7 FolderSync Alternatives for Android & iPhone
The best FolderSync alternative depends on what you are missing. For open-source, cloud-free sync, use Syncthing (via Syncthing-Fork on Android). For simple one-cloud phone backup, use Autosync. For desktop-only folder mirroring, use FreeFileSync. If you need the same folder on an iPhone, a Windows PC, and an Android phone without managing a cloud account, use a device-to-device sync app like Relaaay.
FolderSync is one of the most capable sync apps on Android. It connects a phone folder to more than 25 cloud providers and file protocols, runs on a schedule, and now has a desktop version for Windows, macOS, and Linux.
People still go looking for an alternative, usually for one of three reasons: they want open source, they want an iPhone in the mix, or they want to stop routing every file through a cloud account. Here is what to use for each.
What does FolderSync actually do?
FolderSync pairs a local folder with a remote one. The remote can be Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, MEGA, pCloud, Proton Drive, an SFTP server, an SMB share on a NAS, and more. You choose one-way or two-way sync and a schedule, and it runs in the background.
That design is its strength and its limit. Every sync job is device ↔ cloud or server, not device ↔ device. To get a file from your phone to your laptop, it goes up to a provider and back down again.
Which FolderSync alternatives are worth considering?
| App | Platforms | iPhone | Open source | Sync model | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Syncthing | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android (via Syncthing-Fork) | Third-party only | Yes | Device ↔ device | Free |
| Autosync (MetaCtrl) | Android | No | No | Phone ↔ one cloud per app | Free with limits / paid upgrades |
| Resilio Sync Home | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Yes | No | Device ↔ device | Free (Pro features now included) |
| FreeFileSync | Windows, macOS, Linux | No | Yes | Folder ↔ folder, desktop | Free / optional donation |
| Round Sync | Android | No | Yes | Phone ↔ cloud (rclone) | Free |
| LocalSend | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS | Yes | Yes | One-off transfers, not sync | Free |
| Relaaay | Windows, macOS, Android, iOS | Yes | No | Device ↔ device, every direction | Free / $9 / $49 per month |
Syncthing: the open-source pick
Syncthing keeps folders mirrored directly between your own devices with no cloud account in the middle. It is free, open source, and very reliable between computers that stay on.
The catches are on mobile. The official Android app was discontinued in December 2024, so Android users now install the community-maintained Syncthing-Fork. There is no official iOS app, and third-party clients struggle with Apple's background limits — we covered why in Syncthing on iOS. For a full head-to-head, see FolderSync vs Syncthing.
Autosync: the closest like-for-like on Android
MetaCtrl's Autosync apps do what FolderSync does for one cloud at a time. There is a separate app per provider — Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, MEGA, Box — and each is bought separately.
The free version is tighter than FolderSync's. It syncs one folder pair, caps uploads at 10 MB per file, and shows ads. Upgrades remove those limits for that one app.
Resilio Sync: device-to-device with an iPhone app
Resilio Sync Home syncs folders peer-to-peer and, unlike Syncthing, has an official iOS app. In 2026 Resilio folded all of its former Pro features — including selective sync placeholders — into the free download.
It is closed source, and on iPhone it faces the same background limits as every peer-to-peer tool. Our Relaaay vs Resilio Sync comparison covers how it handles deletions and low storage.
FreeFileSync: best for desktop folder mirroring
If your problem is two folders on computers or drives — not a phone — FreeFileSync is excellent. It compares folders and mirrors, updates, or two-way syncs them, and its RealTimeSync companion can trigger a job whenever a folder changes.
It has no mobile app, so it is not a replacement for FolderSync's phone use case.
Round Sync: open source, still cloud-based
Round Sync is an open-source Android app built on rclone, the command-line cloud sync tool. It covers the same ground as FolderSync — local folder to cloud provider — with a smaller feature set and community support.
LocalSend: great for sending, not for syncing
LocalSend sends files between nearby devices on the same Wi-Fi, on every major platform including iPhone. It does not watch a folder or keep anything in sync; each transfer is manual. We explain the difference in LocalSend vs Syncthing.
What if you want the same folder on every device?
Every tool above makes you pick a trade-off: cloud in the middle, no iPhone, or manual sends. Relaaay is built for the case none of them fully covers — one folder that stays the same on your Windows PC, your Mac, your Android phone, and your iPhone.
You link a folder on each device into a Folder Group. Add a file on any of them and it appears on all the others in the background. When the devices share a network, files go straight between them. When they are apart, Relaaay routes them over the internet, so nothing waits for both devices to be awake at once.
If FolderSync already does what you need, keep it. If you have hit the iPhone wall or are tired of a cloud account sitting between your own devices, join the Relaaay waitlist.