Beyond Google Drive: My Switch to a Free Open-Source Sync App

For years, my digital life was tethered to the giants of cloud storage. I had gigabytes of work documents in Google Drive and a separate mountain of personal photos and files in Microsoft’s OneDrive. It was convenient, familiar, and, for the most part, it just worked. Yet, a nagging feeling grew over time—a sense of unease about where my data was, who had access to it, and how much I was paying for the privilege of storing it on someone else’s server.

The conversation around digital privacy isn’t just for security experts anymore. With data breaches becoming commonplace and tech companies profiting from user data, more people are looking for control. A recent study showed that over 80% of consumers are concerned about their online privacy. I was one of them. This concern, coupled with the desire to stop paying monthly subscription fees, sent me searching for a Google Drive alternative.

My journey led me past the usual commercial competitors and into the world of open-source software. It was there I found my solution: a powerful, free, open-source syncing app that let me build my own private cloud. I ditched Google Drive and OneDrive, and I haven’t looked back. This is the story of how I did it, why it was the right move for me, and how you can do it too.

The Problem with Mainstream Cloud Storage

Before we dive into the solution, it’s important to understand the trade-offs that come with services like Google Drive and OneDrive. They offer incredible convenience, but it comes at a cost that isn’t always measured in dollars.

The Privacy Compromise

When you upload a file to a mainstream cloud service, you are placing your data on a server owned and managed by a third party. While these companies employ robust security measures, your files are still subject to their terms of service and privacy policies. These policies often grant them the right to scan your content for various purposes, from targeted advertising to enforcing their terms. Your data becomes a product.

For many, this is a non-issue. But for those handling sensitive client information, personal documents, or who simply value their privacy, this is a significant drawback. You are placing a great deal of trust in a corporation whose primary interest is its bottom line, not your privacy.

The Never-Ending Cost

The “freemium” model is designed to get you hooked. Google offers 15 GB of free storage, and Microsoft provides 5 GB. At first, this seems generous. But as you accumulate high-resolution photos, 4K videos, and large project files, you quickly hit that ceiling.

Soon, you’re paying $1.99, then $9.99, every single month. This subscription model creates a perpetual expense. Over a decade, you could spend over $1,200 just for the privilege of storing your own files. The cost isn’t just financial; it’s also about dependency. The more data you have with one provider, the harder it becomes to leave, creating a cycle of digital dependence.

My Discovery: Syncthing, the Open-Source Syncing App

After extensive research, I found Syncthing. Unlike traditional cloud storage, Syncthing is not a service; it’s a program. It doesn’t store your files on a central server. Instead, it builds a secure, private, and encrypted connection directly between your own devices and synchronizes files between them.

Syncthing is a free and open-source continuous file synchronization application. This means you can inspect, modify, and verify its code, ensuring there are no hidden backdoors or privacy-invading practices. It embodies the philosophy of data ownership: your data, your devices, your rules.

Google Drive vs. OneDrive vs. Syncthing: A Head-to-Head Comparison

This table highlights the fundamental difference in philosophy. Google Drive and OneDrive sell you storage space. Syncthing gives you the tool to create your own secure storage network using the hardware you already own.

The Core Features of Syncthing

Syncthing is packed with powerful features that make it a compelling Google Drive alternative for those who prioritize control and privacy.

Decentralized and Secure

The biggest selling point is its peer-to-peer architecture. Your files are never stored on a central server. They are synced directly between your devices. All communication is secured with TLS, and every node is identified by a strong cryptographic certificate. Only the devices you explicitly approve can connect to your cluster.

Complete Data Ownership

With Syncthing, you are in charge. There is no company that can access your files, change the terms of service, or suddenly decide to shut down its service. Your files live on your hardware, and you decide which devices they are synced to.

File Versioning

Accidentally overwriting or deleting an important file is a common fear. Syncthing offers several file versioning strategies. You can configure it to keep old versions of files in a hidden subfolder, giving you a safety net to recover from mistakes. You can choose to keep a certain number of old versions or keep them for a specific period.

Selective Sync

You don’t have to sync everything everywhere. Syncthing allows you to choose which folders you want to sync to which devices. You might have a “Work Projects” folder that syncs between your work laptop and your home office server, but not to your personal phone. This granular control is incredibly powerful.

Web GUI for Easy Management

Despite being a powerful command-line tool at its core, Syncthing provides a clean and easy-to-use web-based graphical user interface (GUI). You can access it through your browser from any device on your local network to manage folders, see sync status, and connect new devices.

Getting Started: My Installation and Setup Experience

The idea of setting up my own cloud seemed daunting, but the process was surprisingly straightforward. Here’s a breakdown of how I got Syncthing running between my desktop PC, my laptop, and my Android phone.

Step 1: Installation on the Main Computer (Desktop PC)

1. I went to the official Syncthing website and downloaded the version for Windows.
2. I unzipped the folder and ran syncthing.exe. This automatically opened the Web GUI in my browser at http://127.0.0.1:8384.
3. The GUI prompted me to set a username and password to secure access, which I did immediately.

Step 2: Adding a Folder to Sync

1. In the GUI, I clicked “Add Folder.”
2. I gave the folder a descriptive label, like “My Documents.”
3. I entered the path to the folder on my PC (e.g., C:\Users\MyUser\Documents). This was now my first “source” folder.

