MSP360 Explorer vs Rclone (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Rclone grades higher than MSP360 Explorer: 2.8 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
MSP360 Explorer grades higher on ease of use. Rclone grades higher on value for money, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
MSP360 Explorer
File manager for browsing and moving data in cloud object storage
Free plan
Which one is for you
Pick MSP360 Explorer if
- Fits if you manage S3 or Azure buckets from a Windows desktop
- Works for restoring single files out of cloud backup storage
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want one clear price, because none could be confirmed and no plans are listed
- Not for you if you need folder sync, as Sync Folders was removed and Compare Folders replaces it
- Too light for Mac users wanting full control, since the Mac edition offers basic file management
- Watch out: the Windows version needs Windows 7 or later and .NET Framework 4.7.2 or higher
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
| 2.0GPAMSP360 ExplorerFair | 2.8GPARcloneGood | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price could be confirmed because the vendor's main site blocked our reader, so it sits in the middle of the category by default. | 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 | CThe Mac help pages list a free version with file restore, transfer and monitoring beside a commercial one, but the limits are not shown. | AThe whole program is free with no caps. You do need an account with a provider, as it hosts nothing. |
| Features | CIt browses and copies between local disk and several clouds, with MFA, Object Lock, command line and PowerShell. The Sync Folders feature was removed in Windows version 6.2, and the Mac edition is described as basic. | 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 | CYou add each storage account and keys yourself, and Windows needs .NET Framework 4.7.2 or higher. No store rating is on record. | DIt is run from the command line and set up with configuration files. The web GUI is labelled experimental. |
| Platforms and integrations | CWindows and Mac desktop programs only, with no web or phone version. It connects to S3, Azure, Wasabi, Backblaze B2, Google Cloud and OpenStack. | 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 | browsing S3 or Azure buckets from a desktop app | 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: MSP360 Explorer and Rclone. How we grade
Where they differ
- Rclone is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
In commonFree planWindowsmacOSFile syncFile management
At a glance
| MSP360 Explorer | Rclone | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free |
| Starts at | Not published | Free |
| Free plan | The macOS help pages list a free version with file restore, transfer and monitoring, beside a commercial one. | Free and open source under the MIT license; no paid plans. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | MSP360 | Nick Craig-Wood and contributors |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | rclone.org |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
MSP360 Explorer
- The vendor's main site blocked our reader, so pricing could not be confirmed and no plans are listed.
- The Sync Folders feature was removed as of Windows version 6.2; Compare Folders replaces it.
- The macOS edition is described as offering basic file management features.
- The Windows version needs Windows 7 or later and .NET Framework 4.7.2 or higher.
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
MSP360 Explorer
- Multi-cloud browsing
- Connects to Amazon S3, Microsoft Azure, Wasabi, Backblaze B2, Google Cloud, OpenStack and S3-compatible storage in one window.
- Copy between local and cloud
- Local-to-cloud, cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-local copying, with a queue to monitor transfers and no stated transfer limits.
- Storage-level controls
- Windows version manages ACLs, HTTP headers, object versions, Glacier restores and, for S3 only, storage classes and IAM roles.
- MFA protection and Object Lock
- The Windows help center documents MFA protection for file versions and an Object Lock feature.
- Command line and PowerShell
- A command line interface and a PowerShell snap-in are documented for scripting on Windows.
- Shareable links
- The macOS version generates web URLs for sharing content and lets you manage transfer bandwidth.
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
MSP360 Explorer
Pricing could not be confirmed. See msp360.com.
Rclone
Rclone$0
Free MIT-licensed software; you pay only the storage providers you connect it to.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, MSP360 Explorer or Rclone?
As of Nov 13, 2026, MSP360 Explorer has no price we could confirm, and Rclone is free.
Which has a free plan, MSP360 Explorer or Rclone?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both MSP360 Explorer and Rclone have a free plan.
Which platforms do MSP360 Explorer and Rclone run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Rclone lists Linux and Android apps. Both list macOS and Windows 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.