Unison
A cross-platform file synchronizer that keeps distributed copies in sync while detecting and managing conflicts
- Also known as
- unison
Available worldwide
What is Unison?
Unison maintains multiple copies of files and directories on different hosts or disks, automatically propagating non-conflicting changes between replicas. It detects conflicting updates, works offline after synchronization, and runs as a user-level program without requiring kernel modifications or elevated privileges.
Unison pricing
We don't have Unison's full plan breakdown yet (its pricing page resisted automated reading). Here's what we could confirm. Always check live pricing for exact numbers.
What Unison does
The capabilities that matter for file sync, normalised so it lines up with every alternative. “-” means we haven't confirmed it, not that it's missing.
- Deployment model
- Self hosted
- 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
Platform & deployment
Independently observed- CLI
- macOS
- Linux
- Windows
- Self-hosted
Security & compliance
Known vulnerabilities: 0 (0 in the last 12 months) sourcea count reflects scale & disclosure, not quality
Unison FAQ
Common questions about Unison, answered from independent, dated evidence.
What is Unison?
Unison is an open-source utility that maintains two replicas of files and directories across separate hosts or storage devices, automatically propagating non-conflicting changes while detecting conflicting updates. It works over internet connections including slow links, and allows offline access to already-synchronized data. It is indexed under File Sync.
Source: https://github.com/pricing
Is Unison free?
Unison offers a free tier, so you can start without paying. Pricing changes often, so verify at source before relying on it.
Source: https://github.com/pricing
What platforms does Unison support?
Unison supports Windows, macOS, Linux and a command-line interface. Platforms we have not confirmed are simply not listed here rather than ruled out.
Source: https://github.com/pricing
Can Unison be self-hosted?
Yes. Unison can be deployed self-hosted, so it does not have to run on the vendor's infrastructure.
Source: https://github.com/pricing
Is Unison open source?
Yes. Unison is published under the GPL-3.0 licence, a copyleft licence, so check its terms before embedding it in a closed-source product. Licence terms can change between releases, so verify against the repository for the version you intend to use.
Unison alternatives
Other file sync we track, ranked by the same independent score.
- RcloneA command-line tool for synchronizing files and directories across cloud storage serviceshigh · 78%
- Syncthingmedium · 58%
- rsyncFast incremental file synchronization and transfer utilitylow · 47%
- SeafileOpen-source self-hosted storage with privacy, file syncing, and team collaborationlow · 16%
- ownCloudSelf-hostable platform for synchronizing and sharing files across an organizationlow · 26%
- NextcloudA self-hosted platform for file storage, sync, and team collaboration across deviceslow · 21%
Compare Unison
Side by side against other file sync, attribute by attribute, with a source on every value.
The vioscaleAI score: one lens on the evidence
Not user reviews and not a paid placement: a confidence-weighted blend of the independent signals below (adoption, activity, security posture, and more), which you can sort and re-weight yourself. Vendors can correct their listing but can never move their rank, and stars are weighted low as a vanity metric. It is one way to read the evidence for Unison, not the verdict.
| Signal | Score | Weight | Contribution | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capabilities | 67 | 0.07 | 4.7 | ✓ |
| Development activity | 25 | 0.09 | 2.3 | ✓ |
| Security score | 47 | 0.04 | 2.0 | ✓ |
| Stars | 71 | 0.03 | 1.8 | ✓ |
| Release cadence | 27 | 0.05 | 1.4 | ✓ |
| Integrations | 0 | 0.08 | 0.0 | - |
| Dependent projects | 0 | 0.06 | 0.0 | ✓ |
| Security posture | 0 | 0.06 | 0.0 | - |
| Package downloads | 0 | 0.14 | 0.0 | - |
| Developer Q&A activity | 0 | 0.06 | 0.0 | - |
Computed . Re-weight it by intent, or see the full method.
All data & sourcesshow ↓
Every value we hold, with its source, retrieval date, and confidence. This is the evidence behind the score: don't trust it, verify it.
Activity
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Commits last 30d | 5 | mediumsource · 2026-09-13 · 65% |
Adoption
Content
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Faq | 5 items | mediumsource · 2026-09-10 · 67% |
Features
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Capabilities | Pricing model: free_open_source · Deployment model: self_hosted · Peer to peer p2p network routing: Yes · Self hosted linux docker deployment: Yes · Block level delta sync transfer speed: Yes · Client server architecture cloud host: No | mediumsource · 2026-10-14 · 60% |
Language
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Primary | OCaml | highsource · 2026-10-14 · 90% |
License
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Spdx | GPL-3.0 | highsource · 2026-10-14 · 95% |
Market
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Availability | PrimaryMarkets: … · AvailabilityScope: global · AvailableCountries: … · NotAvailableCountries: … | highsource · 2026-10-14 · 75% |
Pricing
Release
Security
| Attribute | Value | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Trust center | https://github.com/security | mediumsource · 2026-10-14 · 60% |
| Scorecard | 4.7 | highsource · 2026-10-14 · 90% |
| Vulnerabilities | Count: 0 · Source: https://advisories.ecosyste.ms/api/v1/advisories?ecosystem=openbsd&package_name=net%2Funison%2C-gui&per_page=100 · Last 12m: 0 | highsource · 2026-10-14 · 90% |
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