Sync review: No-nonsense file sync across your devices

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We’ve tested so many cloud-based storage services for your Mac that our heads are starting to spin, and Sync.com is easily one of the most no-nonsense options.

Its Mac app is basic, but its focus on security makes it arguably best for enterprise users. That’s thanks to end-to-end encryption, something not offered by many rivals, while its Vault function lets you keep files in the cloud that aren’t synced across devices, too.

These all combine with a lightweight interface to make Sync easy to recommend for just about anyone, although it’s perhaps not as well-known as the likes of Dropbox and Google Drive which may make getting others on board a little harder.

First Impressions

Once you put together a Sync account, you can start using the web app immediately. While some options, like iCloud Drive, have slow web interfaces, Sync’s is snappy and responsive.

That’s partially because its remit is a little narrower – it’s a document syncing service more than a full backup solution (more on that shortly).

The app itself is easy to use, making itself at home on your Mac’s Finder sidebar so you can dump files there with ease.

Free plans offer 5GB of space, which isn’t the worst but remains some distance behind the likes of Google which offers 15GB.

Personal plans start at $5 for 200GB, but for just $8 you can get to 2TB per month with additional features like document previews, too. These need to be paid annually, though.

Teams plans offer 1TB per user, per month, but again these need to be paid monthly. Higher-priced options have monthly options, both for individuals and teams, but expect an outlay at the start once you hit that 5GB limit.

Sync.com features

As mentioned above, Sync is closer to a Dropbox alternative, offering a centralised, cloud-based storage solution for storing and syncing files across multiple devices.

That’s no bad thing, but it doesn’t have the robust feature set of Google Drive’s document creation tools or Backblaze’s commitment to off-site backups.

Still, what’s here is pretty fantastic, syncing files in the background via the Mac app. What I particularly like is that clicking the menu bar item brings up a recent documents list, making it easier to dive into files you’ve recently added without needing to open a Finder window each time.

You can also export lists of files when you need to, and update your password information within the app – ideal if you prefer to change yours regularly.

The end-to-end encryption is the real draw here. Not many rivals offer it, and that makes the Vault feature feel even more worthwhile. Dropping files here won’t sync it to your other devices, so you could use this as a sort of backup setting, and CloudFiles help you free up any files from your Mac’s storage.

Microsoft Office 365 integration means you can edit documents within your cloud folder, too, and there’s integrations for the likes of Slack and Adobe, too.

Sync.com annoyances

The lightweight nature of Sync’s Mac app is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, it runs quickly and in the background.

On the other, it doesn’t let you sync multiple folders, so your Sync folder is constantly updated but anything outside of that is left unchecked. For reference, Google Drive is currently syncing my Desktop, Documents and Downloads folders with the cloud.

Finally, the 5GB limit is certainly not the worst we’ve seen, but it’s some way off the top dogs in this regard.

Should you buy Sync?

Sync is a fantastic cloud syncing service that will serve many teams and users perfectly. While its simple folder syncing will frustrate some, others will appreciate the simplicity it provides.