Syncthing vs pCloud
Both are free/open-source alternatives to Dropbox. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Syncthing
Continuous peer-to-peer file sync with no cloud.
Syncthing keeps folders in sync directly between your own devices, peer-to-peer and encrypted, with no server and no cloud in the middle. It is the purest self-owned option — brilliant for device-to-device sync, though it is sync only, not a sharing suite.
pCloud
Swiss hosted storage with true lifetime plans — the commercial pick.
pCloud is a polished, proprietary cloud storage service from Switzerland, best known for genuine one-time lifetime plans — pay once, keep the storage for good. It's the honest “I just want reliable storage and hate subscriptions” pick. It's closed-source, and zero-knowledge encryption is a paid Crypto add-on rather than the default (files outside the Crypto folder use standard server-side encryption). If lifetime pricing and a slick app matter more to you than open-source, it's a strong commercial option below the open picks.
Side by side
| Syncthing | pCloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty Score | 92 | 38 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | No |
| Local-first | Yes | No |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Proprietary |
| Pricing | Free / open-source | 500GB & 2TB subscriptions; lifetime plans from ~€199 one-time; zero-knowledge Crypto add-on costs extra |
Syncthing edges it on the Sovereignty Score, but the right pick depends on the trade-offs below.
Syncthing
Strengths
- +No server or cloud at all
- +Peer-to-peer and encrypted
- +Very light and reliable
Trade-offs
- −Sync only — no web sharing/links
- −Devices must be online to sync
pCloud
Strengths
- +True one-time lifetime plans (pay once)
- +Swiss jurisdiction; polished apps on every platform
- +Built-in media playback and easy file sharing
Trade-offs
- −Closed-source (proprietary)
- −Zero-knowledge encryption is a paid add-on, not the default
- −Best value locked behind a large upfront lifetime payment
More Dropbox head-to-heads
Facts verified 2026-07-04. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.