Oxolan vs Syncthing — direct transfer or continuous sync?

Honest verdict

They solve different problems. Syncthing continuously mirrors folders between machines — great for keeping your own devices in sync, free and open-source, but configuration-heavy and prone to conflict copies when a whole team edits. Oxolan is on-demand: every PC appears in a sidebar, you drag files across or browse the other machine, locks prevent overwrites. Personal multi-device sync → Syncthing. Team file movement in an office → Oxolan.

Feature by feature

OxolanSyncthing
PricePaid — flat per office, 14-day free trialFree, open source
ModelOn-demand transfer + browse + shared workspacesContinuous background folder sync
PlatformsWindows 10/11 + macOS 12+Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
SetupInstall → PCs appear automaticallyDevice IDs, folder shares, web UI config
Send one file to a colleagueDrag & drop, doneNot the model — needs a shared folder
Team edits same folderBuilt-in file lockingConflict copies when two people edit
Disk usageFiles copied on demandEvery synced folder duplicated on every device
Files leave your networkNever — LAN only, TLS 1.3 encryptedNo by default (optional relays exist)
SupportEmail support includedCommunity forum

Speed, with real numbers

Syncthing syncs efficiently in the background; Oxolan moves what you ask for right now at 60–115 MB/s on gigabit, with resume-after-drop on huge transfers. If your question is "how do I get this 40 GB project to that workstation before lunch," on-demand wins.

Pricing

Syncthing is free. Oxolan is a flat per-office license with a 14-day trial — the price buys the office workflow: visible machines, locking, remote browse, workspaces, support. Oxolan plans run $149–$999/yr by office size (5 to 50 PCs) — see current pricing.

The honest test: run it on two PCs

Install Oxolan next to whatever you use today and let the transfers decide. Free 14 days, no card.

Try Oxolan side by side — free

Frequently asked questions

Is Syncthing or Oxolan better for an office?

Syncthing shines for a technical user keeping their own machines mirrored. In a team, continuous sync of shared folders produces conflict copies and duplicates every file on every machine. Oxolan’s on-demand model with file locking matches how offices actually pass files around.

Does Oxolan sync folders like Syncthing?

Oxolan has shared Workspaces — folder sync with conflict handling built for teams — plus on-demand transfer and remote browse. Syncthing remains the deeper pure-sync tool (more platforms, more sync knobs).

Which is easier to set up?

Oxolan: install on each PC and machines discover each other in about 300 ms. Syncthing: exchange device IDs, accept folder shares per device, and manage it through its web UI — powerful, but someone has to own that config.

Do files touch the internet with either?

Both can run fully LAN-only. Oxolan is LAN-only by design with TLS 1.3 and certificate pinning. Syncthing is peer-to-peer and can use public relays when machines cannot reach each other directly (disable relays to force LAN).

Read the deep dives