ACAS Tools / QuietWire / Compare
QuietWire vs Syncthing
Both keep files identical across your own machines without storing them in a cloud. Syncthing is free, open-source file sync for many operating systems that finds and connects your devices itself. QuietWire is a paid shared folder built for Tailscale networks: it runs inside your tailnet, decides access by Tailscale login or tag, and gives every machine a private drop page for your phone.
If you don't use Tailscale, want open source, or need Linux or BSD, choose Syncthing. If your machines, servers included, already live on a tailnet and you want one folder with access lists, a trash and a transfer history, choose QuietWire.
QuietWire: $19 launch price until Sunday, November 15, 2026 $29
Requires a Tailscale account · One-time purchase · Free 7-day trial on 2 devices (1 GB)
Side by side
QuietWire and Syncthing at a glance
Syncthing brings its own way to find and connect devices. QuietWire uses the private network you already run with Tailscale.
| QuietWire | Syncthing | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | One shared folder kept identical on every machine you own, servers included, for Tailscale networks | “Open Source Continuous File Synchronization” between two or more computers |
| Network | Only inside your tailnet, over WireGuard. No QuietWire server and no internet-facing address. Needs a Tailscale account | Works over LAN and the internet with TLS. Global discovery helps devices find each other; volunteer-run relays are used when a direct connection fails, and relays can't see the data |
| Cloud storage | None. Files go straight between your devices | None. Syncthing does not upload your data to the cloud |
| Folders | One shared folder (any file type, subfolders at any depth) | Folders you choose to share, each configured on its own |
| Phones and other devices | Every dock serves a private drop page; a phone needs only the Tailscale app, and no license | Each device you sync runs Syncthing itself |
| Deleted and replaced files | 30-day trash with restore on every dock | Optional file versioning per folder (trash can, simple, staggered or external); off by default |
| Platforms | Windows 10/11 (64-bit) and macOS 11+ (Intel and Apple Silicon); --headless for servers without a tray icon | macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Solaris, OpenBSD and others |
| Source and price | Proprietary. One-time purchase: $19 launch price until November 15, 2026, then $29. Up to 3 computers you own or control | Open source under the MPL-2.0 license, free to use |
Syncthing details are from syncthing.net, docs.syncthing.net and github.com/syncthing/syncthing, checked on 2026-10-20.
Which to choose
It mostly comes down to Tailscale
Choose QuietWire if
- Your machines already live on a Tailscale tailnet, including tagged servers
- You want access decided by Tailscale login or tag, checked on every request
- You want to drop files from a phone through a web page, with nothing else installed
- You want a 30-day trash, a suspend switch and a history of the latest 500 transfers
- You want one folder that simply stays the same everywhere
Choose Syncthing if
- You don't use Tailscale and don't want to
- You want free, open-source software
- You need Linux, BSD or another system QuietWire doesn't support
- You want several separate synced folders with different devices
- You want configurable file versioning strategies
Honest limits
What QuietWire is not
Not a backup. A deletion is honoured on every dock (into a 30-day trash). Keep a separate backup of anything important. The same is true of any sync tool, Syncthing included.
Not a cloud service. It only works inside your tailnet, and it needs a Tailscale account. People outside it can be invited through Tailscale's own device sharing.
Not disk encryption. Files at rest are ordinary files. On laptops that travel, use BitLocker or FileVault.
FAQ
Common questions
Is QuietWire a Syncthing alternative?
Yes, for people on Tailscale. Both keep a folder identical across your own machines with no cloud storage. QuietWire needs a Tailscale account and uses your tailnet for the connection and for identity. Syncthing doesn't need Tailscale and runs on more operating systems.
Does QuietWire need Tailscale?
Yes. QuietWire only works inside a Tailscale tailnet. Each dock carries its own Tailscale connection, so the Tailscale app isn't needed on the dock itself; a phone uses the Tailscale app to reach a dock's page.
Do my files go through a server?
With QuietWire, no: files travel directly between your devices over WireGuard, and there's no QuietWire server. Syncthing also keeps your data off the cloud; when a direct connection fails it can pass encrypted traffic through volunteer-run relays that can't see the data.
Is QuietWire free like Syncthing?
No. QuietWire is $19 launch price until Sunday, November 15, 2026, then $29, one-time, for up to 3 computers you own or control, with updates included. The free trial runs 7 days on 2 devices with 1 GB of transfers. Syncthing is free and open source.
Does QuietWire run on Linux?
QuietWire 1.0 is released for Windows 10/11 and macOS 11 or later. If you need Linux or BSD, Syncthing supports them.
Free trial
One folder. Every machine you own.
Try it on two devices with 1 GB of transfers. One license covers up to 3 computers you own or control, with updates included; each dock is activated on its own.
Full QuietWire details · Questions: [email protected] · License terms · Tailscale is a trademark of Tailscale Inc.; QuietWire is not affiliated with Tailscale or the Syncthing project.