Question 1

Is there a free version?

Accepted Answer

Yes, and it does not expire. Without a license Syncophant syncs one folder pair, with no card and no account. A license removes that limit. Nothing is taken away if you never buy.

Question 2

Do I need a Syncophant account?

Accepted Answer

No. There is no Syncophant server. Each device talks straight to the storage you configured, using credentials you supply, and those credentials stay in the platform keychain.

Question 3

What happens when I edit the same file in two places?

Accepted Answer

In two-way mode Syncophant keeps both versions. Your copy is renamed with the device name and date, the other keeps its name, and the pair waits in a review queue until you choose Keep mine, Keep theirs, or Keep both.

Question 4

Can it delete my files?

Accepted Answer

It can, because mirroring a deletion is the point of push and pull. A run that would remove 10 or more files and more than a quarter of the destination stops and asks first, and every run can be previewed before it applies anything.

Question 5

Does background sync work on a phone?

Accepted Answer

Partly, and the app says so. Android runs background work at most every 15 minutes and delays it to save battery, and it also syncs whenever you open the app, which is the only timing it can promise. There is no iOS app.

Question 6

Is my data encrypted?

Accepted Answer

Transport uses whatever your storage speaks, normally HTTPS or SSH. Files are stored as plain files so the remote stays browsable and you are not locked in. There is no client-side encryption yet.

Question 7

Why does my system warn that the app is unsigned?

Accepted Answer

Desktop releases are not code signed yet. On macOS the first launch is blocked: open System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Open Anyway. On Windows, SmartScreen warns: choose More info, then Run anyway. Every release ships a SHA256SUMS.txt you can check your download against.

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