SugarSync Comparison and Review

Pros:

• Combines data backup and Dropbox-like file sharing into a single service
• Offers a "Restore Wizard"
• Allows you to restore files for an indefinite amount of time

Cons:

• Phone support access costs extra for personal plan users

Conclusion:

[Last Update: February 23, 2015]

SugarSync met most of our features' criteria, with pricing comparable to most other online backup services and a 30-day free trial on all plans. The main reason to choose SugarSync is if you want a single service to manage data back up and Dropbox-like file sharing. SugarSync charges $74.99/ year for 100 GB of storage. SugarSync offers free phone customer support only to SugarSync for Business users and charges $99 a year for support on personal accounts. However, we found SugarSync to be incredibly easy to use and they have several advanced features, including a “Restore Wizard” that allows you to restore lost files for an indefinite amount of time and a mobile phone app for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android.

Features

SugarSync operates by giving you downloadable software that allows you to select any files or folders to be copied and uploaded over the Internet to SugarSync’s storage servers. Your initial backup may take a long time depending on the total size of the files to be backed up, but afterwards you will have an accessible copy of your files that can be downloaded to your machine in case of loss or corruption. After your initial backup, SugarSync’s software constantly runs on your computer, performing automatic incremental backups of files and folders that you designated to be backed up. These backups are performed only when a new file is saved or when a previous file is altered. This method uses far less bandwidth and doesn’t impede your Internet connection speed in the same way that a full system backup does.

SugarSync also provides file versioning that stores different versions of previously saved files so that you may access a copy of your file that has already been saved and backed. To restore files to your computer you can download SugarSync Manager Software and simply drag and drop backed up files from the software into your desired location on your hard drive. With SugarSync, you can restore files for an indefinite amount of time. SugarSync even offers apps for iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android that allow you to easily access your files on the go from your smartphone. SugarSync is compatible with both Mac and PC operating systems.

Professional Options

SugarSync offers business plans in addition to their personal plan. If you wish to upgrade from personal to business, SugarSync does not force you to re-upload files you saved under your personal account. SugarSync for Business provides a 30-day free trial. Business accounts have additional administrative controls that allow you to add or remove. The administrator can set unique access and storage limits for individual users. It is important to note that, if you’re looking to back up your server, SugarSync will not backup a computer running a traditional server operating system. With SugarSync’s professional plan, you have access to free phone support that would cost a personal account user $99 per year. Business plans with Admin Control start at $550/ year for three users and 1 TB (1,000 GB) of storage.

Customer Support

SugarSync provides phone customer support weekdays from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. PST, but users with personal accounts are charged $99 per year for this service. All other support is managed through an online ticket system, where you describe your issue and wait to receive a response from a customer service tech. They also provide FAQs, tutorials, searchable knowledgebases, and online user forums as additional resources. We found their tutorials and knowledgebase to be extremely helpful to getting acquainted with the product.

Security

SugarSync, Inc. has been around for about seven years. It is important to know that the service you choose is reliable because you risk losing all of your data if the company goes out of business. They use military-grade encrypted storage, using a 128-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) symmetric key encryption to keep your data safe from hackers.

Pricing

SugarSync offers 100 GB of storage for $74.99/ year, 250 GB for $99.99/ year, and 500 GB for $249.99/ year. All of the plans include a 30-day free trial and are less expensive than our market standard of 15 cents per GB. As mentioned in the Professional Options section, SugarSync offers professional plans starting at $550/ year for 1TB of storage and 3 users.

SugarSync News

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

SugarSync Updates BlackBerry App

Online backup provider SugarSync announces the latest update to their BlackBerry app.

Updates include:

• Faster performance and realiability
• An intuitive interface that includes tabs for faster navigation and one-click access to recently viewed files
• One-click access to recent photos and albums
• Simplified sharing options
• A Help page directly within the app

Read SugarSync's Full Review