Sync.com is a cloud storage service that’s going to appeal if you're looking for something that's simple, speedy, and secure. 

As the name suggests, it syncs a single folder of data between your computers and the cloud. In a lot of respects, Sync.com is similar to Dropbox, although the ability to sync files outside the main folder is a feature we would like to see added. This makes Sync.com more of a cloud storage and file syncing solution rather than a cloud backup drive. 

That said, with a little work it could function as a backup drive if you save everything within the Sync.com folder or use the Vault feature. Files added to the Vault do not get synced to your other devices - letting you free up space by archiving your files in the cloud. Sync also claims that you can copy files into the vault from the desktop app, though when we opened it we couldn't see any obvious way to do this. However we were able to move a folder into the Vault using the Files section of the Sync online control panel. 

Unlike many rivals, there is end-to-end encryption for maximum file security. When setting up an account, you're offered the option to reset your password via email. If you choose not to enable this, Sync warns that there's no way to recover your encrypted data without the right password.

As the software is proprietary, it's impossible to be certain end-to-end encryption has been set up correctly. Still, Sync's Help Center addresses what they would do if issued a subpoena by law enforcement in Canada, where the company is based:

"If data is requested, we would only be able to provide the encrypted data stored on our servers, useless without the encryption keys (which we do not have access to)."

Sync.com: Pricing & plans 

You can get 5GB free cloud storage, which sounds average, but there are tasks you can complete to increase your capacity up to a maximum of 27GB. Invite your friends, create a new folder, it’s the gamification of cloud storage on full display. Like many of Sync.com’s competitors, payments are made annually, so expect a certain degree of commitment with an upfront cost. However there is a 30-day money-back guarantee. 

For personal users, $8 a month gets you 2TB storage. A mid-tier service blurs the boundaries between personal subscriptions and business levels, and is particularly useful for self-employed individuals and families. It offers 6TB of storage for the equivalent of $20 per month, paid annually. There is the option here for monthly billing, though it’s more expensive at $24 per month. 

For small businesses, the Teams Standard plan offers a decent 1TB at $5 per user per month. Larger businesses may want to consider the Teams Unlimited plan, which offers unlimited cloud storage for $15 per user per month.  

Sync.com: Interface & experience 

Installing Sync.com on Windows or macOS is a relatively painless exercise. After entering our email and password, we were instantly offered the choice of just using the web interface or downloading the desktop client. 

On first launch, the client application creates a folder named Sync in your home directory. Anything dropped in here then syncs to the cloud and to any other computers where you have the software installed. Network drives and external drives can't be included, nor can files and folders outside of your main Sync.com folder, so the software is a little bit limited in that way.

There's not all that much to the Sync.com interface on the desktop, besides progress indicators and a recent changes list, so you need to go to the web interface to access old file versions and for advanced sharing options. One trick we did find is that when data is uploading/downloading you can click Syncing to view the progress of individual files. 

We like the extra control given to the desktop client for throttling upload and download speeds to help preserve bandwidth for other computing tasks; if you have a slow Internet connection, limiting Sync.com’s speeds can be useful and the effects are generally unseen as the client continues to sync in the background with ease. You don’t get much more control, and we think PolarBackup provides a more personalized experience. But unlike Sync.com, this is strictly a cloud backup service, not a cloud storage platform. Horses for courses.

The web interface is slick and easy to use, and offers another way of getting your files up to the cloud. If you prefer, you can upload and keep files on the web without having local copies on your synced computers - handy if you want to save some space on your desktop machines. Which files get synced to which computers is all nicely handled through the options screen in the desktop client. The mobile apps, like the web interface, are straightforward and easy to navigate. Their appearance is rather plain, but on the plus side, it does have automatic photo and video uploading, should you need it. 

A separate tab in the browser tool - namely Vault - provides partitioned storage for files that you strictly want to store online, and not to sync with your desktop client. Naturally files placed here won't take up any space on your hard drive. 

