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Should I self-host Sync.com?
$4/mo for 2TB of e2e-encrypted storage is cheaper than the raw disk it would take to replicate — before you count your time. Syncthing is superb for device-to-device sync (no server!) and complements rather than replaces a storage subscription.
The math (nothing hidden, including your time)
| Sync.com (Personal 150GB) | $4.00/mo |
| VPS share + storage | −$5.00/mo |
| Your maintenance: 20 min/mo at $20/h | −$6.67/mo |
| Net saving | $-7.67/mo |
| Setup: 15 min measured (one-time) | $5.00 |
| Break-even | never |
| Markup Index (price ÷ real self-host cost) | 0.3× |
Price: source, checked 2026-08-06. Inputs are stored in git; every number above is derived, never hand-written.
What you lose
- 2TB of replicated storage for less than storage costs — the price is the moat
What you're paying Sync.com for
- encrypted cloud storage
- file sync
- sharing links
Ranked alternatives
Your files sync between your own devices, with the always-on server holding ciphertext it cannot read.
Files, calendars and contacts on hardware you control, with the desktop and mobile clients pointed at it instead of somebody else's cloud.
Hardware
Runs comfortably on a real VPS (2 GB+).
Verification
Protocol v1 · verified by zernonia on 2026-08-10 · setup measured at 15 min · AI assistant: claude-code (allowed & stated)
Full timed log
# Sync.com — verdict log - **Date:** 2026-08-10 - **Verdict:** NOT REALLY — keep paying - **Protocol:** v1 (2GB reference env, Docker preinstalled, AI assistant: claude-code) ## Why no compose file - This verdict is decided by economics/capability, not setup effort — the rubric doesn't require a timed install to conclude the subscription should stay (or that the replacement's cost lives elsewhere, e.g. GPUs, egress, or an installer script). ## The call $4/mo for 2TB of e2e-encrypted storage is cheaper than the raw disk it would take to replicate — before you count your time. Syncthing is superb for device-to-device sync (no server!) and complements rather than replaces a storage subscription.
Verdict history
- 2026-08-10: unscored → NOT_REALLY — Initial verdict: $4/mo for 2TB of e2e-encrypted storage is cheaper than the raw disk it would take to replicate — before you co.