IDrive Inc. vs Sync.com
A source-aware comparison of pricing, documented capabilities and workflow fit.
Short answer
- Price: not directly comparable — IDrive Inc. is free tier available, Sync.com is free tier available.
- How to start: both are free tier available.
- Where they differ: only Sync.com has sso (saml); both offer mobile app.
These lines are generated from the pricing we track, not from a paid placement. How we score tools.
What IDrive Inc. is
IDrive is a proprietary backup service for computers, mobile devices, external drives, NAS and business systems. Its current Personal monthly plan is $11.99 for 5 TB, while Basic provides 10 GB without a credit card; annual and two-year discounts apply only to the first year before standard pricing. Backup, Cloud Drive synchronization and IDrive e2 object storage are distinct services. IDrive retains up to 30 prior file versions and offers an optional user-defined encryption key, but losing that private key makes restoration impossible. Storage overages are separately chargeable.
What Sync.com is
Sync.com stores files with end-to-end encryption, so the provider cannot read your content. End-to-end encryption means a subpoena to the provider does not produce your files, which is why it appears in regulated and legal workflows. The cost is convenience: no server-side search or preview, and losing your password can mean losing access.
Side by side
| IDrive Inc. | Sync.com | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Hosting | Productivity |
| How to start | Free tiernot a monthly price | Free tiernot a monthly price |
| Public API | No | No |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes |
| Open source / self-hostable | No | No |
| SSO (SAML) | No | Yes |
| Visit | IDrive Inc. ↗ | Sync.com ↗ |
What IDrive Inc. is built to do
- Device backup
- Protects supported PCs, Macs, Linux systems, phones, tablets, external drives and NAS devices by plan.
- Snapshots and versions
- Maintains historical views and up to 30 previous versions of backed-up files.
- Private-key encryption
- Offers AES-256 client-side protection with a user-defined key not stored by IDrive.
- IDrive Express
- Uses shipped physical storage for eligible bulk backup seeding and retrieval workflows.
What Sync.com is built to do
- End-to-end encryption
- Encrypts files client-side so the provider cannot read them.
- Zero-knowledge sharing
- Shares links with passwords and expiry without exposing keys to the server.
- Version history
- Restores previous file versions and deleted items.
Choose IDrive Inc. if
- Households or professionals backing up several computers and mobile devices under one account
- Small teams protecting endpoints, selected servers or NAS appliances within a known capacity
- Users who can securely escrow a private encryption key and regularly test representative restores
Skip IDrive Inc. if
- The requirement is primary application hosting or S3-compatible object storage rather than endpoint backup
- Data growth cannot be constrained and per-GB overage has not been budgeted
- No process exists to preserve the private key, backup configuration and independent recovery evidence
Choose Sync.com if
- People and teams storing files that must stay private.
Evidence and freshness
Where a claim on this page comes from a vendor page, it is linked here.
IDrive Inc.
Official sources reviewed · reviewed 2026-08-24
IDrive Inc.: pros & cons
- Multi-device coverage: One account can protect supported desktop, mobile, external-drive and NAS data.
- Historical recovery: Snapshots and up to 30 prior file versions provide point-in-time options against mistakes or ransomware.
- Optional private key: Client-selected encryption can keep the decryption key off IDrive servers.
- Physical transfer option: IDrive Express can seed or retrieve large backups without consuming normal internet bandwidth.
- Discounts expire: Annual and two-year promotional rates revert to standard pricing after the first year.
- Overage can be expensive: Personal and business-family plans publish per-GB monthly charges above quota.
- Private-key loss is terminal: IDrive cannot decrypt private-key backups if the customer loses the key.
- Product names can confuse: Backup, Cloud Drive sync, application backup and e2 object storage have different activation and billing.
Sync.com: pros & cons
- Zero-knowledge encryption by default
- Canadian jurisdiction and privacy focus
- Reasonable pricing for the storage
- Encryption limits third-party integrations
- Sync client is slower than rivals
- Collaboration features are basic
Our verdict on IDrive Inc.
IDrive offers broad device coverage and useful version history at competitive capacity tiers, but choose the correct product, budget after introductory discounts, prevent quota overage, and prove both ordinary and disaster restores before treating the backup as dependable.
Our verdict on Sync.com
The right choice when confidentiality outranks convenience. Otherwise mainstream sync is smoother.