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Head-to-head · File Migration Software

Quest Secure Copy vs rclone

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 2 checks side by side
Higher score Quest Secure Copy #6 in File Migration Software 8.2/10 Pricing on request · 30-day trial Free trial✓ 1 of 3 features Visit Quest
rclone #8 in File Migration Software 7.9/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit rclone

Quest Secure Copy leads on 0 checks, rclone on 1, and 1 is even. Who comes out ahead on the 2 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreQuest Secure Copy · 8.2/10
  • Free planonly rclone
  • Free trialonly Quest Secure Copy
  • Most featuresQuest Secure Copy · 1 of 3

Quest Secure Copy scores higher on our rubric for file migration software: 8.2 against 7.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #6 and #8.

rclone offers free plan; Quest Secure Copy doesn't.

Quest Secure Copy is the better fit for windows Server and NAS file-share migrations. rclone is the better fit for technical users moving or syncing cloud files cheaply.

  • Quest Secure Copy fits best

    Windows Server and NAS file-share migrations

  • rclone fits best

    Technical users moving or syncing cloud files cheaply

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Quest Secure Copy 8.2/10 Visit ↗ rclone 7.9/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 8.2 7.9
Ranking #6 in File Migration Software #8 in File Migration Software
Best for Windows Server and NAS file-share migrations Technical users moving or syncing cloud files cheaply
Pricing model Paid Free
Starting price Pricing on request · 30-day trial Free plan
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial 30 days —
Deployment Desktop Self-hosted, Desktop
Platforms Windows Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, Android
Support Docs Community, Docs
Built for Mid-market, Enterprise Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Quest Secure Copy 1/3 · rclone 0/3
Migration validation Not checked yet Not checked yet
Metadata preservation ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Scheduled migrations Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Source connectors Not checked yet Not checked yet
Destination connectors Not checked yet Not checked yet
Max file size Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Preserves NTFS permissions, ownership, shares, users, groups, and metadata.
  • Adds scheduling, synchronization, multithreading, and bandwidth throttling.
  • Provides dashboards, logs, reports, and pre- and post-migration tasks.
  • Copies and syncs files across cloud services and transfer protocols
  • Verifies checksums and preserves timestamps
  • Mounts remote storage as a local filesystem or drive
Cons
  • Windows-centered deployment limits use across other operating systems.
  • Paid plans use a contact-sales purchasing process.
  • Batch migration workflows may not suit continuously changing environments.
  • Primarily command-line, rather than a conventional graphical client
  • Does not describe migration-specific access preservation or cutover orchestration
  • Official Android builds are not first-class builds
Our verdict

Quest Secure Copy is Windows desktop software for moving files and folders between file servers, Windows systems, NAS devices, SAN environments using CIFS, and Azure file shares. It is aimed at mid-market and enterprise teams handling…

Read the review →

rclone is an open-source command-line program for managing files across cloud storage and standard transfer protocols, including WebDAV. It suits individuals, developers, administrators, and organisations that want to copy, move, check, or…

Read the review →
  1. Quest Secure CopyFile Migration Software 8.2Pricing on request · 30-day trial
  2. rcloneFile Migration Software 7.9Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Quest Secure Copy — where it wins

    • Preserves NTFS permissions, ownership, shares, users, groups, and metadata.
    • Adds scheduling, synchronization, multithreading, and bandwidth throttling.
    • Provides dashboards, logs, reports, and pre- and post-migration tasks.

    Where it doesn't

    • Windows-centered deployment limits use across other operating systems.
    • Paid plans use a contact-sales purchasing process.
    • Batch migration workflows may not suit continuously changing environments.

  • rclone — where it wins

    • Copies and syncs files across cloud services and transfer protocols
    • Verifies checksums and preserves timestamps
    • Mounts remote storage as a local filesystem or drive

    Where it doesn't

    • Primarily command-line, rather than a conventional graphical client
    • Does not describe migration-specific access preservation or cutover orchestration
    • Official Android builds are not first-class builds
  • Quest Secure Copy8.2/10 · Pricing on request · 30-day trial

    Controlled Windows migrations with permissions, shares, scheduling, and reporting.

    Visit QuestFull verdict →
  • rclone7.9/10 · Free plan

    A flexible, free file-transfer toolkit for technical users—not a guided migration suite.

    Visit rcloneFull verdict →

More comparisons

All file migration software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update