Backups is something we should all do. And unfortunately, very few perform regularly. Thanks to them we can make sure that our files are always safe and protected against a failure in Windows, a computer attack or a failure with the hard disk. There are many programs designed to make the task of making backup copies as easy as possible, and even automate them completely to forget about them. And two of the best known and used are FreeFileSync and AOMEI Backupper .
As always, each program has its own advantages and disadvantages. One is paid, commercial, and the other is totally free and open source. In the end, choosing the best program to back up our data depends on the needs of each one.
Next, we are going to face these two programs face to face, comparing their functions and characteristics to see which of the two we should choose.
| FreeFileSync | AOMEI Backupper | |
|---|---|---|
| Synchronization types | Two-way, mirror, upgrade, custom | Complete |
| Schedule copies | Yes; from Windows Task Scheduler | Yes |
| Real time synchronization | Yes | – |
| Directories | Local, networked, cloud | Local, networked, cloud |
| Ease | Easy | Very easy |
| Availability | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows |
| Price | Free, donation | Free, 40 euros |
FreeFileSync, the best OpenSource software to make backup copies
Free software is increasingly present among us, to the point that today we could work with our computer using exclusively open source software. Of course, when it comes to backing up, there are great alternatives, but one of the best is this.
FreeFileSync is a completely free and open source program for creating and backing up our most important files. This program is mainly based on comparing and synchronizing files and folders between two or more directories. It has no encryption or packaging features, but simply duplicates data, the easiest and fastest way to back up.
The ideal of this program is to execute the backup copies by hand. This is because it is designed to be able to see a summary with all the changes that are going to be made (if new files are added, modified, or deleted) and check that everything is correct. However, we can schedule automatic backups to forget about backing up our data. Of course, for this we have to resort to the Windows task scheduler.
We can download this program for free from the following link . The program is completely free, and its source code is available to anyone who wants to download it. However, there are some limited features (such as parallel copying or automatic updates) that are only available to users who donate money to the project. We can donate whatever amount we want to the project to unlock these features.
However, as we said, the functions limited to users of the “donation” edition are very specific and do not affect the operation of this software in any way. Contrary to what happens with AOMEI software.
AOMEI Backupper, the most complete commercial alternative
The AOMEI Backupper program is a complete backup software. This program is not limited exclusively to synchronizing directories, but it offers us many more backup options. For example, it allows us to create complete images of a hard disk, incremental or differential copies, and even complete copies of a computer to restore it as it was if something goes wrong.
The interface of this program is much more intuitive, being all of it an assistant that will guide us throughout the backup process. In addition, instead of creating individual backup tasks, it allows us to synchronize the files in a folder, or save the backups, in several directories at the same time.
What we didn’t like about AOMEI is how it treats the competition. On his own website, he attacks FreeFileSync by lying about three aspects of this OpenSource rival. The first one is to say that it includes adware, which is false. I wish all the advertising we see on the Internet was like the one displayed by the FreeFileSync installer.
The second is that the interface is complicated, when it is very clear and easy to understand. It is true that it is not as intuitive as that of your software, but there are much worse programs in this regard. And the third saying that the tasks cannot be scheduled, something that is also false. Too bad of this company trying to discredit free and OpenSource software.
This program has a free version, which can be worth more or less for a standard user, and a paid version with many other functions, which we can buy for 40 euros (and which, for home use, we will not need). We can download this program from here .
Which is better?
Which of the two programs is better? Whenever the needs of each user allow it, we always position ourselves on the side of free software. Whether it’s with LibreOffice, Firefox, GIMP or, in this case, FreeFileSync, we always recommend giving this type of software a try. If later it is not what we expected, we will always have time to switch to commercial software or to pay for licenses. But, in most cases, free software will satisfy all of our needs.
If what we want is to have two or more directories synchronized, with all the changes, then we recommend FreeFileSync. This program has everything that we are going to need for this task, and it will allow us to synchronize the folders by hand as well as automatically through scheduled tasks. It supports network drives (such as NAS, or FTP), as well as the cloud. Very easy to use, free and without advertising.
However, if we want to make backups in the form of full, incremental or differential packages, then FreeFileSync falls short. In that case, we recommend you try the free version of AOMEI Backupper. This software offers us many other possibilities to create and carry out our backup copies. The most interesting thing is the possibility of creating complete images of our computer, our hard drives and our partitions, saving all the data and being able to restore them later in case something goes wrong. And if we need to have other advanced functions, the Professional version of this software will surely fulfill its function.
