# SugarSync vs IDrive Online Backup

The clearest difference is review sentiment: SugarSync at 81% against IDrive Online Backup's 36%. SugarSync also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 10) and iOS requirement (10.0 vs 16.0). IDrive Online Backup's advantage is rating (4.3 vs 3.2) and ads (none vs shown). On price, monetization model and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. IDrive Online Backup sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. SugarSync asks for nothing beyond the download.

IDrive Online Backup holds the better App Store score, 4.3 against 3.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: IDrive Online Backup has 5K ratings behind it against 109, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 81% of SugarSync's written reviews are positive against 36% of IDrive Online Backup's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

SugarSync ships an update every 5 months, IDrive Online Backup every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | SugarSync | IDrive Online Backup |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [3.2 (109 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sugarsync/id288491637/reviews) | **[4.3 (5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idrive-online-backup/id427956708/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 109 | **5K** |
| Positive reviews | **80.5% of reviews** | 35.8% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 33 MB | 111 MB |
| Requires iOS | **10.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SugarSync, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/288491640) | [IDrive Incorporated](https://appshunter.io/developer/295113649) |

## What reviewers say

### SugarSync

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sugarsync/id288491637)

Securely back up and sync files, photos, and music across all your devices. Protect your digital life with advanced encryption and easily share or restore files. Offers automatic syncing and remote data wiping for enhanced security and convenience.

**Highlights:** Secure file backup, Automatic cloud syncing, Cross-device synchronization, Remote data wipe, File sharing and collaboration, Easy file restoration

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless syncing across devices
- 🔒 Secure cloud storage
- 👍 Easy to use and navigate
- 💡 Ability to access files remotely
- 👍 Reliable backup solution

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Syncing issues and unreliable file access
- 🔋 High resource consumption on mobile devices
- 👎 Poor customer support and lack of response
- 👎 Expensive pricing compared to alternatives

**Reported bugs**

- Login issues and account problems
- Incompatibility with newer iOS versions
- Slow upload and download speeds

**Requested features**

- Offline file access and editing
- Integration with more third-party apps
- Improved photo management and viewing
- Ability to selectively sync folders/files


### IDrive Online Backup

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/idrive-online-backup/id427956708)

Securely back up and sync your mobile data with private key encryption for maximum security. Access your files from anywhere, on any device, and share them easily. Protect photos and videos automatically as they are taken.

**Highlights:** Private key encryption, Backup and restore contacts, photos, videos, calendars, Sync files across devices, Access data from anywhere, Selective backup and restore, Share files and folders securely, Automatic photo/video upload

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| IDrive Pro Mobile | $0.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 100GB at $2.99 | $2.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 100GB at $3.99 | $3.99 | one-time |
| IDrive Mobile Unlimited | $4.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 500GB at $9.99 | $9.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 1TB at $14.99 | $14.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 1TB at $15.99 | $15.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 2TB at $54.99 | $54.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 1TB at $59.99 | $59.99 | one-time |
| IDrive 5TB at $59.99 | $59.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and efficient
- 🚀 Great backup solution
- 🔒 Secure backup
- 💰 Affordable pricing

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Buggy app, crashes frequently
- 🔍 Difficult to navigate and find backed up files
- 🔋 Drains battery when running in the background
- 🤖 Poor customer support

**Reported bugs**

- App crashes when trying to access backed up data
- Inconsistent backup progress reporting
- Fails to backup all photos and videos
- Sync issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Add option to view backed up files in folder structure
- Improve upload and download speeds
- Allow background uploads without pausing
- Add facial recognition and photo organization features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is SugarSync free?

SugarSync is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is IDrive Online Backup free?

IDrive Online Backup is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, SugarSync or IDrive Online Backup?

IDrive Online Backup is rated higher. SugarSync averages 3.2 out of 5 from 109 ratings, while IDrive Online Backup averages 4.3 from 5K ratings.

### Do SugarSync or IDrive Online Backup have ads?

SugarSync shows ads; IDrive Online Backup does not.

### Which is updated more often, SugarSync or IDrive Online Backup?

SugarSync ships an update every 5 months, and IDrive Online Backup every 3 weeks. Most recently, SugarSync was updated on September 10, 2026 and IDrive Online Backup on September 28, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*