Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups
Register | Login

FreeFileSync VS Duplicity

Compare FreeFileSync VS Duplicity and see what are their differences

Fileport
The fastest way to send files over the internet featured
Contents:
  1. » Base Details
  2. » Videos
  3. » Reviews
  4. » Alternatives

FreeFileSync logo FreeFileSync

FreeFileSync is a free open source data backup software that helps you synchronize files and folders on Windows, Linux and macOS.

Duplicity logo Duplicity

Duplicity backs directories by producing encrypted tar-format volumes and uploading them to a remote or local file server.
  • FreeFileSync Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-24
  • Duplicity Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-12

FreeFileSync features and specs

  • Free and Open Source
    FreeFileSync is freely available without any cost and its source code can be inspected, modified, and enhanced by anyone.
  • Cross-Platform
    The software is available for multiple operating systems including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it versatile for users across different platforms.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The application features an intuitive, easy-to-use graphical interface that simplifies the process of setting up and running backups and syncs.
  • Advanced Sync Options
    FreeFileSync offers advanced options like real-time sync, versioning, and mirror sync, giving users flexibility in how they manage their files.
  • High Performance
    The software is optimized for speed and efficiency, enabling quick synchronization and backup processes even for large directories.
  • Robust Error Handling
    FreeFileSync has robust error handling and recovery features, ensuring data integrity and reliability during file operations.

Possible disadvantages of FreeFileSync

  • Limited Cloud Integration
    FreeFileSync offers limited integration with cloud storage services, which may not be sufficient for users heavily reliant on cloud platforms.
  • Potentially Complex for Novices
    While the interface is user-friendly, some of the advanced options and settings may be overwhelming for new or inexperienced users.
  • Donation Requests
    The software occasionally prompts users to donate, which some may find intrusive or annoying despite being free to use.
  • No Automated Scheduling in Free Version
    Automated scheduling is not available in the free version, requiring users to manually trigger synchronization or purchase the donation edition for this feature.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source, the primary support channel is community forums, which may not offer the same level of assistance as dedicated customer service.

Duplicity features and specs

  • Encrypted Backups
    Duplicity uses GnuPG to encrypt and sign backups, ensuring that data is secure and protected from unauthorized access.
  • Incremental Backups
    Supports incremental backups which only save the changes made since the last backup, reducing storage requirements and speeding up the backup process.
  • Storage Flexibility
    Supports various backends for backup storage including local files, FTP, SCP, Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, and others, giving users flexible storage options.
  • Bandwidth Efficiency
    Uploads bandwidth-efficient tar-format volumes using rsync or ssh+rsync, optimizing network usage.
  • Open Source
    Duplicity is open source software, meaning it is free to use and the codebase can be reviewed and modified by the community.
  • Cross-Platform
    Available on various operating systems including Unix-like systems (Linux, macOS) and Windows, making it versatile for different user environments.

Possible disadvantages of Duplicity

  • Complex Configuration
    Has a steep learning curve and complex configuration setup which may be challenging for non-technical users or those new to backup management.
  • Dependency on External Libraries
    Relies on several external libraries such as GnuPG and Python, which may complicate installation and maintenance.
  • Command Line Interface
    Lacks a graphical user interface (GUI), requiring users to operate through a command line, potentially limiting its usability for those unfamiliar with command-line operations.
  • Backup Speed
    Incremental backups can still be relatively slow, especially for large datasets or when using certain storage backends.
  • Restoration Time
    Restoring data can be time-consuming, particularly if multiple incremental backups need to be reassembled to recover the most recent version of files.
  • Limited Community Support
    Though it is open source, the community around Duplicity is smaller compared to more mainstream backup solutions, potentially leading to slower support and fewer third-party resources.

Analysis of FreeFileSync

Overall verdict

  • Overall, FreeFileSync is a highly regarded file synchronization and backup solution. Its combination of powerful features, user-friendly interface, and low cost (free) makes it a popular choice for individuals and small businesses looking to manage their file synchronization needs.

