FreeFileSync vs Unison (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, FreeFileSync grades higher than Unison: 3.0 against 2.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
FreeFileSync grades higher on features and ease of use. Unison grades higher on the free plan. They get the same grade on value for money 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
Unison
Open-source two-way file synchronizer for Unix, macOS and Windows
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 Unison if
- Fits if you are happy in a terminal and want conflict-aware sync between two machines
- Works for people syncing a laptop with a Unix server over ssh
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a point-and-click app, as it is run from the command line
- Watch out: the project releases source, and pre-built binaries come from other sources
- Tight if you need help: the README says not to ask in GitHub issues
- Watch out: the maintainers say very few people work on it, so fixes are slow
- Not for you if you want cloud storage sync, as it is two-folder sync
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFreeFileSyncVery good | 2.6GPAUnisonGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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 GPL-3.0 licence, with no paid editions. Anyone can download and run it. |
| 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 limits, and you only need the two places to sync. |
| 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. | CTwo-way sync, conflict detection, rsync-style transfers and repeat mode. It does that one job fully, and it is a smaller job: no cloud services or mobile. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record. You install it and pair two folders, with nothing else to set up. | DA command-line program released as source, with pre-built binaries from packaging systems. Help comes from a wiki and mailing lists. |
| 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 alone: Mac, Windows and Linux. No phone, web or cloud integrations are listed. |
| Best for | comparing and syncing folders on a desktop | two-way file sync, free and open source |
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 Unison. 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. Unison has no paid plan and scores 1.7.
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 Unison 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
- FreeFileSync also covers file management.
At a glance
| FreeFileSync | Unison | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Made by | Zenju | Unison open-source project |
| Price read from | freefilesync.org | github.com |
| 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.
Unison
- The project releases source code; pre-built binaries come from packaging systems or CI builds.
- The README says not to ask for help in GitHub issues; questions go to the wiki and mailing lists.
- The maintainers say very few people work on it, so bug and feature handling is slow.
- The old project website is archival; development and issues are on GitHub.
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.
Unison
- Two-way synchronization
- Changes made on either replica are propagated to the other, and updates that do not conflict are applied automatically.
- Conflict detection
- When both sides changed the same file, Unison shows the conflict instead of silently picking a winner.
- Cross-platform pairs
- It can synchronize a Windows laptop with a Unix server, for example, over ssh or directly over TCP.
- Efficient transfers
- Small edits to large files use a compression protocol similar to rsync's, which suits slow links.
- Repeat mode
- With a filesystem monitor, repeat mode propagates changes soon after they happen.
- No special privileges
- It is a user-level program: no kernel changes, superuser rights or FUSE are needed on either host.
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.
Unison
Free$0
Full source code under the GNU General Public License, version 3; there are no paid editions.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, FreeFileSync or Unison?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Unison 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 Unison is free.
Which has a free plan, FreeFileSync or Unison?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both FreeFileSync and Unison have a free plan.
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.