# rsync vs Syncthing

| Attribute | rsync | Syncthing |
|---|---|---|
| **Vioscale score** | 52.5 (16% (low)) | 67.5 (31% (low)) |
| activity.commits_last_30d | 100 | 35 |
| adoption.dependent_repos | 0 | 175 |
| adoption.github_stars | 5,158 | 88,008 |
| deployment.options | - | `{"on_prem":true,"self_hosted":true}` |
| description.long | An open source command-line tool for efficiently synchronizing files and directories between systems. It uses the rsync algorithm to send only differences rather than complete copies, supporting multiple transport protocols (SSH, rsh, direct sockets) and can operate as both a client and server. | Syncthing automatically synchronizes files between multiple computers in real-time while encrypting all communication and storing data only on your own devices. It operates without central servers, giving you complete privacy and control over where your data is stored and who can access it. |
| features.capabilities | - | `{"pricing_model":"free_open_source","deployment_model":"p2p_client","peer_to_peer_p2p_network_routing":true,"aws_s3_azure_blob_external_mounts":false,"active_directory_ldap_identity_sync":false,"self_hosted_linux_docker_deployment":true,"client_server_architecture_cloud_host":false,"end_to_end_encryption_keys_in_transit":true}` |
| language.primary | C | Go |
| license.spdx | - | MPL-2.0 |
| platform.support | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"linux":true,"android":true,"windows":true}` | `{"cli":true,"mac":true,"web":true,"linux":true,"windows":true}` |
| pricing | `{"type":"open_source","plans":[{"free":true,"name":"Open Source","description":"Freely available under GNU General Public License"}],"summary":"Free and open source (GNU GPL)","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://rsync.samba.org","retrievedAt":"2026-08-20T16:36:33.254Z"}` | `{"type":"open_source","summary":"Free and open source","freeTier":true,"sourceUrl":"https://syncthing.net","retrievedAt":"2026-08-21T12:45:46.864Z"}` |
| pricing.free_tier | yes | yes |
| pricing.model | open_source | commercial |
| pricing.price_level | free | free |
| pricing.transparent | yes | yes |
| release.cadence_days | 21 | 9 |
| release.history | `[{"url":"https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.5.0","date":"2026-08-13T00:30:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.5.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.4.4","date":"2026-06-08T04:59:28Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.4.3","date":"2026-05-20T00:16:38Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.4.2","date":"2026-04-28T04:50:25Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.4.1","date":"2025-01-15T21:06:03Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/RsyncProject/rsync/releases/tag/v3.4.0","date":"2025-01-14T19:39:27Z","type":"stable","version":"v3.4.0"}]` | `[{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.4-rc.2","date":"2026-08-24T19:15:28Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.4-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.4-rc.1","date":"2026-08-19T10:39:46Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.4-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.3","date":"2026-08-05T13:06:38Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.1.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.3-rc.3","date":"2026-08-03T22:03:26Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.3-rc.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.3-rc.2","date":"2026-07-28T06:32:24Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.3-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.3-rc.1","date":"2026-07-21T05:03:07Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.3-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.2","date":"2026-07-08T13:43:41Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.1.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.2-rc.4","date":"2026-06-26T06:04:03Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.2-rc.4"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.2-rc.3","date":"2026-06-23T10:04:39Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.2-rc.3"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.2-rc.2","date":"2026-06-13T06:47:21Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.2-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.2-rc.1","date":"2026-06-12T07:20:25Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.2-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.1","date":"2026-06-02T11:50:30Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.1.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.1-rc.1","date":"2026-05-25T13:35:09Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.1-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.0","date":"2026-05-12T06:46:04Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.1.0"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.0-rc.2","date":"2026-05-09T11:51:47Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.0-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.1.0-rc.1","date":"2026-04-26T10:46:18Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.1.0-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.0.16","date":"2026-04-07T14:45:12Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.16"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.0.16-rc.2","date":"2026-03-13T14:19:28Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.16-rc.2"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.0.16-rc.1","date":"2026-03-03T22:34:38Z","type":"prerelease","version":"v2.0.16-rc.1"},{"url":"https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing/releases/tag/v2.0.15","date":"2026-03-03T08:50:59Z","type":"stable","version":"v2.0.15"}]` |
| security.disclosure_policy | yes | - |
| security.scorecard | - | 5.8 |
| security.vulnerabilities | `{"count":0,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Frsyncproject%2Frsync&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":null}` | `{"count":3,"source":"https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=go&package_name=github.com%2Fsyncthing%2Fsyncthing&per_page=100","last_12m":0,"max_severity":"HIGH"}` |

## Capabilities (File Sync)

| Capability | rsync | Syncthing |
|---|:--:|:--:|
| **Capabilities** |  |  |
| Deployment model | - | P2p client |
| Peer to peer p2p network routing | - | ✓ |
| Client server architecture cloud host | - | ✗ |
| Block level delta sync transfer speed | - | - |
| Self hosted linux docker deployment | - | ✓ |
| Synology qnap nas hardware integration | - | - |
| Aws s3 azure blob external mounts | - | ✗ |
| Active directory ldap identity sync | - | ✗ |
| Version history and conflict resolution | - | - |
| End to end encryption keys in transit | - | ✓ |
| SOC2 type ii | - | - |
| ISO 27001 | - | - |
| Pricing model | - | Free open source |

*Source: Vioscale. Generated 2026-09-01T16:28:29.876Z. "-" = undocumented, not absent.*