SyncBackFree copies, mirrors and synchronises files on a schedule. It is one of the few genuinely free backup tools whose vendor states plainly that commercial use is allowed — the licence covers personal, educational, charity, government and business use, with no registration, no ads and no nag screens.
It is made by 2BrightSparks, and the current version is 12.1.6.0 (September 2026). There is one restriction that matters for IT departments, and it is in the next section.
SyncBackFree at a glance
| Latest version | 12.1.6.0, released 9 September 2026 |
|---|---|
| Licence | Free, commercial use allowed |
| Windows | 11, 10, 8, 7 and Vista — 32-bit and 64-bit |
| Windows Server | Not supported in the free edition — that needs SyncBackSE or Pro |
| Other systems | Windows only; no macOS or Linux version |
What the free edition does
- Backup, mirror, basic sync and restore profiles — the four operations most people actually need.
- Scheduling, so backups run without anyone remembering.
- FTP transfer for off-machine copies.
- Zip compression with basic encryption and no archive size limit.
- Email log sending after each run.
- Ransomware detection — it warns when an unusual number of files change at once.
- File filters and support for unlimited filename lengths.
- Simple restore that does not require reading a manual first.
What it does not do
This is the honest part, and it decides whether the free edition fits:
- No Windows Server support. For servers you need a paid edition.
- No cloud storage at all — no S3, Google Drive, OneDrive, SharePoint, Dropbox, Azure or Backblaze.
- No SFTP or FTPS, only plain FTP. Sending backups over the internet unencrypted is not acceptable in most organisations.
- No versioning — you keep the current copy, not previous ones.
- No incremental or differential backups, and no delta copying.
- No copying of open or locked files (no shadow copy support), so a database or an open Outlook file will be skipped.
- No scripting, no bandwidth limiting, no AES-256 encryption.
- No 64-bit build and no technical support.
In short: it is an excellent file copier for workstations. It is not a server backup system and it does not protect databases or mail stores.
Download and first profile
- Click the Download button at the top of this page and unpack the archive. Two installers are provided: one that requires administrator rights and one that a standard user can run.
- Create a profile and choose the type. Backup copies source to destination and keeps extra files at the destination. Mirror makes the destination identical, which means it deletes files there too.
- Pick the source and destination folders, then add filters for what you do not need.
- Run it once manually and read the log before scheduling it.
- Schedule it, and enable the email log so you learn about failures without checking.
One warning worth repeating: Mirror deletes. If you delete a file by accident and the mirror runs, it disappears from the backup too. For protection against mistakes, use Backup rather than Mirror, or a tool with versioning.
Recent changes
- 12.1.6.0 — profile comparison, improved SFTP options and email-backup fixes (these belong to the paid editions, which share the version numbering).
- 12.0.8.0 — fixed scaling on multi-monitor setups with different DPI.
- 12.0.0.0 — interface zooming and shared file selection between profiles.
SyncBackFree vs. alternatives
| Tool | How it compares |
|---|---|
| FreeFileSync | Open source and cross-platform, real-time sync option; interface is less guided |
| Iperius Backup Free | Also free, works on Windows Server, but cannot run as a service and has no synchronisation |
| Personal Backup | Free, strong scheduling and encryption |
| Veeam Agent Free | Image-level backup of the whole machine — something SyncBack does not do at all |
FAQ
Is SyncBackFree really free for business use?
Yes. The vendor states it may be used indefinitely for personal, educational, charity, government and commercial purposes.
Can I install it on Windows Server?
No. Server support requires a paid edition.
Can it back up to Google Drive or OneDrive?
Not in the free edition — cloud destinations are a paid feature.
Does it keep older versions of files?
No. Versioning is not in the free edition.
Will it back up an open Outlook data file or a database?
No. Copying open and locked files requires shadow-copy support, which the free edition does not have.
What is the difference between Backup and Mirror?
Backup copies new and changed files and leaves everything else alone. Mirror makes the destination an exact copy, including deletions.
