SynoSync vs EmpiricCommander File Manager
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SynoSync
This app synchronizes files between your iOS device and Synology NAS, WebDAV, or SMB servers. It integrates seamlessly with the iOS Files app, offering multiple sync modes and conflict resolution options for efficient file management.
- Synology NAS, WebDAV, SMB support
- iOS Files app integration
- Server-to-Local sync
- Local-to-Server sync
- Two-Way synchronization
- Flexible conflict resolution
- Background syncing
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SynoSync is a file synchronization tool crafted for iPhone and iPad, supporting Synology NAS, WebDAV, and SMB services. It is specifically designed to solve the long-standing issue where traditional sync software cannot flexibly integrate into the iOS "Files" app workflow. Simply log into your server, select a shared directory, and use the system file picker to specify a local target—allowing you to sync files to any authorized directory accessible by the Files app. The app supports three sync modes: Server-to-Local, Local-to-Server, and Two-Way synchronization, while offering flexible conflict resolution strategies (Keep Newer, Keep Local, Keep Remote, or Keep Both). With support for extended foreground syncing and automatic background syncing, it is the perfect tool for long-term maintenance of note libraries, document repositories, research data, and project files.
EmpiricCommander File Manager
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A real file manager for iPad - and for Mac and iPhone. Two panes side by side, drag between them, and move files where they belong without exporting or round-tripping through the Files app. PHOTOS OFF YOUR PHONE The Files app cannot see your photo library. EmpiricCommander can: browse your albums like folders and copy them to a USB-C drive, your NAS, SFTP, S3 - any destination, no account required. Originals are copied byte for byte with EXIF and location intact, a second run copies only what is new, and Free Up Space deletes a photo only after the copy has been read back and verified. THE WHOLE LOOP, NO MAC NEEDED Clone a repository over HTTPS or SSH, open a file in the built-in editor with syntax highlighting, stage your changes, commit, and push - on iPad and iPhone, without a separate terminal app. A commit log with a rendered branch and merge graph shows what happened, per-file diffs show exactly what changed, and merge conflicts are resolved in-app, per file. A REAL SSH TERMINAL An interactive shell to your server, from inside the file manager, on Mac, iPad and iPhone. iOS ships no ssh binary, so this is a full client implementation rather than a wrapper around a system tool. CONNECT TO WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE SMB network shares (your NAS, Mac, or Windows PC), SFTP with key authentication, S3 and S3-compatible storage, FTP, WebDAV, Azure Blob, Dropbox, and more - browsed, copied, and moved like local folders. Your connection list syncs across your devices through iCloud; passwords stay in the Keychain and are never uploaded. BUILT FOR REAL FILE WORK - Dual-pane on Mac and iPad, with a tab bar on iPhone. - Streaming transfers, including remote to remote, with progress that survives leaving the app. - Folder Sync in four modes, and Compare Folders with SHA-256 verification so you can prove a copy is byte-for-byte identical. - Batch rename with regex, numbering and dates, previewed before it runs. - Browse inside ZIP archives like folders; create ZIP and TAR/GZ; read password-protected archives. - Duplicate finder, disk-usage treemap, checksums, permissions editor. - Quick Look plus rich preview for CSV, JSON, Markdown, YAML, TOML and source code. - Full hardware-keyboard support on iPad: arrows, shift-selection, Tab, Esc, Return, Space. SHORTCUTS List, upload, download and sync folders on your saved servers from the Shortcuts app, without opening EmpiricCommander. Save a folder sync as a set and run it when the app launches or from a shortcut. ON-DEVICE AI Describe a batch rename in plain words, or summarize a document, using Apple Intelligence. It runs entirely on your device: no account, no API key, no per-use cost, and your filenames and file contents never leave the device. ONE PURCHASE, THREE PLATFORMS Buy once and use EmpiricCommander on your Mac, iPad and iPhone - one device of each type. Not a subscription. This major version and all of its updates are included. PRIVACY No tracking. Diagnostics are strictly opt-in.
Screenshots
Verdict
SynoSync and EmpiricCommander File Manager are too close to call on the numbers: across 6 compared parameters — price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases among them — neither pulls far enough ahead to decide it. What separates them is feature set and interface, not measurable difference.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. SynoSync sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and EmpiricCommander File Manager sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
SynoSync ships an update every 4 days, EmpiricCommander File Manager every 2 days. Both last shipped on October 24, 2026.
| Parameter | SynoSync | EmpiricCommander File Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (2 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 2 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 4 days | Every 2 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 20 MB | 37 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 成豪 董 | Burlac Mihail |
In-app purchases
SynoSync
- SynoSync-Plus$4.99
EmpiricCommander File Manager
- EmpiricCommander Pro$49.99
Questions
Is SynoSync free?
Is EmpiricCommander File Manager free?
Do SynoSync or EmpiricCommander File Manager have ads?
Which is updated more often, SynoSync or EmpiricCommander File Manager?
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