Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Syncthing VS lsyncd

Compare Syncthing VS lsyncd and see what are their differences

Syncthing logo Syncthing

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

lsyncd logo lsyncd

Lsyncd watches a local directory trees event monitor interface (inotify or fsevents).
  • Syncthing Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-18
  • lsyncd Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-15

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.

lsyncd features and specs

  • Real-time Synchronization
    Lsyncd provides real-time synchronization by monitoring directory trees and executing rsync based on changes, making it efficient for tasks requiring immediate replication of file updates.
  • Lightweight Approach
    As a daemon, Lsyncd is lightweight, doesn't consume significant system resources, and is straightforward to set up and run, ideal for environments where overhead needs to be minimized.
  • Flexibility
    Lsyncd is highly configurable through Lua scripts, allowing users to customize its behavior extensively to fit a wide range of use cases.
  • Ease of Use
    The tool simplifies complex synchronization tasks and abstracts the robust features of rsync behind a more user-friendly interface.

Possible disadvantages of lsyncd

  • Limited to Unix-based Systems
    Lsyncd primarily supports Unix-like operating systems, which can be a limitation for users or organizations running diverse OS environments.
  • Lua Configuration Requirement
    While flexible, the requirement for Lua scripts for configuration can present a learning curve for users unfamiliar with the language.
  • Not Suitable for Large Latency Networks
    Lsyncd's design for near real-time updates may struggle over high latency networks, as frequent updates can cause delays and bandwidth issues.
  • Lack of Advanced Features
    Compared to comprehensive backup solutions, Lsyncd lacks advanced features such as file versioning, snapshotting, or built-in encryption.

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

lsyncd videos

How to install lsyncd on Ubuntu 17.04

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Syncthing and lsyncd)
Cloud Storage
96 96%
4% 4
File Sharing
97 97%
3% 3
File Sharing And Backup
Backup And Disaster Recovery

User comments

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Reviews

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

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.

lsyncd Reviews

We have no reviews of lsyncd yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Syncthing seems to be a lot more popular than lsyncd. While we know about 838 links to Syncthing, we've tracked only 16 mentions of lsyncd. 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.

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 / 10 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 / 10 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 / 3 months ago
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lsyncd mentions (16)

  • Ask r/kubernetes: What are you working on this week?
    I've discovered inotify-tools and lsyncd as options and POC proves that it's possible to detect filesystem changes on a shared emptydir in a pod. Now it's just time to truly prove it out. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Script to move files from one host to another
    Https://github.com/lsyncd/lsyncd might work for you. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Ceph, HDFS, SeaweedFS...Mounted as a volume using RClone for file sotrage. What would be the benefits compared to WebDAV?
    Here is the github link, will explain how to use it: https://github.com/lsyncd/lsyncd. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • sync all data between two machines
    I found lsyncd on my research, I'll take a look at rclone, also thanks for the bitwarden link I wanted to do it as well. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Backing up a backup
    To sync files between NAS hosts/network locations, you can use rsync. It allows synchronizing files and folders, building a 1:1 data structure. https://man7.org/linux/man-pages/man1/rsync.1.html If you need bidirectional file sync, you can use lsyncd on top of rsync https://github.com/axkibe/lsyncd. Source: over 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

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

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

Online Vault Backup - Online Vault Backup is a cloud storage service that allows you backup your data while having unlimited storage.

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

WholesaleBackup - WholesaleBackup is an online data backup service provider that turns your system into a backup server, allowing you to host the backup data on your own Windows Server environment.

Dropbox - Online Sync and File Sharing

Data Deposit Box - Backup all of your PCs, Macs and Mobile devices into ONE account.