Step 3: Connecting a Second Device (Laptop)

1. On my laptop, I repeated the installation process.
2. Each Syncthing installation has a unique Device ID. On my laptop’s GUI, I clicked “Add Remote Device.”
3. I copied the Device ID from my desktop’s GUI and pasted it into the field on my laptop. I gave it a recognizable name like “Desktop PC.”
4. Back on my desktop, a notification popped up asking me to approve the new device request from my laptop. I approved it. The two devices were now connected.

Step 4: Sharing the Folder

1. On my desktop’s GUI, I went back to the “My Documents” folder I had created and clicked “Edit,” then went to the “Sharing” tab.
2. I checked the box next to “Laptop.”
3. A notification then appeared on my laptop, asking if I wanted to accept the “My Documents” folder from my desktop. I accepted and chose a local path on my laptop to store the synced files.

Within minutes, the files from my desktop’s “Documents” folder began appearing on my laptop. The process was complete. I repeated these steps to add my Android phone using the official Syncthing app from the Google Play Store.

The User Experience: Life After Big Tech

Switching to Syncthing felt liberating. It works quietly in the background, and for the most part, I don’t even notice it’s there. Files I save on my desktop are available on my laptop moments later. Photos I take on my phone can be configured to automatically sync to a “Phone Photos” folder on my home server.

The true “aha” moment came when I was working at a coffee shop with a spotty internet connection. With Google Drive, I would have had to make sure my files were marked for offline access beforehand. With Syncthing, all the files were already on my laptop’s hard drive. I could work seamlessly without an internet connection, and the moment I got back online, any changes I made were automatically synced back to my other devices.

Pros and Cons of Making the Switch

No solution is perfect. Here’s my honest assessment of the good and the bad.

Pros:

• Unmatched Privacy and Security: My data is end-to-end encrypted and never touches a third-party server. This peace of mind is invaluable.
• No Subscription Fees: Syncthing is completely free. The only cost is the hardware you already own.
• Infinite Scalability: My storage limit is the size of my hard drives. When I need more space, I can add another drive to one of my machines, not pay a higher subscription fee.
• Incredible Speed on Local Networks: When my devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, files sync at lightning-fast speeds, far quicker than uploading and downloading from a remote cloud server.
• Total Control: I decide everything—which devices are connected, which folders are shared, and how file versions are handled.

Cons:

• Initial Setup Complexity: While not overly difficult for a tech-savvy user, the setup is more involved than simply creating a Google account. It requires installation on every device.
• Requires an “Always-On” Device for Cloud-Like Access: For your devices to sync anytime, at least one device in your network needs to be on and connected to the internet. I use a low-power home server for this, but a desktop PC left on would also work.
• No Easy Web Interface for Remote Access: You can’t just log into a website from a friend’s computer to access a file like you can with Google Drive. Access is limited to your configured devices.
• No Collaborative Editing: Syncthing is a file-syncing tool, not a collaboration suite. It doesn’t offer real-time document editing like Google Docs.

Conclusion: A Worthwhile Switch for the Privacy-Conscious

I ditched Google Drive and OneDrive, and the result has been transformative. By using Syncthing, I’ve built a private, secure, and infinitely scalable cloud that I completely control. It has given me total ownership of my digital life and freed me from the cycle of monthly subscription fees.

This solution is not for everyone. If you rely heavily on the collaborative features of Google Workspace or need to access your files from any random computer, sticking with a mainstream provider might be better. But if you are a privacy-conscious individual, a freelancer handling sensitive client data, or a creative professional with large media files, Syncthing is a game-changer.

The journey to data independence requires a small investment of time for setup, but the rewards—privacy, control, and freedom—are more than worth it. You don’t have to be a system administrator to do it. You just need a desire to take back control of your data.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: How secure is Syncthing really?
Syncthing uses industry-standard, robust security practices. All communication is protected with TLS 1.3, and all devices are authenticated using strong cryptographic certificates. Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest (on your devices, using your own disk encryption like BitLocker or FileVault). Because it’s open-source, its code is constantly reviewed by the security community for vulnerabilities.

Q2: What happens if all my devices are offline?
If all your devices are offline, you cannot access your files from another location, and syncing cannot occur. This is why having at least one “always-on” device (like a desktop PC, a dedicated home server, or a NAS) is recommended to act as a central hub that other devices can sync with whenever they come online.

Q3: Does Syncthing work on iPhone/iOS?
There is no official Syncthing client for iOS due to the platform’s background processing limitations. However, there are paid third-party apps like Möbius Sync that implement the Syncthing protocol and work well.

Q4: Can I use Syncthing as a backup solution?
Syncthing is a file synchronization tool, not a true backup tool. If you delete a file on one device, that deletion will be synced to all other devices. While its file versioning feature can protect against accidental overwrites or deletions, it should not be your only backup. For true disaster recovery, you should still use a dedicated backup program to create periodic, versioned snapshots of your important files to a separate drive or location.

Q5: How much power does it consume to leave a device on all the time?
This depends on the device. A modern desktop PC might consume a noticeable amount of electricity. However, many people opt for low-power solutions like a Raspberry Pi or an old laptop, which consume very little energy and are more than capable of running as a 24/7 Syncthing node.