While there is substantial support for sharing and online editing, Sync.com inevitably lags behind the likes of Apple iCloud, Microsoft OneDrive, and Google Drive, all of which have proprietary writing apps. There is, however, integration with Microsoft 365 for live editing and collaboration. 

Sync.com: Features 

The core functionality is to keep a folder on your system in sync with the cloud and any other computers where you've got the client software installed. It's all very simple to set up and use for personal and business users, thanks partly to the refreshed desktop clients and mobile apps. Tteam users will appreciate the Microsoft Office integration.

Our tests found that the platform supports versioning, so you can go back to older versions of files if you need to. In a generous move from Sync.com, these older versions don't count against your storage quota. Depending on the subscription tier you choose, files are kept for 180 or 365 days which offers better protection than many other companies that limit this to 30 days or so. Free accounts with 5GB of storage are limited to 30 days, which is reasonable given that in this form, it is an unpaid service.

Basic file and folder sharing is supported on the Sync.com platform too, and there's also support for advanced sharing controls with password protection and expiry dates on links. And if you sign up for a team account then you get provision for keeping your data compliant with standards like HIPAA, GDPR, and PIPEDA. The mobile apps also support PIN code locks. 

Actually, one of Sync.com's features is its lack of features: a focus on the core functionality that matters, keeping your data secure, private, and well-managed between multiple computers (and multiple users, if needed). If that appeals, and you want several terabytes of space for not much money per month, it's worth checking out.

Of particular use to business owners and those wanting to use Sync.com to archive important family files like photos and videos, there is no file size limit which is fairly typical of a cloud service these days, however there are still some that fail to offer this valuable feature.

Sync.com: Security 

Security is a very important part of the overall Sync.com experience. There’s a whole host of features included to give you some extra peace of mind. You can secure your Sync logins using 2FA. 

Sync have published an extensive white paper, which explains the process of using end-to-end encryption using 2048 Bit RSA encryption keys, the private key of which is then encrypted with AES-256-GCM, secured by your password. They also claim to use secure TLS tunnels to protect anyone from snooping on your files while they're being transferred to and from the Sync.com servers. As we mentioned, since the client isn't open source these claims are very difficult to verify but we're pleased to see Sync.com seems to be taking privacy seriously. 

Unlike some of its rivals, Sync.com doesn't work with a host of third-party applications or make an API available for other people to use – it sees this as an advantage though, reducing the number of ways in which your account can be exposed, and keeping the inner workings of the platform as secret as possible.

Sync.com: Our tests 

We ran three core tests on Sync.com, measuring sync speed, file recovery and versioning. Tests were performed on a Windows 11 virtual machine running the Sync.com desktop client. Our VM was connected to the internet via fiber broadband via VPN server, which in our speed tests consistently showed an average upload speed of 70 Mbps  

• Test 1 - Sync speed

In our tests, we found the Sync.com tools on the desktop and the web very polished and quick in use, with good transfer rates. 

A 1GB data file was uploaded in under seven minutes which is among the best we'd experienced, though it’s worth noting this was with a particularly strong 35Mbps upload speed. Download times were also exceptional, completing 1GB in just over two minutes with a connection of up to 350Mbps.

Our most recent tests were with a group of 22 files contained in a folder (around 625MB in total size). The folder took just under 3 minutes to upload with a 70Mbps upload speed. This is around twice as long as other desktop clients we reviewed. Given how well Sync.com performed in our original tests we put this down to high network usage in our area at the time.

• Test 2 - File recovery

For this test, we simply deleted a recently uploaded files from the Sync folder. When we opened the Sync online control panel, we saw the "Show Deleted Files" option immediately.

On clicking this, we saw the deleted folder and selected Restore. The deleted files all synced back to the device without issue in less than 120 seconds. 

• Test 3 - Versioning 

Versioning is vital if you make changes to a file, then want to roll it back to a previous state. So, after uploading our test file by placing it in the local Sync.com, we opened it in Wordpad and removed all text except the intro. 

