# Synctech

## Privacy-respecting backups and file synchronization

Synctech is a privacy-preserving way to back-up and synchronize files across your and your colleagues' (or friends, or family) devices. With Synctech, your files are always-synchronized, regularly backed-up, ensuring important files are always there when you need them. Even though Synctech stores your files, nobody can read them without a password, including us.

# Effortless and safe backup

All files are backed up every few minutes and old copies are stored for decades. Overwritten an important file by accident? No problem, restore it with a couple of clicks. Synctech protects against ransomware: even if all devices get compromised, backups will always work.

# Open-source

Synctech is powered by syncthing, an open-source file synchronization tool, first released in 2013.

Just like syncthing, Synctech is open-source, licensed under AGPL-v3.

# Privacy

You can protect a folder with a password. When the folder is password-protected, the files can be read only on the devices where password was entered. Nobody can access your data without a password, including us.

This is quite unique in the on-line synchronization and backup space. While we very carefully protect your data, you are additionally assured that it is impossible to read your files for anyone else but you (or others, with whom you have shared the password).

# Synchronize among other devices

Your files will be automatically synchronized across your devices and Synctech. You can also share folders with other devices that you do not own — colleagues, friends or family.

If you are without an internet connection, but on the same network (e.g. in an airplane, or on a phone hotspot), files will still be shared directly. This lets you to collaborate (and move files between your own devices) under any circumstances.

# Synctech is currently in private alpha

## Enter your email to learn as soon as it's available

# Frequently Asked Questions

## What is Synctech?

Synctech is a privacy-preserving way to back-up and synchronize files across your and your colleagues' (or friends, or family) devices. With Synctech, your files are always-synchronized, regularly backed-up, ensuring important files are always there when you need them.

## How does Synctech differ from other file-hosting providers?

When setting up Synctech, you are entering your password on your trusted devices. All your files are encrypted with that password. That way, nobody can read your files without a password, even us (since you are not entering the password on Synctech; it is deliberately impossible).

At Synctech, we are protecting our customer data very carefully (stay tuned for a blog post with technical details). Even with that, it is good to have extra assurances that the files are accessible only to the devices you trust.

End-to-end protected files is very uncommon in today's backup or synchronization services. It is now possible for us to offer a service that does it securely.

## What is a backup?

A backup is a copy of your data stored somewhere else. If the original data is lost, it can be recovered from a backup. Backups are essential for data that is worth saving.

Here are a few common ways how data is lost, when having a backup becomes essential:

- Hard-drive failure.
- Loss of the computer (e.g. theft or leaving at the wrong place).
- Ransomware, when data is locked out by an attacker unless a ransom is paid.
- "Whoops, I permanently deleted the wrong folder".

## What is file synchronization?

It is an automatic process that ensures files in two or more computers (phones) are the same.

Synctech uses a free and open-source program syncthing to synchronize files both across your devices, and across your devices and Synctech itself. Once files are synchronized between your devices and Synctech, it will periodically create backups.

## How do I sign up?

Synctech is currently in Private Alpha. Which means it is open only for the early adopters, who are not charged for the service. As soon as we are ready for a wider audience, we will start sending signup invitations on first-come-first-serve basis; enter your email here to add yourself to the queue.

## How do I use Synctech?

Once signed up for Synctech, you are presented with a guide which will guide through:

- Install Syncthing on your computer/phone/tablet.
- Select folders which you want to share.
- Optional: configure sharing: between yours or devices of your colleagues/friends.

Once Synctech and your local Syncthing are ready, your files are safe, backed-up, and always available. Folders can be recovered from backups via the User's Control Panel in Synctech.

## Where is the source code?

Source code will be released as soon as Synctech leaves private alpha (i.e. we start charging for the service). As a heads up, Synctech consists of two parts, licensed differently:

- User's control panel: MIT license.
- Everything else: AGPL-v3.

We are licensing user's control panel under a more permissive MIT license, so it can be uplifted to the MIT-licensed syncthing more easily.

## Who is behind Synctech? What are your values?

Synctech is run by Motiejus Jakštys, an engineer from Lithuania. I have a software engineering dayjob, and am developing Synctech during my personal time. Synctech is fully self-funded (bootstrapped).

My main ethos are:

- Respect the customer. Since the business is bootstrapped, I have all the means to behave ethically.
- Attention to detail creates the best product.
- Accessibility (and bandwidth) matter.

Stay tuned for a series of blog posts about creating the business, the technical details, and the guiding principles.