The Rclone Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Rclone in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Rclone
The Insider’s Guide
Command-line tool for syncing and mounting cloud storage
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among file storage and sync services, read from Rclone’s own pages.
Made by Nick Craig-Wood and contributors · checked Nov 13, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Rclone’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Rclone’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.8
GPA, above 73 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade
Rclone is an open-source command-line program for copying, syncing, mounting and checking files on local disks and cloud storage. It supports more than 70 storage products, from S3-style object stores to consumer file services, and standard protocols such as SFTP and WebDAV. It is used from the terminal, in scripts, or through its remote-control API.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Rclone, taken from its own pages and our grades.
It is run from the command line and set up with configuration files.
- 1
Best for syncing and mounting cloud storage from the command line
It is a command-line tool, and its web interface is labelled experimental.
- 2
It is free
Rclone has no paid plan at all. Free and open source under the MIT license; no paid plans.
- 3
It runs on 4 platforms
macOS, Windows, Linux and Android.
- 4
Copy, sync and bisync
One-way sync makes a destination match a source; bisync keeps two directories matching in both directions.
- 5
Wide provider support
The site says over 70 cloud storage products support it, including S3 object stores, plus SFTP, WebDAV, FTP and HTTP.
- 6
Mount as a disk
Mounts local, cloud or virtual filesystems as a drive on Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD.
- 7
A 2.8 GPA, above 73 of 91
That is against the other file storage and sync services we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Rclone is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Rclone at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux, Android
- Made by
- Nick Craig-Wood and contributors
- Category
- File Storage & Sync
- Our grade
- 2.8 GPA, good
The report card
Best for syncing and mounting cloud storage from the command line
Rclone is a free MIT-licensed command-line program that copies, syncs and mounts files across 70+ storage products. You pay only your storage providers. It is a command-line tool, and its web interface is labelled experimental.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | Free 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 | A | The whole program is free with no caps. You do need an account with a provider, as it hosts nothing. |
| Features | B | Copy, 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 | D | It is run from the command line and set up with configuration files. The web GUI is labelled experimental. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | A 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. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Rclone is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Moving data between cloud providers without going through a local disk
- Scripted backups to S3-style or other object storage
- People comfortable working in a terminal
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Rclone is free to use.
Free under the MIT licence, with no paid plans.
Rclone
$0
Free MIT-licensed software; you pay only the storage providers you connect it to.
The free plan
Free and open source under the MIT license; no paid plans.
Read from rclone.org on Nov 13, 2026.
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
4
Places it runs: macOS, Windows, Linux and Android
Command-line tool for syncing and mounting cloud storage. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, end-to-end encrypted, public API, file sync, file management.
Nothing in the listing is missing from the job.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux
- Android
What it works with
- Amazon S3
- Google Drive
- Dropbox
- Microsoft OneDrive
- Backblaze B2
- Box
- SFTP
- WebDAV
Rclone is made by Nick Craig-Wood and contributors.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
73/91
Other file storage and sync services it is graded above
Rclone's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 73 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 9.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 86 of 91) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Rclone has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 92 file storage and sync services we grade, cut by the letter each got. Rclone’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 74 of 91
- AFree plan and trialAbove 86 of 91
- BFeaturesAbove 70 of 91
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 91
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 1 of 91
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 66 file storage and sync services. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Rclone is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
Rclone is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.8 is higher than 73 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade.
What you could not
- Files kept in step across devices without losing one.
- A file manager working directly on your disk.
- Apps for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, Amazon S3, Google Drive and Dropbox among them, and has an API.
- End-to-end encryption done properly.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Rclone’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Syncthing, FreeFileSync, Unison, Duplicati and MultCloud
The 5 tools Rclone is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Syncthing
Free
Free, open source file sync directly between your own devices.
- Only Rclone lists an Android app.
- Rclone is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Rclone also covers file management.
- 3.0GPA
FreeFileSync
Free plan · from €20/yr
Open-source folder comparison and sync for desktops.
- Only Rclone lists an Android app.
- Rclone is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- 2.6GPA
Unison
Free
Open-source two-way file synchronizer for Unix, macOS and Windows.
- Only Rclone lists an Android app.
- Rclone is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Rclone also covers file management.
- 2.8GPA
Duplicati
Free plan · from $2/mo
Encrypted backup to storage you choose, with a free open-source client.
- Only Rclone lists an Android app.
- Only Duplicati lists a web app.
- Rclone also covers file sync and file management.
- 2.0GPA
MultCloud
Free plan · from $19.99/mo
Web service for moving and syncing files between cloud drives.
- Only Rclone lists macOS, Windows, Linux and Android apps.
- Only MultCloud lists a web app.
- Rclone is open source and end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Rclone free?
Yes. Rclone is free to use.
How much does Rclone cost?
Rclone lists one plan. Rclone: $0.
What platforms does Rclone work on?
Rclone is available on macOS, Windows, Linux and Android.
Does Rclone have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Rclone is listed for macOS, Windows, Linux and Android.
Is Rclone open source?
Yes. Rclone is open source, according to its own site.
Is Rclone end-to-end encrypted?
Rclone describes itself as end-to-end encrypted on its own site. Nobody here has audited that.
Does Rclone have an API?
Yes. Rclone offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Rclone integrate with?
Rclone's listing names Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Backblaze B2, Box, SFTP and WebDAV.
Who makes Rclone?
Rclone is made by Nick Craig-Wood and contributors.
What are the alternatives to Rclone?
The closest alternatives to Rclone in our directory are Syncthing, FreeFileSync, Unison, Duplicati and MultCloud.
How does Rclone compare with other file storage and sync services?
Rclone's GPA of 2.8 is higher than 73 of the 91 other file storage and sync services we grade, and level with 9.
Is Rclone good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Rclone A for value for money. Rclone has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Rclone?
Rclone is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Rclone’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Rclone's own pages on 13 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Nick Craig-Wood and contributors. Prices change, so check rclone.org before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Rclone, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/rclone
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Rclone: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/rclone
Know someone choosing between file storage and sync services?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/rclone/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded file storage and sync services after Rclone, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- File Storage & Sync Insider's GuideEvery one of the 92 file storage and sync services we grade, compared
- Google Drive Insider's GuideCloud storage tied to Google Docs, Gmail and Photos3.6 GPA
- Filen Insider's GuideEnd-to-end encrypted cloud storage from Germany with open source apps3.4 GPA
- Microsoft OneDrive Insider's GuideMicrosoft's cloud storage, bundled with Microsoft 365 plans3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Rclone’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Rclone is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Nick Craig-Wood and contributors. Prices and plans change: check rclone.org before you buy.