Sync.com (Solo Basic 2 TB) review 2027

What problem does Sync.com solve?

Sync.com is built for the case where the files themselves are the sensitive part: client records, medical notes, anything you would not want the storage provider able to read. Its tagline is zero-knowledge encryption on everything by default, Canadian jurisdiction, and compliance paperwork most consumer services do not offer. That combination is why it finished second of eight tested services with a score of 8.4.

The benefit is not speed or polish. It is that encryption is switched on for every file without buying an add-on, and that HIPAA, GDPR and PIPEDA compliance documentation is available if you need to show it to someone. The verdict puts it plainly: it is slower and plainer for it, which is the honest trade.

How did we score Sync.com?

We scored five criteria, each with its own maximum.

• Sync speed & reliability — 20 of 25. We timed upload and download of the same 10 GB set over the same 100 Mbps line, three times, and watched how conflicts were handled when two machines edited a file at once.
• Privacy & encryption — 25 of 25. We looked at zero-knowledge options, where data is held, what the provider can read, published audits and the governing jurisdiction. Sync took full marks.
• Features & sharing — 15 of 20. Selective sync, versioning, file recovery, link sharing with expiry and passwords, and office integration.
• Platform coverage — 8 of 10. Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, web and network-drive mounting.
• Value — 16 of 20. Cost per terabyte a year on the plan a household or small team would buy, plus lifetime options.

Where Sync.com stands out

Three measured results carry the review. First, encryption is end-to-end by default with no add-on to buy — a rival like Google One has no zero-knowledge option at all. Second, the personal plan keeps 180 days of file history, against 30 days on pCloud and Google One. Third, at $96 a year for 2 TB it is the cheapest 2 TB here.

The cost of that privacy is visible in the upload test: 24 minutes for the same 10 GB set, the slowest in the test. Encryption costs time, and Sync does not hide it.

How does the encryption actually work?

Zero-knowledge means the files are encrypted on your device before they leave it, and the key stays with you. The provider stores scrambled data it cannot read, so a request to hand over your files returns nothing usable. File versioning keeps older copies of a file when it changes, so you can roll back to an earlier state rather than losing the previous edit. Sync applies the first to everything by default and keeps the second for 180 days on the personal plan.

What you get: plans, storage and platform

The tested plan is 2 TB a year for 96 USD, with 5 GB free storage to try it. Zero-knowledge encryption is on everything by default. File versioning runs 180 days, extended to 365 on Teams. Data is held under Canadian jurisdiction and PIPEDA. There is no Linux client and no lifetime plan.

How Sync.com compares with the rivals we tested

pCloud scored 8.7 at $99.99, with 16-minute uploads, zero-knowledge encryption available through a Crypto add-on, 30 days of versioning (365 on Extended), a Linux client, Swiss jurisdiction and a 2 TB lifetime plan for $399. It is faster and more flexible; Sync is encrypted by default rather than by add-on.

Google One (Drive) scored 8.1 at $99.99, with the fastest upload we measured at 13 minutes, 15 GB free, 30 days or 100 versions of history, no zero-knowledge encryption, third-party Linux clients only, US jurisdiction and no lifetime plan. It wins on speed and collaboration; Sync wins on privacy.

Proton Drive scored 7.8 at $119.88, with a 26-minute upload, 5 GB free, zero-knowledge encryption by default, versioning, a Linux client and Swiss jurisdiction. It matches Sync on default encryption but costs more and uploads slower.

Backblaze Personal Backup scored 7.9 at $99, with a 21-minute upload, no free storage, zero-knowledge encryption via a private encryption key, 30 days of versioning (1 year or forever as add-ons), Linux only through B2, and US jurisdiction. It is backup rather than sync.

Microsoft OneDrive scored 7.6 at $99.99, with a 17-minute upload, 5 GB free, no zero-knowledge encryption, 30 days and 500 versions of history, third-party Linux clients only, US jurisdiction and no lifetime plan.

Where Sync.com falls short

Speed is the first loss: 24 minutes for the 10 GB set, the slowest upload in the test. There is no Linux client, which costs it points under platform coverage. And there is no document editing — it is storage, not a workspace, so you cannot treat it as an office suite replacement.

Is $96 a year good value?

The price summary is $96 for 2 TB a year, the lowest 2 TB price among the services tested here. pCloud and Google One and OneDrive all sit at $99.99, Backblaze at $99, and Proton Drive at $119.88. On cost per terabyte a year, Sync is the cheapest of the group, and the privacy features that usually cost extra elsewhere are included by default.

Who should buy Sync.com?

Professionals handling confidential files. If the contents are client records, medical notes or anything you would not want a provider able to read, Sync is the right choice, and the slower upload is the price of that default encryption.