ThirdCopy vs. GoodSync

ThirdCopy vs. GoodSync: one $19.99 payment vs. a yearly subscription

GoodSync is a mature, cross-platform sync tool built for IT admins, with true two-way sync and support for nearly any destination — SFTP, S3, Dropbox, and more. ThirdCopy does one job, one-way mirroring to a NAS or drive, for a single $19.99 payment instead of a recurring fee.

Updated August 9, 2026. Pricing and features change — always confirm current details on Siber Systems' site before buying.

Quick verdict

If you need true two-way sync, or you're backing up to Amazon S3, an SFTP server, or Google Drive alongside a NAS, GoodSync's reach is real and ThirdCopy doesn't try to match it. If you just want a folder or two mirrored to a NAS or external drive, GoodSync's cheapest paid tier still costs more every year than ThirdCopy costs one time, total.

	ThirdCopy	GoodSync
Price	$19.99 once	Free (capped) or roughly $29.95/yr and up (subscription)
Free trial / free tier	14 days, full-featured	Free forever, capped (3 jobs / 100 files); 15-day trial lifts caps
Ongoing cost	None, ever	Recurring subscription for full use
Setup model	3 steps: folders, destination, schedule	Job types and per-job configuration
One-way mirror backup	Yes — the only mode	Yes, via the "Backup" job type
Bidirectional / two-way sync	Not offered, by design	Yes, via "Synchronization"
Scheduling	Built into the app	Built-in scheduler, set per job
Continuous backup	Default for every backup	Opt-in "Auto" / On File Change mode
NAS / SMB support	Yes	Yes
Mac App Store / sandboxed	Yes, full feature set	No (direct download or Homebrew cask)
Destination breadth	Local/NAS only, by design	SFTP, WebDAV, Amazon S3, Google Drive, Dropbox, more

What GoodSync actually is

GoodSync, made by Siber Systems, is a cross-platform file sync and backup tool for Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile, aimed at technical users and IT admins who want serious configurability. As of August 2026, the real Mac desktop app isn't distributed through the Mac App Store — it's a direct download from goodsync.com, or installable via Homebrew (brew install --cask goodsync).

There is a GoodSync app on the App Store, but it's a separate, more limited iOS/iPadOS companion that browses an existing desktop install — it isn't the full product, and shouldn't be confused with it.

Where GoodSync wins

GoodSync is a genuinely capable tool, and it beats ThirdCopy outright on several fronts:

True two-way sync. GoodSync's "Synchronization" job type keeps two locations in sync in both directions. ThirdCopy is one-way only, by design — this is a job it was never built to do.
Destination breadth. Beyond local drives and NAS/SMB shares, GoodSync connects to SFTP, WebDAV, and cloud APIs including Amazon S3, Google Drive, and Dropbox. ThirdCopy backs up to local drives and NAS shares only, on purpose.
Cross-platform. One tool covers Windows, Mac, Linux, and mobile — useful if your backup plan spans more than just Macs. ThirdCopy is Mac-only.
Depth for admins. Highly configurable job options make GoodSync well-regarded among IT admins and technical users who want fine-grained control over exactly how a sync behaves.
A free tier that never expires. Capped at 3 jobs and 100 files per job, but it's genuinely free forever, not a time-limited trial — useful for small jobs indefinitely.

Where ThirdCopy is simpler

One payment, not a subscription. $19.99 once, ever. Even GoodSync's cheapest paid tier, Personal at roughly $29.95 a year, costs more in its first year alone than ThirdCopy costs total — and every year after that is more cost on top.
One flow, not a job-type menu. ThirdCopy asks you to pick folders, pick a destination, and pick a schedule. GoodSync asks you to choose a job type first — Backup or Synchronization, among others — then work through options built to support all of them at once.
Continuous by default. ThirdCopy watches your folders and backs up shortly after things change, out of the box. In GoodSync, that kind of real-time behavior is an opt-in "Auto" / On File Change mode you configure per job.
Built for one job. ThirdCopy doesn't ask you to think about SFTP profiles, cloud API credentials, or sync-vs-backup job types — it does one-way mirror backup and nothing else.
Sandboxed on the Mac App Store. ThirdCopy's full feature set ships through the App Store's sandbox, with security-scoped bookmarks instead of broad filesystem access.

The honest tradeoff

GoodSync is a more capable tool than ThirdCopy by almost any feature count — more destinations, two-way sync, more platforms, deeper configuration. Power users and IT admins who need that reach have good reason to pay for it, year after year. ThirdCopy is for the narrower case: someone who wants exactly one thing, a folder mirrored to a NAS or drive, automatically, without learning a job-type model or committing to a subscription to get it.

Questions

Is GoodSync a subscription?

For full use, yes. GoodSync's free tier is genuinely free forever, but capped at 3 jobs and 100 files per job — a 15-day trial lifts those caps so you can evaluate the full product. Removing the caps for good means a recurring subscription: roughly $29.95 a year for the Personal tier, up to around $499.95 a year for a Server tier. ThirdCopy is $19.99 once, with no subscription at any tier.

Can GoodSync do one-way mirror backups?

Yes — GoodSync's "Backup" job type mirrors one-way, and it also offers true bidirectional "Synchronization," which ThirdCopy doesn't attempt. The tradeoff is configuration: GoodSync's job model is built to support both modes plus SFTP, WebDAV, and cloud destinations, so there's more to learn even for a simple one-way job. ThirdCopy only does one-way mirroring, so that's the entire app.

Does GoodSync back up to cloud storage like Amazon S3 or Dropbox?

Yes — GoodSync connects to SFTP, WebDAV, and cloud APIs including Amazon S3, Google Drive, and Dropbox, well beyond local drives and NAS shares. ThirdCopy backs up to local drives and NAS/SMB shares only, by design; if you need a cloud destination, GoodSync covers ground ThirdCopy doesn't.

Is GoodSync on the Mac App Store?

The full GoodSync desktop app for Mac is not on the Mac App Store as of August 2026 — it's a direct download from goodsync.com, or installable via Homebrew. There is a GoodSync app on the App Store, but it's a separate, more limited iOS/iPadOS companion that browses an existing desktop install rather than the full sync engine. ThirdCopy is a native Mac App Store app, sandboxed, with its complete feature set.

Try ThirdCopy free for 14 days — no card required.

Then $19.99 once. No subscription.

GoodSync is a product of Siber Systems. ThirdCopy is made by Embay, LLC and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Siber Systems. Figures above reflect our research as of the "Updated" date; see Siber Systems' site for current pricing.