Syncthing vs Synology Drive (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Syncthing grades higher than Synology Drive: 2.6 against 2.2 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Syncthing grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Synology Drive grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Synology Drive
Private-cloud file sync and sharing that runs on a Synology NAS
Free
Which one is for you
Pick Syncthing if
- Fits if you want folders in step between your own computers with no cloud provider involved
- Works for people with a home server who want a desktop's folders copied to it
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want your files on your iPhone, as there are no plans for an official iOS app
- Not for you if you want a cloud copy, since files live only on your own devices
- Not for you if a command-line program with a browser settings page sounds like hard work
- Watch out: devices swap files only when both are online at the same time
- Watch out: there are no sharing links, and help is a community forum unless you pay Kastelo, a separate company
Pick Synology Drive if
- Fits if you already own a Synology NAS and want your own sync
- Works for a home or office that wants files kept on its own hardware
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you don't own a Synology NAS, as there is no hosted option
- Tight if you want unlimited users: maximum and concurrent users vary by NAS model
- Watch out: desktop clients cover Windows, macOS and Ubuntu only
- Watch out: storage is whatever your NAS holds, so capacity is a hardware cost
How we grade them
| 2.6GPASyncthingGood | 2.2GPASynology DriveFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree software with no paid plans at all, where the rest of this category charges around $5 a month for ever. The project lives on donations, and if you want somebody to call, a separate company, Kastelo, sells commercial support. | CNo license fee, but it runs only on a NAS you buy, which counts as self-hosting. |
| Free plan and trial | AFree outright on every operating system it supports, source code and all, with no paid tier above it holding anything back and no account to make in the first place. | CFree to install, but you need the NAS first, and storage and users depend on the model. |
| Features | CIt does its one job completely: continuous sync of as many folders as you like, over encrypted and authenticated connections, at home or across the internet. But that one job is smaller than this category's. There's no cloud copy, no sharing links, and devices swap files only when both are online. | CSync, sharing and team folders, but only on a Synology NAS, and user limits vary by model. |
| Ease of use | DWhat you download is a command-line daemon you configure through a page in your browser, on every machine, with tray icons and file-browser integration as separate downloads. Devices do pair by ID with no network fiddling, but this is not install and go. | DYou set up a NAS and install the package yourself. No store rating on record. |
| Platforms and integrations | CComputers only: Mac, Windows, Linux and several BSD systems. No phone apps are listed and the team says it has no plans to support iOS officially, so your photos and your phone are out of the picture. | AWeb, Windows, Mac, Ubuntu, iPhone, iPad and Android clients, with 3 integrations. |
| Best for | syncing your own computers with no cloud | private file sync on your own Synology NAS |
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: Syncthing and Synology Drive. How we grade
Price against what you get
Syncthing has no paid plan and scores 1.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Synology Drive has no paid plan and scores 2.3.
Synology Drive scores higher for the same starting price. Of the other file storage and sync services on the chart, none scores higher than Syncthing for less, and none scores higher than Synology Drive 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
- Syncthing is open source, according to its own site.
- Synology Drive also covers file sharing.
In commonFree planmacOSWindowsLinuxFile sync
At a glance
| Syncthing | Synology Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Starts at | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Syncthing is free software with no paid plans. The project's servers and development grants are funded by donations. | No license fee; installed from the DSM Package Center on a Synology NAS. Storage and user limits depend on the NAS model. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Syncthing Foundation | Synology Inc. |
| Price read from | syncthing.net | synology.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Syncthing
- There is no cloud storage: files live only on your devices, and devices exchange data only when they are online at the same time.
- The Syncthing team says it has no plans to officially support iOS; a separate open source iOS app incorporates Syncthing.
- The base download is a command-line daemon with a web interface. Tray icons and file browser integration come from separate downloads.
- Support is through the community forum; commercial support is sold by a separate company, Kastelo.
Synology Drive
- It needs a Synology NAS; storage capacity and user counts follow the model you buy.
- There is no hosted option on the page: Drive installs through the NAS Package Center.
- Desktop clients cover Windows, macOS and Ubuntu; mobile covers iOS, iPadOS and Android.
- Maximum users and concurrent users vary by NAS model.
Key features
Syncthing
- Continuous synchronization
- Folders are kept in sync between two or more computers in real time. You can sync as many folders as you need, with other people or only between your own devices.
- No central server
- Data is never stored anywhere other than on your own computers, so there is no cloud account or third-party server holding the files.
- Encrypted, authenticated connections
- All communication is secured with TLS and perfect forward secrecy. Each device has a cryptographic certificate, and only devices you explicitly allow can connect.
- Browser-based interface
- Syncthing is configured and monitored through a responsive web interface served by the program and opened in a browser.
- Works over LAN and Internet
- Devices find each other by ID without IP addresses or advanced configuration. UPnP is used where available, and relays carry traffic when no direct connection is possible.
- Open protocol and source
- The sync protocol is a documented specification and all source code is public, with development and bug reports open for anyone to read.
Synology Drive
- Sync on demand
- Files can stream to a device only when requested, or be pinned for a permanent local copy. On-demand sync needs Windows 10 1809 or later.
- Version history
- Previous file and folder versions are restored from the client, and the Intelliversioning algorithm keeps the most significant changes.
- Share links and requests
- Links carry role-based permissions, and request links let outside people upload files straight to your NAS.
- Backup and ShareSync
- Real-time or scheduled backup of chosen folders, and ShareSync keeps folders in step between Synology systems.
- Admin console and auditing
- A dashboard tracks clients and activity, and audit logs cover up to 40 action types. Watermarks and remote wipe are available.
- Co-editing in Synology Office
- Microsoft or OpenDocument files can be converted and edited together in Synology Office, with file locking against conflicts.
Plans
Syncthing
SyncthingFree
The full program for every supported operating system, with source code available on GitHub.
Synology Drive
Synology Drive$0
License-free software; storage comes from the Synology NAS you choose.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Syncthing or Synology Drive?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Syncthing and Synology Drive are free to use.
Which has a free plan, Syncthing or Synology Drive?
As of Nov 12, 2026, both Syncthing and Synology Drive have a free plan.
Which platforms do Syncthing and Synology Drive run on?
As of Nov 12, 2026, only Synology Drive lists a web app and iOS and Android apps. 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.