Features:  

SugarSync offers a different approach to synchronization than most of its competitors. Instead of directly linking between computers on a network, SugarSync stores your files on their servers where you can access it through the internet. This has the distinct advantage of giving you access to your data anywhere you go. The disadvantage of storing your data on the cloud is simply that file transfer times are limited by the speed of your internet connection. Dealing with documents and images is not a problem, but when it comes to video, music or massive amounts of data, SugarSync is not the fastest means of synchronizing or accessing data. Due to the limitations of cloud-based computing, SugarSync is definitely aimed at the individual user rather than the professional or business user.

As a backup utility, SugarSync performs well. You can store individual folders online or you can arrange to have SugarSync dynamically update selected folders. When you configure SugarSync, you designate folders you want SugarSync to update to your online account in real time. Additionally, SugarSync archives old versions of files—this is a great means of ensuring that you never get stuck with an unwanted version of a file.

Unlike a program that you purchase once and own for life, SugarSync is a service that assesses monthly or yearly fees. Fees vary depending on the amount of data you transfer. 30GB per month costs $4.99 with plans offering as much as 250GB per month for $24.99.

Ease of Use:  

Simplicity is the guiding philosophy of SugarSync’s user interface. Anyone who has used Google Documents, Microsoft Windows or an external hard drive will be comfortable with SugarSync. SugarSync conducts automated, real time backups of your data so you don’t have to manually save and overwrite files.

As an online storage space, we like SugarSync because it’s possible to organize data in the same fashion you do at home, that is to say, in folders and subfolders. We also appreciate how easy it is to grant access to a certain file or folder to friends or coworkers—you simply send them a user name and password that is valid for three weeks.

Support and Documentation:  

SugarSync provides thorough support documentation and good customer support. Their startup guide helps get you up and going with SugarSync and any issues you encounter down the line will probably be addressed in their manual or FAQs. In the event that you require live tech support, you can submit a ticket and expect a response within a few days.

To be clear, SugarSync is not well-suited to small business owners that need to synchronize extensive financial data between computers or to professionals uploading hundreds of gigabytes of sensitive data. Instead, SugarSync is for the individual user that wants to have access to all of their files whether at home, work or on the road. We particularly like SugarSync’s compatibility with smartphones. SugarSync is reliable, effective and easy to use. We’re pleased to nominate SugarSync as our “TopTenREVIEWS Silver Award” winner in the category of sync software. To see how SugarSync compares to our "TopTenREVIEWS Gold Award" winner, be sure to read our review of Syncables.

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