Everyone should be able to enjoy cloud storage without giving up their privacy. This is where Canadian cloud storage from Sync, fills a much needed gap!
Sync (based in Toronto) is a Canadian cloud storage service that backs up your files automatically, all in one centralized location, and keeps them synced across all of your computers and devices. With Sync, you can sync photos to your computer with just one click of the mouse. You’ll get an instant backup every time you sync!
Table of Contents
- Zero-Knowledge Storage
- About Sync
- Sync comes with some fantastic features…
- Pros & Cons
- Comparison
- Get a Sync.com Account for Free
Sync stores your files securely so even if there’s a major catastrophe such as fire or flood – everything will be safe and available to you on any other computer, tablet or device anywhere in the world.
Sync is completely private so you don’t have to worry about sharing it with anyone else. Sync has no limits on storage space, bandwidth usage or file types which means you can sync everything from family to client presentations with ease.
Zero-Knowledge Storage
In a nutshell Sync.com is challenging established offshore competitors with robust Canadian cloud storage provisions. In fact they operate as a zero knowledge cloud storage service that ensures only you will have access to your files. They don’t even have a copy of the encryption key to access your files.
How does that work? Files are encrypted before they leave your computer using am encryption key they can never see. This makes sync the perfect cloud storage solution for sharing files with family, friends or business partners.
There is no sync storage quota meaning you can sync as much data as you like without worrying about extra fees. No sync bandwidth limits means you can sync everything from high resolution photos to large videos. Sync also has apps available on all major mobile devices meaning they are always in sync regardless where your files are stored.
Sync was founded in Canada in 2011 and is still making waves within Canada and across the world’s cloud storage market. So if you’re looking for a “Made in Canada” alternative to the likes of Dropbox, Google Drive, Box or Microsoft OneDrive then why not give Sync a try?
About Sync
Sync began with a simple idea: Everyone should be able to enjoy cloud storage without giving up their privacy. Think about that for a moment… Why should your cloud file storage service be able to read all your files and see all your images? – They shouldn’t! Sync was built for us. They wanted a convenient way to store and share important files.
Trouble was, it used to mean giving third-party service providers full access to our data. Easy-to-use cloud services were insecure! And the more secure options were complex and almost impossible to use. Sync provides a better way. Sync was built so we could enjoy the simplicity and convenience of the cloud, in a secure way (not even Sync employees can see your files). It’s designed for everyone – organizations and individuals with valuable files. In my opinion, this is one aspect that really brings Canadian cloud storage to the forefront.
How is our privacy maintained? No third-parties have access to anything ever – Sync does it all for you. sync is the only cloud service built 100% in Canada with a zero knowledge infrastructure so your data is yours and stays yours. “Zero knowledge” means this Canadian cloud storage provider cannot even see the contents of your files!
Sync lets you sync all your files across all your devices under one private sync folder that can’t be accessed by any other user or sync user. With sync, sharing files is as simple as sending a link to anyone who has an internet connection which will give them read-only access to the file(s) shared.
Want an extra 1GB of storage for free? I’ll get an extra free 1GB as well as you, then feel free to click or tap here and try it out! 100% Free Sync.com
And now you know why Sync was built , here are some things about this cloud service that make it unique:
- All sync users are authenticated signing in, meaning nobody gets access to your files other than you.
- Everything in your Sync folder is encrypted and kept safe.
- Keep track of revisions. Recover previous versions of your files that you or your team are working on.
- Available everywhere you are (digital nomads love this feature).
- Access your data from Windows, Mac, web and mobile (Android, iPhone).
- Zero knowledge storage. This means Sync staff of systems cannot view you files.
- It’s a 100% Canadian cloud storage solution.
Sync comes with some fantastic features…
Desktop applications (Windows and Mac OS), mobile applications (Android and iPhone), as well as web access for all web browsers (Brave, Vivaldi, Firefox, etc.)
The Windows based application includes File Explorer integration with notifications, status overlays and task bar access.
For Mac users it includes Finder integration with notifications, status overlays and menu bar access.
The web access provides secure file access from virtually any web browser, anywhere.
The web access also includes secure image and PDF previews, as well as the ability to download and share any type of file.
With sync, your data is yours to sync, and the free account includes 5GB of storage already.
Your files are only stored on sync Canadian cloud storage servers in the cloud if you choose, no files are held hostage which means they aren’t shared with anyone else. Sync comes with a full suite of sharing options for your entire sync account or just one folder at a time. You can select private links that expire after set times, share them publicly or never share them. With sync everyone has their own unique account and sync makes it easy to manage multiple accounts too.
Pros & Cons
I’ve been using Sync for several years now, and have experienced some definite benefits, and a few challenges.
The Cons
No Linux Support: This is one I personally dislike. When using Linux based OS’s I can only access files using the web UI. This is not as productive when using other systems (Windows or Mac based), where we can install the small Sync application. In my opinion this detracts from the appeal of Canadian cloud storage .
