Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Maestral VS Syncthing

Compare Maestral VS Syncthing and see what are their differences

Maestral logo Maestral

Open source Dropbox client for macOS and Linux.

Syncthing logo Syncthing

Syncthing replaces proprietary sync and cloud services with something open, trustworthy and...
  • Maestral Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-27
  • Syncthing Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-18

Maestral features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Maestral is designed to be more lightweight compared to the official Dropbox client, using less system resources and reducing background processing.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source application, Maestral's code is transparent and can be audited by users, enhancing trust and allowing for community contributions.
  • Selective Sync
    Maestral allows for selective synchronization of files and folders, giving users control over what to download to local storage.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    It supports multiple platforms, including macOS and Linux, providing flexibility for users across different operating systems.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    Maestral offers a clean and simple user interface, making it easy for users to navigate and manage their Dropbox files.

Possible disadvantages of Maestral

  • Limited Features
    Maestral does not support some advanced features available in the official Dropbox client, such as LAN sync and Smart Sync.
  • No Windows Support
    Currently, Maestral does not offer support for Windows operating systems, limiting its availability to macOS and Linux users.
  • Dependency Management
    Installing Maestral on certain systems may require manual management of dependencies, which can be cumbersome for less technical users.
  • Potential Sync Issues
    Maestral users may occasionally encounter sync issues or bugs, as with any third-party client, though these are often resolved with updates.

Syncthing features and specs

  • Open Source
    Syncthing is open-source software, making it free to use and allowing for community contributions. This fosters transparency and continuous improvement.
  • Privacy
    The software uses peer-to-peer communication, meaning your files are not stored on a third-party server, enhancing privacy and security.
  • Cross Platform
    Syncthing is available on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android, ensuring broad compatibility.
  • Real-time Sync
    The software offers real-time synchronization, which ensures that changes are immediately propagated across all devices, minimizing data inconsistencies.
  • Version Control
    Syncthing provides file versioning features, which can help recover older versions of files in case of accidental deletion or changes.

Possible disadvantages of Syncthing

  • Complex Setup
    Initial configuration and setup might be complex for users who are not technically inclined, requiring a certain level of understanding of network concepts.
  • Resource Usage
    Real-time syncing and continuous operation can consume significant system resources, affecting performance, especially on less powerful devices.
  • No Native Mobile Experience
    While Syncthing is available on Android, there is no official iOS app, which limits its usability for users on Apple's mobile platform.
  • Network Dependency
    Effective synchronization depends on the availability of a reliable network connection, which can be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Self-Management
    Unlike cloud-based solutions, Syncthing requires users to handle their own backups, security, and maintenance, which can be time-consuming and complex.

Maestral videos

Plamen Dora и Maestral N – разбираем устройство печей, одинаковые или разные? Какую купить?

More videos:

  • Review - Maestral Resort & Casino review in Sveti Stefan, Montenegro
  • Review - Apartments Maestral, Neum, Bosnia and Herzegovina, HD Review

Syncthing videos

Why We Use Syncthing, The Open Source Private File Syncing Tool instead of NextCloud

More videos:

  • Review - Setup and Review of SyncThing, The Open Source File synchronization tool
  • Review - Syncthing for Syncing Both Computers & Phones

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Maestral and Syncthing)
Dropbox
100 100%
0% 0
Cloud Storage
3 3%
97% 97
File Sharing
0 0%
100% 100
File Sharing And Backup

User comments

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Reviews

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

Maestral Reviews

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Syncthing Reviews

15 Best Rclone Alternatives 2022
With this tool, you can synchronize files between multiple computers without hassles. Syncthing is not very different from rclone as it also supports command-line functionality. Also, it’s a free and open source application with all source code available on GitHub.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Syncthing seems to be a lot more popular than Maestral. While we know about 838 links to Syncthing, we've tracked only 46 mentions of Maestral. 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.

Maestral mentions (46)

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Syncthing mentions (838)

  • Ditching Obsidian and building my own
    I'll install https://syncthing.net/ on your computer right now for 100 bucks! - Source: Hacker News / 15 days ago
  • Ditching Obsidian and building my own
    > Obsidian was a great tool for me personally for a long time. But I felt frustrated when I wanted to access my notes on my phone while on-the-go and saw that I had to pay for this feature. I'm using Syncthing [0] to sync my vault between devices. On my main PC, Syncthing runs constantly in the background. Say, if I made a change, and want to send those changes to my phone, I open the application on my phone and... - Source: Hacker News / 15 days ago
  • Feds Link $150M Cyberheist to 2022 LastPass Hacks
    SyncThing[1] works very well for syncing with Android devices, but IIRC doesn't work with iOS. [1] https://syncthing.net/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • Calendar.txt
    I recommend https://syncthing.net/ Works with all file formats, from photos and movies to text files. Cross platform, Linux, Windows, Android, probably also Mac and BSD. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • All Kindles can now be jailbroken
    What are some "killer" applications that would tempt the casual Kindle user to jailbreak the device? I can see someone has ported syncthing [1], which could be convenient for syncing the contents of the device. But probably still too much work compared to using e.g. Calibre and a USB cable a few times per year. [1] https://syncthing.net/. - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Maestral and Syncthing, you can also consider the following products

Rclone - rsync for cloud storage.

Nextcloud - With Nextcloud enterprises host their own secure cloud solution for storage, collaboration & communication from any device, anywhere.

Homebrew - The missing package manager for macOS

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

Onlime - Your Danish cloud storage for PC, Mac, iPhone, and Android - Save and share files in the cloud - Secure backup and file synchronization - Your data is safe with us and we don’t monitize from it - Premium support

Dropbox - Online Sync and File Sharing