilio Sync

Peer-to-peer sync with a friendlier app and mobile support.

Nextcloud logo

Best Syncthing alternative for a free option

Nextcloud

Server-based sync with web access and share links.

Dropbox logo

Best Syncthing alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Dropbox

Hosted sync with sharing links and no setup.

Seafile logo

Best Syncthing alternative for open source

Seafile

Self-hosted server for when you also need web access.

rclone logo

Best Syncthing alternative for self-hosting

rclone

Command-line sync to and from many cloud providers.

LocalSend logo

Best Syncthing alternative for Mac

LocalSend

For one-off sends between nearby devices rather than keeping folders in sync.

Resilio Sync logo

Best Syncthing alternative for Windows

Resilio Sync

Peer-to-peer sync with a friendlier app and mobile support.

Resilio Sync logo

Best Syncthing alternative for Linux

Resilio Sync

Peer-to-peer sync with a friendlier app and mobile support.

Resilio Sync logo

Best Syncthing alternative for iPhone and Android

Resilio Sync

Peer-to-peer sync with a friendlier app and mobile support.

Nextcloud logo

Best Syncthing alternative for working in the browser

Nextcloud

Server-based sync with web access and share links.

Syncthing alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Syncthing?

Resilio Sync ranks first right now. Peer-to-peer sync with a friendlier app and mobile support. Nextcloud and Seafile follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Syncthing?

Yes. Resilio Sync (free), Nextcloud (open source), Seafile (open source) and Dropbox (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Syncthing?

Yes: Nextcloud, Seafile, rclone and LocalSend. Nextcloud, Seafile and rclone can also be self-hosted.

Which Syncthing alternatives work on Linux?

Resilio Sync, Nextcloud, Seafile, Dropbox and rclone run on Linux.

Why do people switch from Syncthing?

The complaints we hear most: A device must be online for others to sync; no public share links; configuration-heavy for non-technical users.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Syncthing, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.