SyncBackPro Review

SyncBackPro is an advanced file backup and synchronization program.  It is the “professional” version of SyncBackSE and has additional features that aren’t included in the other version. The biggest differences are: S3/Google Drive support, backup of emails stored in POP3/IMAP, SFTP support, and automatic drive failure detection using S.M.A.R.T.  The price is $55.

SyncBackPro main window

Editor's Rating:
VN:F [1.9.22_1171]
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User Rating:
Rating: 4.8/5 (20 votes cast)

Pros

  • Powerful, fast, and lightweight
  • Clear, easy-to-use interface
  • Advanced backup options for those who require them
  • Performance overview to speed up your backups

Cons

  • No full disk imaging
  • $20 more expensive than SyncBackSE

The Bottom Line

SyncBackPro is the most powerful backup and synchronization utility in it’s class.

Installation and Setup

After running the installer: Accept the license agreement and click through the software information.  Choose the installation folder and start menu location.  Select whether or not you want to create desktop and Quick Launch icons.  Click Install.  The installation is now complete!

When first run, SyncBackPro prompts you to import SyncBackSE profiles.  This is for people upgrading from SE to Pro.  It will also ask if you want to view an introduction to SyncBackPro, with links to tutorials such as “My First Backup.”  This is useful for users unfamiliar with the SyncBack ways of backing up.

Finally, it will ask you to enter your serial number, or start a free 30-day trial of the program.

Backup/Restore

SyncBackPro uses profiles to backup and restore your files.  Each profile must contain a Source (the files and folders to be backed up) and a Destination (where they should be backed up to).  Profiles can be set to run manually or on a schedule.

SyncBackPro main window

The main window presents an overview of all your backup profiles.

To create a new profile, select Profiles from the top menu, then click New.  The first step is to name your profile.  Select the type of profile you want to create.  Choose the type of source and destination you want to back up.  Finally, you’ll be presented with the main profile setup window.   This is where you’ll enter your actual source and destination locations.  It will also display all the options for the profile you just set, along with many more.  You’re free to make changes, or just run the profile as is.  SyncBackPro can also schedule profiles to run at specific times.

SyncBackPro main profile setup window

SyncBackPro’s profile setup window on Expert mode shows all the different options. Easy mode is much less intimidating.

Features

Fast Backup

With Fast Backup enabled, SyncBackPro will not scan the destination before running the profile.  It will remember which files have been previously backed up, instead of having to scan the destination each time.  This saves a lot of time, especially on slower destinations such as FTP or network shares.

Compression

SyncBackPro supports backing up to ZIP, bzip, and LZMA archives.  Since these are open formats, you can retrieve your data using any program that opens these files.  The same can’t be said for backup software that uses proprietary compression formats.

Performance Overview

The performance window shows you everything that’s slowing down your profile (such as compression), and things you can do to speed it up.  I found it helpful because with so many options to choose from, it’s not always clear how they impact the speed of your backups.

Smart Synchronization

SyncBackPro supports the creation of synchronization profiles, which will keep an exact replica of files and folders on two different locations.  For instance, say you have a work computer and a home computer and you want to synchronize a folder between them.  Files that are changed on the work computer are also changed on the home computer (and vice versa).

Versioning

Versioning will keep copies of files before they are replaced, deleted, or moved.  For example, if you delete a file and change your mind later.  Even though the backup profile deleted the file, a “version” was made and all you have to do is restore it from the versioning folder.

Support

The 2BrightSparks website offers a collection of tutorials and help files in both online and downloadable formats (PDF and CHM).  There’s also a knowledge base and a user forum, with new threads posted on a weekly basis.  The developers of SyncBackPro answer most of the questions on the forum.  Support is also available via a ticket system.

Specifications
Product Name SyncBackPro
Version 6.0.0.15
License Shareware
Price $54.95
Operating Systems Window
Backup Types
Files and Folders yes
Full Disk Image no
Incremental yes
Differential yes
Backup Destinations
Hard Drive yes
Removable Media yes
Network Shares yes
Blu-ray yes
CD/DVD yes
FTP yes
SFTP yes
Online Storage yes
Features
Compression yes
Encryption yes
Email Notifications yes
Error Handling yes
File Versioning yes
Priority Setting yes
Scheduling yes
Speed Limiting yes
Synchronization yes

Geoff Akerlund

Geoff Akerlund

Geoff Akerlund is the founder and editor-in-chief of BackupReview.com. He enjoys attending music festivals, whitewater kayaking on the American River, and board game nights in his free time.

Geoff Akerlund