Alternatives to Mutagen

Open-source tool for real-time file sync and network forwarding between local machines and remote containers. The listings below can replace it for an important use case. Each note says what changes if you switch.

Replacements

Listings that take over the same core job as Mutagen.

  • Syncthing

    Keeps folders identical across your own machines, directly between them, with no cloud account in the middle.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand lineSelf-hosted

    Syncthing keeps folders in continuous two-way sync with versioning and conflict handling, aimed at general devices rather than code in remote containers.

  • Unison

    Synchronize two file collections while preserving changes from both sides.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinux

    Unison synchronizes two file collections in both directions on Windows, macOS and Linux, but lacks Mutagen's network forwarding and container support.

  • Lsyncd

    A live syncing daemon that watches local directories and mirrors changes to remote targets with rsync.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    Lsyncd mirrors directory changes to remote targets in near real time using rsync and SSH, but only one way rather than two-way sync.

  • osync

    Two-way file synchronization script built on rsync with fault tolerance and near real-time sync.

    FreeOpen sourceLinuxCommand line

    osync provides two-way sync on top of rsync with a near real-time mode, but it needs a Unix-like shell and has no Docker integration.

  • rsync

    The classic delta-transfer tool for copying and mirroring files.

    FreeOpen sourceWindowsmacOSLinuxCommand line

    rsync transfers only changed parts of files and preserves attributes, but runs as one-way copies you trigger yourself rather than continuous two-way sync.

Similar software

Related functionality, not a direct replacement.