Dropbox vs Syncthing
Dropbox is a hosted sync and storage service; Syncthing is free open-source software that syncs between your own devices with no central server.
Pick Dropbox if…
You want hosted storage with apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android, and are fine paying from $9.99/month beyond the free 2 GB Basic plan.
Pick Syncthing if…
You want free, open-source sync directly between your own computers, with your data stored only on your devices, and can live without an official iOS app.
Price
- Freemium
- Free
- Open source
Starting price
Free plan
Open source
Works on
| Feature | Cloud storage and file sharing with sync apps, a free 2 GB plan and paid plans from $9.99 a month. | Open-source continuous file sync between your own devices, with no central server. |
|---|---|---|
| Price |
|
|
| Starting price | $9.99/month (Plus, 1 person, 2 TB) | — |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | No | Yes |
| Works on | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Web, Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Try Dropbox (opens the Dropbox website in a new tab) | Try Syncthing (opens the Syncthing website in a new tab) |
Dropbox is a hosted service. Basic is free with 2 GB for one user, and Plus is $9.99/month for one person with 2 TB; Standard is $15/user/month and Advanced is $24/user/month for 3 or more people. It has a web interface, desktop apps for Windows, macOS and Linux, and mobile apps for iOS and Android. It is not open source.
Syncthing has no plans or prices. It is MPL-2.0 open-source software that syncs folders between two or more of your own computers; its homepage says none of your data is stored anywhere other than your own computers, and that traffic uses TLS with devices identified by certificates. It is managed through a browser interface and has official builds for Linux, Windows, macOS, FreeBSD and others.
The trade-offs are platform support and what you get. Syncthing's FAQ says there are no plans to officially support iOS, and its downloads page lists no Android app. The FAQ also says it is not a great backup application, because changes made to your files are propagated to all your devices. Dropbox's pricing page also describes longer deleted-file restore on higher plans (30 days, 180 days, 1 year).
Dropbox trades control for convenience; Syncthing does the reverse, and costs nothing but your own hardware and some setup time.
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Last updated 17 October 2026. How we make money