# Syncthing

> Syncthing is a free, open-source app you can self-host in the file sync & storage category. Syncthing is an open source peer-to-peer file synchronisation tool. It has 89,175 GitHub stars, is released under the MPL-2.0 license and ships a Docker image. It is a self-hosted alternative to Google Drive and Dropbox.

## Key facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Repository | https://github.com/syncthing/syncthing |
| Website | https://syncthing.net/ |
| GitHub stars | 89,175 |
| Forks | 5,503 |
| Open issues | 372 |
| License | MPL-2.0 |
| License type | Open source |
| Language | Go |
| Docker image | Yes |
| Platforms | Go, Docker, deb |
| Categories | File Sync & Storage |
| Commits, last 12 months | 223 |
| Last commit | Oct 6, 2026 |
| Latest release | v2.1.6 (Oct 6, 2026) |
| Created | Nov 26, 2013 |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained |
| Archived | No |

Topics: synchronization, go, peer-to-peer, p2p

## Install

Step-by-step deploy guide: [How to self-host Syncthing with Docker Compose](https://appsgit.com/guides/syncthing) (beginner, about 10 minutes).

Need it installed for you? [appsgit installation help](https://appsgit.com/services/install): a fixed quote by email, single app installs from $79.

## Syncthing replaces

- [Google Drive alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/google-drive): Google's cloud file storage and sync service with built-in document editing.
- [Dropbox alternatives](https://appsgit.com/alternatives/dropbox): A cloud file hosting service that syncs folders across devices.

## Comparisons

- [Nextcloud vs Syncthing](https://appsgit.com/compare/nextcloud-vs-syncthing): Pick Nextcloud for a central server with web access, sharing links and collaboration apps; pick Syncthing to keep folders in sync directly between your own devices with no server.

## Similar apps in File Sync & Storage

- [Puter](https://appsgit.com/apps/puter): Web-based operating system designed to be feature-rich, exceptionally fast, and highly extensible. (43,656 stars, AGPL-3.0, TypeScript, Docker)
- [Nextcloud](https://appsgit.com/apps/nextcloud): Access and share your files, calendars, contacts, mail and more from any device, on your terms. (37,003 stars, AGPL-3.0, PHP)
- [Cloudreve](https://appsgit.com/apps/cloudreve): File management and sharing system, supports multiple storage providers. (28,799 stars, GPL-3.0, Go, Docker)
- [Seafile](https://appsgit.com/apps/seafile): File hosting and sharing solution primary for teams and organizations. (15,307 stars, GPL-2.0, C)
- [ownCloud](https://appsgit.com/apps/owncloud): All-in-one solution for saving, synchronizing, viewing, editing and sharing files, calendars, address books and more. (8,833 stars, AGPL-3.0, PHP, Docker)
- [OpenCloud](https://appsgit.com/apps/opencloud): File Sharing and Collaboration Platform. (6,095 stars, Apache-2.0, Go, Docker)
- [Unison](https://appsgit.com/apps/unison): Unison is a file-synchronization tool for OSX, Unix, and Windows. (5,513 stars, GPL-3.0, OCaml)
- [Kinto](https://appsgit.com/apps/kinto): Minimalist JSON storage service with synchronisation and sharing abilities. (4,416 stars, Apache-2.0, Python)

## Articles

- [Joplin vs Obsidian: notes you own vs notes you rent](https://appsgit.com/blog/joplin-vs-obsidian): Joplin vs Obsidian in 2026: licences, storage format, sync and self-hosting, encryption, plugins and pricing compared, so you can pick a note-taking app.
- [r/selfhosted's most recommended apps, ranked by GitHub data](https://appsgit.com/blog/r-selfhosted-most-recommended-apps): The apps r/selfhosted recommends again and again, from Immich and Jellyfin to Vaultwarden and Paperless-ngx, ranked with real GitHub stars and commit activity.
- [Self-hosting on a Raspberry Pi 5: 15 apps that run well on 8 GB](https://appsgit.com/blog/raspberry-pi-5-self-hosted-apps): Self-hosted apps for the Raspberry Pi 5: 15 that run well on 8 GB, each with a verified ARM64 Docker image, plus storage, cooling and the limits to know.

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Canonical page: https://appsgit.com/apps/syncthing
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