Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Insync VS rsync

Compare Insync VS rsync and see what are their differences

Insync logo Insync

Meet the Insync team that made it possible for users to do more with Google Drive storage on your devices.

rsync logo 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.
  • Insync Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-03-18
  • rsync Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-31

Insync features and specs

  • Multi-account support
    Insync allows users to sync files across multiple Google Drive and OneDrive accounts, which is useful for people managing personal and professional accounts separately.
  • Cross-platform compatibility
    The software is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring that users can access their synced files regardless of the operating system they use.
  • Selective Sync
    Insync offers selective sync options, allowing users to choose specific files or folders to sync, saving bandwidth and storage space.
  • User-friendly interface
    The application features an easy-to-navigate interface, making setup and file management straightforward for users of varying technical skills.
  • Additional cloud storage integrations
    Besides Google Drive and OneDrive, Insync supports other cloud storage services, providing more flexibility and consolidation for file management.

Possible disadvantages of Insync

  • Cost
    Unlike native Google Drive and OneDrive clients, Insync is not free and requires a one-time purchase per account or a subscription, which might be a drawback for budget-conscious users.
  • Occasional sync issues
    Some users have reported intermittent issues with file synchronization, such as delays or conflicts, though these seem to be relatively uncommon.
  • Limited customer support
    Customer support is not available 24/7, and response times can be slow, which could be frustrating for users needing urgent assistance.
  • Resource usage
    The application can be resource-intensive, particularly for users running older hardware or dealing with large volumes of files.

rsync features and specs

  • Efficient Data Transfer
    Rsync uses a delta-transfer algorithm which allows it to update files by only sending the differences between the source and destination, greatly reducing the amount of data transferred.
  • Bandwidth Throttling
    Rsync provides an option to limit the bandwidth used during the transfer, helping to manage network resources and avoid congestion.
  • Compression
    Rsync supports compression of data during transfer, which can further reduce the amount of data sent over the network.
  • Secure Transfer
    Rsync can utilize SSH for secure data transfer, adding a layer of encryption to protect data as it moves between systems.
  • Versatile
    Rsync can be used for a variety of tasks such as backups, mirroring, and synchronization, making it a versatile tool for different data management needs.
  • Preserves File Attributes
    Rsync preserves file permissions, timestamps, ownerships, and symbolic links during the transfer, ensuring that all file attributes remain intact.
  • Widely Supported
    Rsync is available on most Unix-like operating systems and there are ports available for Windows, making it accessible across different platforms.
  • Open Source
    Rsync is free and open-source software, allowing anyone to use, modify, and distribute it without licensing fees.

Possible disadvantages of rsync

  • Complex Syntax
    The rsync command line options can be complex and difficult to master, especially for users who are not familiar with command-line interfaces.
  • Initial Setup
    Setting up rsync for the first time can be cumbersome, particularly when dealing with SSH keys, excluding files, and setting up cron jobs for automation.
  • Resource Intensive
    During large data transfers, rsync can be resource-intensive, consuming a considerable amount of CPU and RAM, which might affect system performance.
  • Limited Incremental Backup Support
    Rsync's incremental backup feature is somewhat limited and less sophisticated compared to dedicated backup solutions, requiring additional scripting for effective implementation.
  • Remote File System Compatibility
    Rsync may encounter issues with certain remote file systems that have different characteristics or limitations, such as differing maximum file path lengths or unsupported special characters.
  • No Native GUI
    Rsync does not have a native graphical user interface (GUI), which may make it less accessible to users who prefer or require a visual interaction.
  • No Built-in Scheduling
    Rsync lacks built-in scheduling capabilities, necessitating the use of external tools like cron (Linux/Unix) or Task Scheduler (Windows) to automate scheduled tasks.

Insync videos

Selectively Sync Google Drive Files on Linux using Insync

More videos:

  • Review - InSync - Year in Review 2018 | Highlights of the Year | APPSeCONNECT
  • Review - InSync: Best of 2015 - The Year in Review

rsync videos

Rsync Backup on Linux

More videos:

  • Tutorial - How to Properly Use Cloud Storage | Rsync Encrypt Tutorial
  • Review - Setup OpenMediaVault 5.0 beta NAS on Raspberry Pi 4: RPi4 NAS + Configure RSync with x2 shares OMV5

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Insync and rsync)
Cloud Storage
20 20%
80% 80
File Sharing And Backup
0 0%
100% 100
Web Service Automation
100 100%
0% 0
File Sharing
7 7%
93% 93

