FreeFileSync 8.10

FreeFileSync is a handy, open-source utility created to compare and/or synchronize the contents of two folders. They can be local or network ones, and even remote directories that you can access through the SFTP protocol. The program offers you multiple comparison and synchronization methods and allows you to configure filters, which help you exclude certain files/folders from the task.

The program's user interface is pretty intuitive, though it could be much more self-descriptive. Basically, it is composed by several panels and buttons, and two of those panels are for the two synchronization locations respectively. Once you define them, you can click on the "Compare" button for the program to display the files that are different between the locations, and the action that will be taken for each file during the synchronization process. You can select the comparison method among "File time and size" (the default one), "File size" and "File content", the last one being the slowest, but producing the most accurate results.

Next, you can disable the synchronization of some of the listed files by manually unchecking them, or by using the filters configuration. The latter method is more appropriate to exclude entire folders or specific file types. Finally, you need to select the synchronization method among "Two way", which copies or updates the required files in both locations; "Mirror", which adapts the right folder to match the left one; "Update", which simply copies new and updated files from the left to the right folder and "Custom", which allows you to define your own sync rules. In addition, you can select a destination for your deleted files (the Recycle bin, the permanent removal or the program's versioning system) and how to handle errors (through a popup window or by simply ignoring them). Once you have configured all those parameters, you can click on the "Synchronize" button to get the task done. Also, FreeFileSync allows you to save your configuration for later usage, and to schedule automatic sync tasks.

As you can see, this is a versatile tool that allows you to successfully synchronize two local or remote folders without much effort and for free. Anyway, you are welcome to donate if you feel the program is useful to you, or simply like it. The publishers provide installers for MS Windows, MacOS, Ubuntu, Debian and SuSe Linux. Moreover, the program offers native support for 64-bit processors and you can alternatively install it as a portable one.