# FreeFileSync review (2026): is the free plan enough? > Open-source folder comparison and sync for desktops Checked Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA. FreeFileSync compares a source and a target folder and copies only the differences. It handles local drives, network shares, FTP, SFTP, Google Drive and phones over MTP. The standard version is free for private personal use; businesses must buy per-device Business Edition licenses. - **Category:** File Storage & Sync - **Made by:** Zenju - **Website:** https://freefilesync.org - **Runs on:** Windows, macOS, Linux - **Who should skip it:** Skip it if you are a business, as the free and donation versions are personal use only. - **Facts last checked:** Nov 13, 2026 ## Pricing As of Nov 13, 2026, FreeFileSync has a free plan, and paid plans start at €20 per device (Business Edition, includes one year of updates). - **Pricing model:** Free plan - **Free plan:** Standard version is free for personal use by private individuals only, with no limit on the number of files. - **Free trial:** None listed. | Plan | Price | What you get | | --- | --- | --- | | 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. | Read from https://freefilesync.org/faq.php on Nov 13, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with FreeFileSync before buying. ## Key features - **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. ## Good for - Mirroring folders to an external drive or NAS - Windows, Mac or Linux users who want a free desktop sync tool - Small businesses that need a per-device license ## Worth knowing - 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. ## ToolGPA grades **GPA: 3.0 out of 4**, graded Nov 13, 2026. FreeFileSync compares two folders and copies only the differences, to local drives, network shares, FTP, SFTP and Google Drive. The standard edition is free for private use only, businesses need the €20 per device edition, and there is no phone app. - **Value for money: A.** Free 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. - **Free plan and trial: B.** The Standard edition is free, but only for private individuals. Any business or organisation needs the Business Edition. - **Features: B.** Compare then sync, moved-file detection, version history, many targets and batch jobs. Email alerts and parallel copy are limited to Donation and Business editions. - **Ease of use: B.** No rating on record. You install it and pair two folders, with nothing else to set up. - **Platforms and integrations: C.** Desktop downloads for Windows, macOS and Linux only. No phone or web version, and few cloud links beyond Google Drive. These are ToolGPA's own grades. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from FreeFileSync's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. ## Where it stands among file storage and sync services - FreeFileSync's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 83 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 2. - It stands best on value for money (A, above 74 of 91) and worst on platforms and integrations (C, above 1). - Its paid plans start at about $1.86 a month, against a middle price of $6.64 for the category: 7 of the 60 others that charge start lower. - On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less. The category's chart of price against score: https://toolgpa.com/charts/file-storage ## Keep it, or make your own? **Keep it.** To replace FreeFileSync you would be making files kept in step across devices without losing one. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 83 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade. It costs $22.34 a year. FreeFileSync is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself. - You could not: Files kept in step across devices without losing one. - You could not: A file manager working directly on your disk. - You could not: Apps for macOS, Windows and Linux that stay in step with each other. - You could not: The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job. A judgement by ToolGPA from this listing, by rules that are the same for every tool. Nothing was built to test it. ## Works with Google Drive, FTP, SFTP, Windows Task Scheduler **Tags:** Open source, File sync, File management ## Alternatives - [Rclone](https://toolgpa.com/tools/rclone): Command-line tool for syncing and mounting cloud storage. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freefilesync-vs-rclone) - [Syncovery](https://toolgpa.com/tools/syncovery): One-time-license file sync and backup for desktops and NAS. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freefilesync-vs-syncovery) - [GoodSync](https://toolgpa.com/tools/goodsync): File backup and two-way sync software for desktops and servers. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freefilesync-vs-goodsync) - [Unison](https://toolgpa.com/tools/unison): Open-source two-way file synchronizer for Unix, macOS and Windows. [Compare](https://toolgpa.com/compare/freefilesync-vs-unison) ## Sources The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Nov 13, 2026: - https://freefilesync.org/ - https://freefilesync.org/faq.php - https://freefilesync.org/download.php Page: https://toolgpa.com/tools/freefilesync Listed by ToolGPA (toolgpa.com).