User comments

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Reviews

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

Insync Reviews

  1. It will duplicate all your backups

    I have a PC which I have reformatted twice. In both occasions I backed up all my files which I then proceeded to restore. Upon re-installing and re-configuring Insync, I made the mistake of believing it would actually do its job and check and compare the local files and folders with the online ones, you know, as one would expectโ€ฆ or maybe Iโ€™m stupid and I just donโ€™t get how syncing software should work. In any case, of course it did NOT check and compare anything because why would it? No Sir, it just went and uploaded EVERYTHING again to Google Drive so now I have duplicated files and folders all over the place because of course I do. It has been almost a year to the day since I first wrote to Insync about this, of course I received a very kind reply that was good for absolutely nothing, which I now clearly see because the exact same thing has happened again.

    Moral of the story: If itโ€™s mission-critical, find another software of be ready to spend hours hoping to fix Insyncโ€™s poorly executed solution. And donโ€™t expect them to do anything at all to fix the issue, EVER.


15 Best Rclone Alternatives 2022
Insync is a platform said to have syncing superpowers. The tool supports cloud selective sync, local selective sync, one-way sync, and more. With all these, you can create the perfect syncing workflow.

rsync Reviews

Linux File Backup - 5 Best Softeware for Linux Desktop and Server
Rsync(secured URL: https://linux.die.net/man/1/rsync) is a famous software among Linux desktop users since it offers command-line system backup services. Besides featuring incremental backups, you can update the complete file directory tree inside the system. Even it is possible to protect file ownership, permissions, links, etc.
Source: www.easeus.com
The Best Free Backup Software and Why it is Difficult to Find One
Rsync is the very definition of bare-bones backup software. It is a backup tool that is made for Unix systems with the ability to operate it both via the graphic interface and the command line. It allows for its users to perform local and remote backups on multiple devices, including incremental backups. Rsync also has the capability to sync systems across the internet with...
Source: www.bacula.org
The Top 17 Free and Open Source Backup Solutions
Rsync is a command line Linux backup tool, but it also offers a graphical user interface. With this software, IT administrators are able to perform incremental backups, as well as local and remote backups. Rsync enables users to update their whole directory tree and file system. The solution is built for UNIX-like systems, and is recommended to users looking to locally back...
11 Best Linux Backup Solutions
Rsync is another feature-rich backup solution available for Linux. It allows for incremental backups, update whole directory tree and file system, both local and remote backups, preserve file permissions, ownership, links, privileges, automated scripts and much more. Rsync is a command-line tool but there GUI or frontends such as Grsync available. Rsync is very popular in...
25 Outstanding Backup Utilities for Linux Systems in 2020
It also has a graphical user interface called Grsync but one advantage with the rsync is that backups can be automated using scripts and cron jobs when used by experienced System Administrators on the command line.
Source: www.tecmint.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, rsync seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 17 times since March 2021. 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.

Insync mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Insync yet. Tracking of Insync recommendations started around Mar 2021.

rsync mentions (17)

  • Openrsync: A BSD-licensed implementation of rsync, by the OpenBSD team
    Ubuntu's rsync is samba rsync. It's not part of the samba project per se, but it is made by the same guy and the official url is https://rsync.samba.org/ so it's entirely fair to call it samba rsync in my opinion. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • CDC File Transfer
    Please bear in mind that there are [now] two distinct rsync codebases. The original is the GPL variant [today displaying "Upgrade required"]: https://rsync.samba.org/ The second is the BSD clone: https://www.openrsync.org/ The BSD version would be used on platforms that are intolerant of later versions of the GPL (Apple, Android, etc.). - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Down the Rabbit Hole of creating a Home Lab
    Rsync - Fast file copying and syncing. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Researchers have identified a total of 6 vulnerabilities in rsync
    Does this apply to the GPL or BSD codebase? There are (now) two rsync codebases. GPL: https://rsync.samba.org/ BSD: https://www.openrsync.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Which synchronization tool are you using together with the pCloud Crypto Folder?
    Rsync can be used to synchronize a local disk to the pCloud drive p. Works similarly as the Sync option of the pCloud Drive app. May be useful if one prefers a bulk upload once a day over a continuous synchronization. Source: over 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Insync and rsync, you can also consider the following products

odrive - odrive aggregates all cloud storage. Access, sync, share, and encrypt everything in one place. Integrations to 20+ storage services, desktop sync, Linux support, placeholder files, zero-knowledge-encryption, web client, advanced sharing, and more!

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

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

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

Cyberduck - A libre FTP, SFTP, WebDAV, S3, Backblaze B2, Azure & OpenStack Swift browser.

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