GoodSync: Most Powerful Syncing Solution on the Planet?

GoodSync ($30, 30-day free trial) is the Godzilla of syncing programs, and I mean that in the best possible way. It has tons of features and offers unprecedented connectivity. Not only does it sync or back up one computer to another--including remotely across the Internet with the GoodSync Connect portal, but it also syncs with online services such as Microsoft's SkyDrive. Want offsite backup without the online storage charges? GoodSync could well be your answer.

You'll find all the basic sync and backup features in GoodSync: bidirectional and unidirectional syncing (aka backup), file filtering, job scheduling, and syncing of deletions. New in version 9 is the ability to include multiple sources (e.g., folders) and single files in a single job. I already mentioned that the program syncs with online services. It's nice having a program that will automatically download the files I create on SkyDrive using my smartphone. Other services supported are Google Docs, Windows Azure, Amazon S3, and Amazon Cloud Drive.

Peruse GoodSync, and it quickly becomes apparent that someone has a passion to become the best. The GoodSync interface doesn't feature a lot of bitmaps or a sexy color scheme, but it is intuitive and easy to use. That said, there are so many options that it may take you a while to get up to speed with the program.

Unlike many syncing programs, GoodSync displays all files from both the source and destination on the right side of the main window and only their status on the left. This can be a bit disconcerting with a one-way sync from a small folder with few files to a folder with many files--such as syncing SkyDrive to My Documents. To avoid this, always use a dedicated destination folder for the sync.

GoodSync's ability to connect to online services left me wanting more--a positive thing. It would be great to be able to connect remotely to my NAS box's Rsync service. GoodSync doesn't support this yet, but it does support FTP, SFTP, and Webdav, which can be used to the same effect.

While GoodSync functions as a "free" version after the 30-day trial period, it's limited to three jobs of 100 files. That's enough to perhaps sync a thumb drive or two, but effectively renders the program useless for backup. You're better off with Windows Briefcase for the stuff the free version of GoodSync handles. Also, you'll need a license for each PC you want to sync between remotely using the GoodSync Connect service. Not that this is unusual, but those $30 licenses can add up in a hurry.

If GoodSync isn't the most powerful syncing solution on the planet, then someone out there is flying really low under the radar. It's most definitely worth downloading.