Sync vs Pho
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sync
This app facilitates file synchronization, backup, and restoration across local storage and various cloud services. It includes a file manager for browsing and manipulating files, and a web server for sharing local content over Wi-Fi. Users can set up custom tasks for different transfer operations.
- File synchronization
- Backup and restore
- Local and cloud drive support
- Built-in file manager
- Web server for Wi-Fi sharing
- Customizable transfer tasks
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Keep a safe copy of everything that matters. Sync is the multi-cloud backup app that backs up, restores, and syncs your files across your iPhone/iPad, USB and external drives, and 5 major cloud services — so whatever happens, you have a copy and a way to get it back. 5 sync modes | 5 cloud services | 4 platforms PROTECT WHAT MATTERS Set up a backup task once — choose what to protect and where it goes — then run it whenever you want. You decide what's backed up, and nothing moves your files in the background. EVERY CLOUD YOU USE Back up and sync your OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, and more — connect as many as you need, all in one app instead of juggling five separate apps: • OneDrive • Google Drive • Dropbox • Box • Amazon S3 BACK UP BEYOND THE CLOUD Back up and sync straight to USB and external drives too, so you're covered even without an internet connection. Or keep files right on your device: Private Drive is secure in-app storage just for Sync, and Public Drive shares files with your other apps through Finder/Files. GET ANY FILE BACK Browse every file across every connected drive from one place, and pull back anything you need — no separate file manager required. CONTROL HOW YOUR FILES FLOW Five modes give you exact control over your file backup and cloud sync — not one-size-fits-all: • Full Sync • Backup • Restore • Backup Sync • Restore Sync The three sync modes — Full Sync, Backup Sync, and Restore Sync — only transfer changed files, so repeat runs stay fast. SHARE FILES OVER WI-FI Turn your device into a local web server: anyone on the same Wi-Fi can browse and download the files and folders you choose, straight from their browser. No cloud upload, no cables. READY ON EVERY DEVICE Also available for Android, macOS, and Windows — so you can back up from whatever device you're on. FREE TO START Connect one drive and try Sync at no cost (ad-supported, with usage limits). GO PREMIUM One upgrade unlocks every cloud service, USB and external drive support, and removes ads — as a subscription or a one-time lifetime purchase. Whatever happens — a new device, a bigger drive, or a file you need back — your files are ready. Download Sync and keep a copy of everything that matters. For additional help and guides, please visit https://sync.miciniti.com/help Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Pho
This app replaces your native photo gallery and synchronizes your pictures to cloud storage. It offers a streamlined experience for viewing and managing your photo library.
- Photo gallery replacement
- Cloud photo synchronization
- SMB, WebDAV, NFS support
- Simple user experience
- View and manage photos
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Pho is a serverless photo sync and gallery app. It backs up your photos directly to your own network storage — Samba (SMB), WebDAV, NFS, S3 and Google Drive — without routing them through any third-party cloud photo service. No middleman server. No database. No subscription lock-in. The files are entirely yours. [Your photos, only in your own storage] Pho never uploads your photos to a third-party server. All photos are stored in your own network storage using a "year/month/day" directory structure, with original filenames preserved. You can access, migrate, or reuse these raw files anytime without Pho — they're ordinary files, not packaged, not locked, not hidden behind a proprietary format. This is the fundamental difference between Pho and every cloud photo service. [Replace your built-in gallery] Pho isn't just for sync — it works as your daily gallery. Local and cloud photos appear in a single timeline, with: · Grouping by date, pinch-to-zoom · Lazy thumbnail loading — smooth even with tens of thousands of photos · Full EXIF info · Live Photo playback · Native HEIC / HEVC / RAW (DNG) / video support [Original quality, no compression] Pho preserves the original quality of your photos and videos — no compression, no re-encoding, no EXIF stripping. Your 4K videos and DNG RAW files stay exactly as they were. Cloud browsing is also original quality — no silent downscaling like some cloud photo services. [Background auto-sync] Scheduled sync runs in the background: on iOS, the system schedules it while charging — no need to open the app manually. Wi-Fi-only option avoids cellular data usage. A passive local notification is sent on completion (silent, no screen wake). After the first sync, Pho incrementally compares local and cloud, uploading only new photos. [AES encryption] Privacy-conscious? Pho supports AES encryption: photos are encrypted before upload and decrypted before download. Encrypted files use a .aes suffix — even if storage is inspected or leaked, originals cannot be recovered. Encrypted videos stream natively without downloading the whole file. You can always find these encrypted files in your own storage and decrypt them without Pho using the same algorithm and password. [Supported storage] · Samba (SMB) — works with NAS, router USB storage, Windows shared folders · WebDAV — works with self-hosted services, Jianguoyun, Nextcloud, etc. · NFS — works with Linux / NAS · Baidu Netdisk — popular in China, OAuth login Each storage type only needs to be configured once and connects automatically afterwards. Switch or reconfigure anytime. [Pro features] · Parallel upload: upload multiple photos at once for faster backups · Encrypted storage: AES encryption to protect your privacy · Custom upload filters: filter by file type and date · Camera-only album: intelligently filter out screenshots and downloads · Theme color: switch to your preferred theme · Free up storage: delete synced photos to reclaim phone space Three plans available: monthly, yearly, and lifetime. Subscriptions can be canceled anytime via App Store subscription management. [Who it's for] · Privacy-conscious users who don't want photos hosted by third-party cloud services · Users with a NAS, router USB storage, self-hosted WebDAV, or Baidu Netdisk · Users looking to replace the native gallery and manage local + cloud photos in one place · Users who need local encryption before backup [About Pho] Pho is an open-source project with source code publicly available on GitHub. No ads, no tracking, no data collection. Maintained by a single developer, continuously improved based on user feedback. For issues or suggestions, find feedback channels in Settings → About, or contact the developer directly. Thank you to every user who chose Pho. Privacy Policy: https://pho.tools/privacy.html Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is ads: Pho at none against Sync's shown. Pho also leads on update cadence (every 5 days vs every 2 months). On price, review sentiment, 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
Both are free to download. Sync sells 11 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Pho sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
Sync ships an update every 2 months, Pho every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on September 10, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sync | Pho |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (26 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews — better | 42.9% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 26 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 18 MB | 54 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Miciniti Technologies | 渊浩 张 |
Customer experience
Sync
Pho
In-app purchases
Sync
- Monthly$1.991 Month
- Yearly$14.991 Year
- 1-hour trial (Web Server)Free
- Dropbox Drive$4.99
- Google Drive$4.99
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- OneDrive$4.99
- Box Drive$4.99
- Amazon S3 Drive$5.99
- Public Drive$5.99
- Web Server$5.99
- Lifetime$39.99
Pho
- Pho Pro - Monthly$2.99
- Pho Pro - Yearly$19.99
- Pho pro - lifetime$34.99