Why this product is good

  • FreeFileSync is considered good by many users because of its robust feature set, ease of use, and the fact that it is open source. It offers features such as real-time synchronization, support for multiple platforms, and the ability to handle large files and numerous files efficiently, which makes it a versatile tool for personal and professional use.

Recommended for

    FreeFileSync is recommended for users who need a reliable and efficient way to sync files across devices or create consistent backups. It is ideal for both casual users who need a straightforward backup solution and more technical users who require advanced features and customization.

Analysis of Duplicity

Overall verdict

  • Duplicity is considered a highly capable backup software, especially appreciated for its encryption and compatibility with multiple storage solutions. However, its command-line nature might present a learning curve for those unfamiliar with terminal operations. Overall, it is well-regarded in tech communities for its flexibility and security features.

Why this product is good

  • Duplicity is a reliable and versatile backup solution that supports encrypted, versioned, and incremental backups. It utilizes the rsync algorithm and supports a wide range of backends, offering secure and confidential data storage over various protocols like FTP, SSH, and cloud services. Its robust encryption ensures data security during transfer and storage. Additionally, it provides command-line functionality, allowing advanced users to automate and customize their backup operations effectively.

Recommended for

  • Tech-savvy users comfortable with command-line interfaces
  • Individuals or organizations needing encrypted backups
  • Users requiring incremental backups and version control
  • Linux users seeking open-source backup solutions

FreeFileSync videos

+ Add

Simple, Fast, Automated File Backup [FREE] | 2020 [FreeFileSync]

More videos:

  • Review - FreeFileSync: Tips and Tricks
  • Review - FreeFileSync: RealTimeSync
  • Review - FreeFileSync: Folder Comparison and Synchronization

Duplicity videos

+ Add

Duplicity Movie Review: Beyond The Trailer

More videos:

  • Review - "Duplicity" (Funny Movie Review)
  • Review - Duplicity Spill Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to FreeFileSync and Duplicity)

FreeFileSync

Duplicity

File Sharing And Backup
91 91%
File Sharing And Backup
9% 9
Cloud Storage
83 83%
Cloud Storage
17% 17
Backup And Disaster Recovery
100 100%
Backup And Disaster Recovery
0% 0
File Sharing
82 82%
File Sharing
18% 18

User comments

Share your experience with using FreeFileSync and Duplicity. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare FreeFileSync and Duplicity

FreeFileSync Reviews

15 Best Rclone Alternatives 2022
As a result, FreeFileSync helps speed up backup procedures by comparing source and target folders and just copying what is needed rather than copying everything. Additional synchronization options are available via the command line just like with rclone.
Source: rigorousthemes.com
The 5 Best File Syncing Apps
FreeFileSync is useful for individuals and businesses for comparing multiple folders and synchronizing folders. It provides a robust backup solution. Choose to sync folders in real time, sync on a schedule, or run the sync program at startup.
Source: www.lifewire.com
Review of the File Synchronization Tools
FreeFileSync is a folder comparison and synchronization software, which can create and manage backup copies of all important files. FreeFileSync does not need to copy every file every time but determines the difference between the source folder and the destination folder and transfers only the minimum amount of data required. FreeFileSync is open source software, which can...
Source: source.raysync.io
8 best Windows 10 file sync software
User feedback: “After wasting $40+ dollars on a competitor’s product, I tried out Freefilesync. FreefileSync was able to compare hundreds of thousands of files […] in 10 minutes, which was taking the competitor’s product over 3 hours.”
Source: windowsreport.com
12 Free File and Folder Synchronization Tools for windows
Enhanced for maximum performance, FreeFileSync is an open source tool that assists you to sync files and folders for different operating systems like, Windows, Mac OS X and Linux. It comes with a simplified interface and offers an optimized usability. Using this tool you can compare data by date, size or content. You simply need to drag and drop the folders you want to...
Source: thegeekpage.com

