How it compares

GoodSync is the tool ArrowLoop was built to replace. FreeFileSync, Syncovery and SyncBack work the same way, a job you run or schedule, and are desktop programs first. Syncthing and Resilio Sync keep folders identical between devices in real time, with nothing to review before it happens. Unison and rclone bisync are two-way sync for the command line. ArrowLoop takes GoodSync's way of working and rclone's reach, runs as a container or a desktop app, and keeps a record of what both sides last agreed on.

	ArrowLoop	GoodSync	FreeFileSync	Syncthing	Resilio	bisync	Unison	Syncovery	SyncBack
Every change shown before the run, single ones can be dropped	✅	✅	✅	❌	❓	❌	✅	✅	✅
Brake on a run that deletes too much	✅	⚠️	⚠️	❌	❓	✅	⚠️	✅	⚠️
An empty or unmounted side is refused	✅	⚠️	⚠️	✅	⚠️	✅	✅	✅	⚠️
Deletions go to a trash by default	✅	✅	✅	⚠️	✅	⚠️	⚠️	✅	⚠️
An edit on both sides keeps both versions by itself	✅	⚠️	⚠️	✅	⚠️	✅	⚠️	⚠️	❌
Cloud and server targets without a mount	✅	✅	⚠️	❌	❌	✅	⚠️	✅	✅
Encryption at the destination	✅	⚠️	❌	⚠️	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅
Sends only the changed part of a file	❌	⚠️	❌	✅	✅	❌	✅	✅	⚠️
Copies files another program holds open	⚠️	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	✅	✅
Built-in schedule	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌	⚠️	✅	⚠️
Real-time watching	✅	✅	⚠️	✅	✅	❌	✅	⚠️	✅
Scripts before and after a run	✅	✅	⚠️	❌	❓	❌	❌	✅	✅
Notification when a run fails	✅	✅	⚠️	⚠️	⚠️	❌	❌	✅	✅
Device to device over the internet, no port forwarding	❌	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
Official container image	✅	❌	❌	✅	⚠️	✅	❌	❌	❌
Web interface	✅	⚠️	❌	✅	⚠️	❌	❌	⚠️	❌
Desktop app	✅	✅	✅	⚠️	✅	❌	✅	✅	✅
Windows, macOS and Linux	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	❌
Android	✅	✅	❌	⚠️	✅	⚠️	❌	❌	⚠️
iOS	❌	✅	❌	⚠️	✅	❌	❌	❌	❌
No account and no vendor relay	✅	❌	✅	⚠️	⚠️	✅	✅	✅	✅
Open source	✅	❌	⚠️	✅	❌	✅	✅	❌	❌
Free, with every feature	✅	❌	⚠️	✅	⚠️	✅	✅	❌	⚠️
Past 1.0	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅	✅

✅ yes · ⚠️ with a catch: off by default, a paid edition, one platform only or a community build · ❌ no · ❓ undocumented.

Checked against each project's own documentation in September 2026.

ArrowLoop has no relay of its own. To sync between two places over the internet, put both machines in one private network, as Installing describes.