After the changes were synced to the server, we opened the Sync.com online Control Panel, selected the file and chose Version History. Both the original file and the modified version were there. We clicked Restore to recover the original file in seconds. 

Sync.com: Verdict 

Sync.com might not be as polished or as easy to integrate with other services as the likes of Google Drive and Dropbox, but it covers the basic functions of a syncing system well, with plenty of online storage at a good price. There are some very impressive security features as well. For those looking for storage on a budget, it certainly holds its ground as a viable option against other key players in the game.

The question remains whether storage is as secure as the developers claim. They certainly talk a good talk with their privacy white paper and claims of end-to-end encryption. We would have been more reassured about this if these security features had been independently audited or better yet, the desktop client was open-source so the community could see that data was being encrypted and transmitted in a safe way. 

We like a lot of the multi-user features as well, with plenty of control over which team members are able to access which files, and a lot of ways to log and monitor what's happening inside an account. While you might be able to mark down Sync.com for being a bit rudimentary compared with other systems, somewhat lacking third-party integrations, the ground that it does cover is covered very well.

Whether you’re interested in personal or business-oriented plans, we think Sync.com’s pricing is incredibly competitive, the list of services is extensive, and support and compliance for many business regulations is well covered. 

Betternet is a VPN that enables users to safeguard their private data while browsing the web. The big appeal of Betternet is, of course, that it’s completely free. On the other hand, there are a number of drawbacks compared to the best free VPN services out there (and, of course, the best VPN services you need to pay for). It's particularly apparent in terms of support and the 500 MB daily usage cap. It also has a paid version, but there aren't many differences between them, and the VPN lacks even the most basic security features.

The provider is part of the Aura group, which also owns other VPN firms including Hotspot Shield, Touch VPN, and Aura VPN. The business is based in California, USA, and is a member of the Five-Eyes international intelligence-sharing alliance. 

At the time of this review, Betternet has an undisclosed number of VPN servers in 81 countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia. Only the United States has more than one server location. For those interested in security, it’s worth noting that the service has not undergone a VPN audit. 

• Want to try Betternet? Download it here

Pricing & plans

Betternet features a free plan you can use on any device. It’s an eye-catching offer, but nothing in this world is truly free. In exchange for a free service, the app comes with a lot of ads, and whenever you view an ad, Betternet gets a commission. However, they claim that their aim is merely to cover their maintenance costs and not to turn a profit.

The other allure is that you don't even need to register to use it. You can simply download the app and start using it right away. Although, you are only permitted to use it on one device at a time because they don't permit simultaneous device connections. It also comes with a 500 MB daily limit, which is only suitable for minimal browsing.

If you want to go beyond the restrictions of using the free service, Betternet VPN has monthly and annual subscriptions, as well as the option to try the premium service for one week. However, to use the free trial, you must provide your credit card information, keep in mind to remove it before the 7-day mark if you don't want the service provider to bill you.

The monthly plan costs $12.99, while the yearly plan is $7.99 a month, billed annually at $95.88. We thought this was quite expensive for a VPN that doesn’t come with a lot of features.

In contrast to the free trial, which has numerous restrictions, the Betternet premium plan gives you access to all of their servers, allows you to connect 10 devices at once, and includes a 45-day money-back guarantee. 

Betternet only accepts payments through the Play Store, iTunes, or a credit or debit card, which severely limits your options for making purchases. It is quite disappointing that there is no option for anonymous payment in the list of the VPN'S payment options

Privacy & encryption

Remember we said Betternet VPN is owned by its parent company Aura? Well, all of Aura's VPN products adhere to the same privacy and logging policies. However, the group hasn't had the best run in recent years due to a lot of controversy surrounding the majority of their VPNs.

For instance, it was alleged that Hamid Rezazadeh, son of Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs, owned the Betternet VPN. An Aura spokesperson refuted this claim by stating that Rezazadeh neither works for nor is connected to the VPN. Another controversy arose in 2016, over Betternet’s mobile VPN app. A research report found that the Android version contained tracking libraries and malware, but Betternet never made a public statement about this.