Duplicity Reviews

25 Outstanding Backup Utilities for Linux Systems in 2020
Duplicity is a free open source, secure and bandwidth-efficient backup tool based on rsync. It creates encrypted backups of directories in tar-format archives and backs them on the local or remote machine over SSH. When launched for the first time, it performs a full backup, and in subsequent backups in the future, it only records parts of files that have changed.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, FreeFileSync seems to be a lot more popular than Duplicity. While we know about 204 links to FreeFileSync, we've tracked only 12 mentions of Duplicity. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

FreeFileSync mentions (204)

  • Ask HN: What project do you donate to?
    Not regularly, but I have donated to: FreeFileSync, an excellent file sync utility within a network. https://freefilesync.org/ StemRoller, separate stems (e.g., voice) from songs. https://www.stemroller.com/ John's Background Switcher, shuffle wallpapers from various sources https://johnsad.ventures/software/backgroundswitcher/ Wikipedia Foundation Etc. - Source: Hacker News / 7 days ago
  • Ask HN: What Underrated Open Source Project Deserves More Recognition?
    FreeFileSync https://freefilesync.org/ I have been a happy user for years and have made a donation too. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Which synchronization tool are you using together with the pCloud Crypto Folder?
    FreeFileSync messed up my pCloud database a couple times at first (causing disappearing files in the Crypto Folder, mirroring of the same files over and over again). Pcloud support provided an easy way to fix the database. To fix the root cause, one needs to exclude FreeFileSync's temporary files from the backup: pCloud Drive > Settings > Backup/Sync Exclusions, exclude sync.ffs_lock and *.ffs_tmp. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Why are file backups so slow on Windows 11?
    As per Apprehensive_Arm_754 answer below, https://freefilesync.org is the solution to my particular problem, since it allows all kind of simple rules and logic to apply, so I can make sure that the copy only happens in one direction, and only ever by file date etc. Much appreciated. Source: over 1 year ago
  • Why are file backups so slow on Windows 11?
    I use this one: https://freefilesync.org. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Duplicity mentions (12)

  • Restic: Backups Done Right
    Other popular choices include borg, duplicity, and duplicati. After evaluating these and others mentioned in the comments, I ended up using borg with borgmatic to define homelab backups with yaml files that are version controlled in gitea and deployed using ansible. I also use duplicity to back up my sister in laws storefront website to backblaze. I've been quite happy with both.... - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Are small ceph clusters viable?
    Overbuilt and OTT? Sure... But this works fantastically for my use case. I have current backups of everything except my media library because of the size of it; my VM's are all backed up to my Synology nightly using Backy2, my application data gets dumped to that same Synology NAS nightly as well, and all of that also gets synced to Glacier deep storage once a week using Duplicity. I'm going to be adding a new ZFS... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Most used selfhosted services in 2022?
    There are some backup tools in this thread. Duplicati, rsync, restic, Duplicity, Syncthing. Source: over 2 years ago
  • reposting help with bash script
    Here are a couple of projects that implement what you seem to be trying to do: https://duplicity.gitlab.io , https://borgbackup.readthedocs.io/en/stable/index.html# . You could either use them or just look at the scripts for ideas Writing your own script is a great exercise but a robust, historical and conveniently accessible backup system is more complicated. (I personally use rsnapshot to an encrypted drive... Source: over 2 years ago
  • Simple backup tools for Fedora?
    GUI based on https://duplicity.gitlab.io/. Source: over 2 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing FreeFileSync and Duplicity, you can also consider the following products

Syncthing - Syncthing replaces proprietary sync and cloud services with something open, trustworthy and...

Duplicati - Free backup software to store backups online with strong encryption. Works with FTP, SSH, WebDAV, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Google Drive and many others.

rsync - rsync is a file transfer program for Unix systems. rsync uses the "rsync algorithm" which provides a very fast method for bringing remote files into sync.

SpiderOak - SpiderOak makes it possible for you to privately store, sync, share & access your data from everywhere.

GoodSync - GoodSync provides highly reliable file backup and synchronization for both individuals and businesses.

Borg Backup - Deduplicating backup program with compression and authenticated encryption

Loading...