FreeFileSync vs Rclone (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FreeFileSync grades higher than Rclone: 3.0 against 2.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FreeFileSync grades higher on ease of use. Rclone grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
FreeFileSync
Open-source folder comparison and sync for desktops
Which one is for you
Pick FreeFileSync if
- Fits if you are a private user syncing folders between drives or a NAS
- Works for people who want to schedule folder syncs with Windows Task Scheduler
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you are a business, as the free and donation versions are personal use only
- Watch out: the Business Edition is €20 per device and covers updates for one year
- Tight if you want email notifications or parallel copying without donating
- Not for you if you need a phone app, since only desktops are listed
- Watch out: licences are generally non-refundable once the link is sent
Pick Rclone if
- Fits if you are comfortable in a terminal and want to move files between many providers
- Works for people who want to mount cloud storage as a drive
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a point-and-click app, as it is a command-line program
- Not for you if you need hosting, because it does not store files itself
- Too light for people wanting a polished GUI, since the web interface is labelled experimental
- Watch out: Android is only available as separate builds
- Tight if you want vendor support: it is a free open-source project
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFreeFileSyncVery good | 2.8GPARcloneGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree for personal use with no limit on files, and €20 a device for the Business Edition with a year of updates. Anyone can download and run it. | AFree under the MIT licence, with no paid plans. Anyone can download and run it, and you pay only the storage providers you connect. |
| Free plan and trial | BThe Standard edition is free, but only for private individuals. Any business or organisation needs the Business Edition. | AThe whole program is free with no caps. You do need an account with a provider, as it hosts nothing. |
| Features | BCompare then sync, moved-file detection, version history, many targets and batch jobs. Email alerts and parallel copy are limited to Donation and Business editions. | BCopy, sync, bisync, mount as a drive, encryption, compression, hash checks and serving files, across 70+ providers. Nothing in the listing is missing from the job. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. You install it and pair two folders, with nothing else to set up. | DIt is run from the command line and set up with configuration files. The web GUI is labelled experimental. |
| Platforms and integrations | CDesktop downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux only. No phone or web version, and few cloud links beyond Google Drive. | CA program for computers: Mac, Windows and Linux, with Android only as separate builds. Many storage backends but no phone or web app of its own. |
| Best for | comparing and syncing folders on a desktop | syncing and mounting cloud storage from the command line |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: FreeFileSync and Rclone. How we grade
Price against what you get
FreeFileSync starts at about $1.86 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Rclone has no paid plan and scores 2.0.
FreeFileSync scores higher, and starts $1.86 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, 4 score higher than FreeFileSync for less, and none scores higher than Rclone for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Rclone is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
At a glance
| FreeFileSync | Rclone | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | €20 per device (Business Edition, includes one year of updates) | Free |
| Free plan | Standard version is free for personal use by private individuals only, with no limit on the number of files. | Free and open source under the MIT license; no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Zenju | Nick Craig-Wood and contributors |
| Price read from | freefilesync.org | rclone.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
FreeFileSync
- The free and donation versions are for personal use by private individuals only; any business, organization or agency needs the Business Edition.
- The Business Edition price is listed in euros and covers updates for one year.
- Licenses are generally non-refundable once the download link is provided.
- There are desktop downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux only; no mobile app is listed.
Rclone
- It is a command-line program; the web GUI is labeled experimental.
- Android is mentioned only as separate builds, not as a main download.
- It does not host storage itself: you need an account with a supported provider.
- The site points third-party developers to the command line and API for GUI and backup front ends.
Key features
FreeFileSync
- Compare then sync
- Compares two folders and transfers only the differences, with moved and renamed files detected.
- Many storage targets
- Syncs local drives, network shares, FTP and FTPS, SFTP, Google Drive and MTP devices such as Android phones.
- Version history
- Keeps a history of deleted and updated files.
- Email notifications
- Sync results can be emailed; the FAQ lists this in the Donation and Business editions.
- Parallel copying
- Compares and syncs multiple files in parallel; parallel file copy is a Donation and Business feature.
- Batch jobs
- Sync settings can be saved and run from the Windows Task Scheduler; the FAQ covers network shares used that way.
Rclone
- Copy, sync and bisync
- One-way sync makes a destination match a source; bisync keeps two directories matching in both directions.
- Wide provider support
- The site says over 70 cloud storage products support it, including S3 object stores, plus SFTP, WebDAV, FTP and HTTP.
- Mount as a disk
- Mounts local, cloud or virtual filesystems as a drive on Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD.
- Crypt, compress and chunk backends
- Virtual backends wrap another remote to encrypt, compress, chunk or merge it.
- Integrity checks
- Checks MD5 or SHA1 hashes and preserves timestamps, and interrupted transfers can be restarted.
- Serve and remote control
- Can serve files over HTTP, WebDAV, FTP, SFTP and DLNA; an experimental web GUI and a remote-control API are listed.
Plans
FreeFileSync
Standard$0
Open-source, personal use only; donations are optional.
Donation Edition$0
free download for anyone who donates
Personal use only; adds auto-updater, parallel file copy and email notifications as a thank-you for donating.
Business Edition€20
per device, includes updates for one year
Required for businesses, organizations, agencies and commercial use; adds silent installation and a tax invoice.
Rclone
Rclone$0
Free MIT-licensed software; you pay only the storage providers you connect it to.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreeFileSync or Rclone?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Rclone is cheaper to start with: it is free, against about $1.86 a month for FreeFileSync. FreeFileSync starts at €20 per device (Business Edition, includes one year of updates), and Rclone is free.
Which has a free plan, FreeFileSync or Rclone?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FreeFileSync and Rclone have a free plan.
Which platforms do FreeFileSync and Rclone run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Rclone lists an Android app. Both list macOS, Windows and Linux apps. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.