No Access for Third -Party Applications: While (arguably) may might see this as a benefit (I do), the privacy and security provided by Sync does not lend itself to access from third-party initiatives.
Yearly Commitments: Yuck! While upgrading to the pro version is $8 per month (as of this post), their billing is on a yearly cycle. If you need, or want, to terminate your account after a few months, you loose the unused portion of your investment. Still, I found this cost cheaper than paying USD for non-Canadian solutions. Despite this for free and pro services, I still believe using a Canadian cloud storage is the way to go.
Sync Speed: Large files take a longer time to sync than smaller files (with smaller files we don’t perceive the lag). Overall (arguably the sync seems to be slower). To be fair, this is caused by the encryption (where your data is encrypted before even being stored in the Sync.com cloud).
The Pros
Privacy: They support and respect user privacy. Many people might not realize services like Google Drive and Dropbox have usage terms that enable their personnel to garner access, scan, and share any of your files stored on their server; Sync does not. 2FA (two-factor authentication) is also a standard option using Sync. In my opinion, hands-down, this is a huge win-win for Canadian cloud storage and consumers.
Simple Sharing: It’s crazy easy to share both folders and files even to people who don’t have a Sync account. There are no file size limits (that I’ve run into yet). What’s more, if I share a file to someone that does not have a Sync account, they open the file in read-only mode, perfect! Have a large file that you can’t email, with Sync… Problem solved.
Easy File Restore: Make a mistake? In addition to your files being backed up, you can also go back in time to prior versions of the file. You can rollback and restore an earlier file version and then continue from there. The file “Version History” feature is simple to use, you are presented with a list of date / time stamped versions and can select which one to restore.
Ultra Secure Location: Sync calls this the “Vault”. It’s a super secure location that is cloud only. Any private file you store in the vault does not get synced to your other devices. This is a terrific feature when there’s something you need to keep extra secure.
Free Storage: In addition to 5GB of free storage, Sync also has a referral program where you receive an extra 1GB for each referral who creates an account. In many respects this can result in larger 100% storage with no limits. If you don’t want to pay for the pro version, you can still grow you storage space. This makes Sync one of the best free 100% Canadian cloud storage solutions. And I personally love that my files are seamlessly synced to all my devices, in real time, while being kept private.
Comparison
While, for people interested in upgrading to a Pro version of Sync, I won’t focus on the plans and prices available at Sync.com (I didn’t think it productive to repeat packages and prices that are already well published on their website). I can make some comparisons with other services I’ve used, that are more related in terms of services, quality, etc. to Sync. Namely: Dropbox.
Dropbox
Privacy: Hands down, I don’t think Dropbox can freely match the impressive privacy of Sync. In part, this is because Dropbox does not offer (last I checked) end-to-end encryption like Sync does (where files are encrypted before sending to the Sync cloud storage).
Your files are stored on servers in the USA. We’ve all read the news and watched newscasts that discuss the concerns regarding user privacy in that country. On the other hand, Sync stores files here in Canada, where we uphold stricter privacy laws and policies to help protect consumers; a clear benefit for consumers to consider Sync’s Canadian cloud storage options.
Sharing: When sharing folders using Dropbox, you have the ability to specify file / folder permissions (as a standard feature). With Sync, it’s more or less a read-only approach.
Speed: Dropbox is super fast at syncing files across all devices. Given the size of Dropbox, they currently have a larger infrastructure, with multiple data centres. Sync.com isn’t that big yet.
Daily Work: Dropbox has several productivity add-ons, that help you easily memorialize you files, ideas, thoughts, notes and so on. You can preview your files in your web browser and edit them using your local applications (such as Office documents). In my opinion, their UI is a bit easier to grasp and use.
Costing: Dropbox has a free storage quota of 2GB (for Sync it’s 5GB). I’ve used both the free and paid versions of Dropbox. Dropbox charges more money for their service. Dropbox has more add-ons that they charge more money for (and in my opinion I don’t think that’s overly fair to consumers).
Bottom line: I’ve used both services (Sync and Dropbox) extensively and enjoy them equally, but prefer using Sync because it’s a solid, privacy focused, Canadian solution. And works seamlessly.
Get a Sync.com Account for Free
Using Sync is easy to store, share and access your files from anywhere, anytime. And your privacy is protected with end-to-end encryption, to ensure your data is safely stored in the cloud. It’s a secure, private and a 100% Canadian cloud storage solution!
You can try the free Sync.com today, by signing up for free (using this link, gives both of us an extra 1GB for free). It won’t cost you a dime!
If you want to learn more, please read Sync’s post: “Sync.com: truly Canadian cloud storage“
Hopefully this Canadian cloud storage post raises some good points for your own research and follow up. If you have any questions, suggestions, etc., please feel free to include them in the comments below (or you can even choose to be a guest writer).