Comparison

S3 Client vs Sync with S3

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

S3 Client

Access and manage your S3-compatible cloud storage directly from your device's file system. Files are downloaded on demand and synchronized automatically, with support for various S3 services and encryption methods.

Highlights
  • Direct S3 storage access
  • On-demand file downloading
  • Automatic synchronization
  • Support for multiple S3 services
  • System share sheet uploads
  • Pre-signed sharing link generation
  • Shortcuts automation support
Features
Read full description

Access your S3 storage directly from the Files app, Finder, and other applications on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Developed by the creator of Working Copy, this application provides seamless integration with S3-compatible storage services. Once configured, S3 buckets appear alongside other cloud storage providers, with files available on demand. Files are downloaded as needed and automatically synchronized back to S3 when modified. The app supports a wide range of S3-compatible services, including AWS S3, BackBlaze B2, CloudFlare R2, DigitalOcean Spaces, MinIO, and others. Files and directories can be uploaded through the system share sheet on iOS and the Services menu on macOS. The app remembers preferred upload destinations for different file types, streamlining file management. Pre-signed sharing links can be generated directly from Finder and the Files app, allowing temporary access to files for up to seven days. Support for server-side encryption with customer-provided keys (SSE-C) and client-side AES-GCM encryption compatible with the Amazon S3 Encryption Client. Comprehensive support for Shortcuts automation enables operations such as listing, downloading, uploading, and moving files. The app is free to use with a single server. A Pro Unlock is required for multiple servers, available as a one-time purchase or a monthly subscription, with access shared across iPhone, iPad, and Mac. A one-week free trial allows users to evaluate Pro features before purchase.

About

Sync with S3

Automatically back up your phone's photos and videos to S3 storage, preserving your album and folder structure. It mirrors your library, uploads edited media and Live Photos, and ensures your S3 storage matches your device without deleting any original files.

Highlights
  • Syncs photo library to S3
  • Preserves album and folder hierarchy
  • Uploads edited photos and videos
  • Supports Live Photos video component
  • One-way sync, no phone data deletion
  • Selective folder/album syncing
Read full description

Sync for S3 synchronizes your phone’s photo library, including the album and folder hierarchy, to your S3 storage. For users who like to organize their photos into folders and albums, Sync will also - Sync automatically creates folders and albums you may have created in your phone’s photo library on S3 storage. - Uploads the video component for Live Photos. - Uploads the edited versions of photos and videos. - Mirror or backup your photo library. - Synchronize your entire photo library or only certain folders and albums. In summary, each time you run Sync, it will make sure any changes to your phone’s photo library are updated on your S3 storage, overwriting, renaming, uploading, and deleting items on your S3 storage if needed. Sync will also NEVER delete any photos from your phone. Sync performs a ONE-WAY sync only, making your S3 storage match your phone’s photo library. Any changes made on your S3 storage will not be synced to your phone, rather, the changes on your S3 storage will simply be overwritten the next time you run a Sync. Free Plan The free plan is limited to syncing up to 3 top-level folders and albums and up to 200 photos. Premium Plan Our affordable premium plan removes all restrictions and unlocks access to all future features. Subscription Pricing and Terms - Annual or monthly subscription billing will start immediately after you subscribe and will auto-renew each year or month. - Subscriptions will automatically renew unless canceled at least one day before the renewal date within 24 hours before the end of the current period. Payment will be charged to your Apple ID account at the confirmation of purchase. You can manage and cancel your subscription by going to your account settings in the App Store. - Subscriptions are non-refundable, so please choose this option carefully. - Please refer to the In-App Purchases section for pricing. Terms of Use — https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula Privacy Policy — https://sync.photosplus.app/privacy.php

Screenshots

S3 Client4 screens
Sync with S34 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: S3 Client at 79% against Sync with S3's 0%. S3 Client also leads on rating (4.8 vs 1.0) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 2 months). Sync with S3's advantage is iOS requirement (15.6 vs 18.2). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. S3 Client sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month and Sync with S3 sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

S3 Client holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: S3 Client has 54 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 79% of S3 Client's written reviews are positive against 0% of Sync with S3's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

S3 Client ships an update every 9 days, Sync with S3 every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 30, 2026 and October 2, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
S3 Client versus Sync with S3: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterS3 ClientSync with S3
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.8 (54 ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews79.1% of reviews — better0.0% of reviews
Number of ratings54 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesYes
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFreemium
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Mac — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS18.215.6 — better
Further details — not scored
Size63 MB27 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAnders Borum ApSPixegram, LLC

Customer experience

S3 Client

All ratings54 ratings
Positive94.4%
Neutral1.9%
Negative3.7%
Written reviews86 reviews
Positive79.1%
Neutral10.5%
Negative10.5%

Sync with S3

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

S3 Client

Reported bugs

17 issues
  • Files renamed randomly
  • High CPU usage
  • Stopped working in iOS 26
  • Can't set permissions
  • Fails to load S3 buckets properly
Show 12 more
  • Duplicating root folders
  • Folders missing
  • Failing to upload
  • No image/video thumbnails
  • EXIF option unreliable
  • No SSE-C encryption/decryption support
  • Does not support IAM policy roles
  • Short-lived keys needed
  • App locks up Files app
  • Requires reboot
  • Issues with S3 Minio
  • Update issues with older macOS

Requested features

14 requests
  • Support for WebDAV servers
  • Support for Google OAuth for GCS
  • Synchronous feature to backup photos automatically
  • Configurable AWS endpoint for non-.com endpoints
  • Allow import/export of configuration
Show 9 more
  • Show number of files in a directory
  • Option to clear app cache
  • Support for SSE-C encryption/decryption
  • Support for IAM policy roles
  • Support for S3 buckets with short-lived keys
  • Dark mode option
  • Advanced analytics dashboard
  • Duplicate Settings option for iOS
  • Support for public dataset anonymous configuration

Sync with S3

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

3 purchases

S3 Client

Subscriptions1
  • S3 Files Pro Monthly7 Days trial$2.991 Month
One-time2
  • Lifetime S3 Pro$14.99
  • Lifetime S3 Pro$17.99
2 purchases

Sync with S3

Subscriptions2
  • Premium - Monthly$2.991 Month
  • Premium - Yearly$19.991 Year

Questions

Is S3 Client free?
S3 Client is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Sync with S3 free?
Sync with S3 is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, S3 Client or Sync with S3?
S3 Client is rated higher. S3 Client averages 4.8 out of 5 from 54 ratings, while Sync with S3 averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do S3 Client or Sync with S3 have ads?
Neither S3 Client nor Sync with S3 shows ads.
Which is updated more often, S3 Client or Sync with S3?
S3 Client ships an update every 9 days, and Sync with S3 every 2 months. Most recently, S3 Client was updated on September 30, 2026 and Sync with S3 on October 2, 2026.

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