According to Aura product privacy, the VPN records the bandwidth used, the length of the VPN session, the domains that customers access on an anonymous basis, and then device hashes. They claim that all of these are logged for service monitoring, support, and marketing purposes.

Additionally, they claim that they won't log or otherwise keep track of your VPN browsing activity along with your device identifiers, IP addresses, or other identifiers. They also claim that their VPN servers are secure because the infrastructure where they are hosted does not require that they collect any data regarding what customers are doing with the VPN. The privacy policy also states unequivocally that it cannot share any personally identifiable information with ad networks or government agencies because it lacks it. Although all of this might sound good, we would prefer that a service provider who has faced numerous accusations and controversies go so far as to invite an independent auditor that would back up their claims.

Betternet has split tunnelling, which is useful if you want to remain anonymous online while streaming a show. However, this doesn't make up for the lack of fundamental security tools such as a VPN kill switch. 

The service uses the industry-standard AES-256-bit encryption to encrypt your traffic and uses the Catapult Hydra protocol. In future, we would like to see the developers add additional protocols like Wireguard or OpenVPN. The company’s support team claims it’s a VPN for China. But, at least in our own tests, this wasn’t the case. 

It’s also billed as a torrenting VPN, but because it lacks a kill switch, it’s risky to use it while torrenting because you run the risk of disclosing your real IP address. 

Streaming

The free version of Betternet, which grants access to only the US server, does not work as a streaming VPN. In our tests, it was unable to access Disney+ or Netflix US. 

With the paid plan, things are very different because it successfully unblocks Disney Plus, Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, and BBC iPlayer. However, the speed we experienced while testing the VPN for Netflix and the like made it difficult for us to watch the content because we were constantly having buffering problems and couldn't stream in HD. 

Speed & experience

Our speed without the VPN was 60.84 Mbps download and 39.84 Mbps upload. We started with testing the United States servers, which gave us a download speed of 40.33 Mbps and an upload speed of 15.43 Mbps. The UK server gave us a download speed of 32 Mbps and an upload speed of 20.1 Mbps. 

Although our test indicates that the speed was quite good, if you were using the free service, you would not be able to do much because of the 500 MB data restriction. Overall, using the VPN was very easy, with a straightforward interface that we could find our way around without any problems.

Support

When it comes to customer service, Betternet performs terribly. On the VPN website, you must scroll all the way to the bottom of the page to find the help center, which, when you click on it, will take you to a section with a list of frequently asked questions and the common problems, and solutions for each device they support.

If you run into problems using their free service, you are left to fix it yourself because there is no customer support available to free customers outside of the help center. You only receive email support as a premium customer, but when we tried to contact them, we got no response.

Betternet has apps for devices running Windows, macOS, iOS, Android, and also has a Google Chrome extension. Despite the fact that these are some popular platforms, we think this is quite limited in comparison to ExpressVPN, which works with gaming consoles, routers, Roku, Apple TV, Firestick, and Apple TV. 

All the VPN applications were simple to install and had user-friendly interfaces that made them easy to navigate. You can quickly connect to a VPN server by using the one-click connect button, and you can also choose the location you prefer by clicking the button in the center, and waiting a short while for the connection to establish.

Alternatives 

Betternet VPN does not have as many servers and does not offer the same advanced features as ExpressVPN, NordVPN, CyberGhost, or Surfshark. These VPNs allow torrenting and are quite safe to use for torrenting, as they have a kill switch. They also have a good mix of strong protocols, excellent speed and customer support that includes live chat, unlike Betternet VPN. 

Verdict 

Overall, Betternet is not a dependable VPN. It employs standard encryption but omits key security features like a VPN kill switch, doesn't have an ad-blocker, and all of its no-log claims have not been independently audited. That’s not to say this VPN service doesn’t have any benefits. It does. But there are far more drawbacks than benefits, making it less than a match compared to its alternatives. .