What is the best app to sync music between PC and Android?
Having access to your music library on all your devices is incredibly convenient. With music syncing apps and services, you can stream or download songs and albums from your library to any device – phone, tablet, computer or more – so your collection is always at your fingertips. Music sync removes the limitation of only having music you’ve purchased or downloaded locally on each device.
There are several options for syncing music between Android devices and PCs. You can use platform-specific apps like Apple Music, cloud storage services like Dropbox, or third party apps designed specifically for music syncing. The best apps make it easy to set up and manage multi-device access to your music library. In this article, we’ll compare the top apps to help you decide the best option for syncing music between your Android device and Windows PC.
What To Look For In A Music Sync App
When choosing a music sync app, one of the most important considerations is ease of setup and use. The app should have a simple, intuitive interface that allows you to get started quickly without much technical know-how. Complicated setup processes will only frustrate users.
You’ll also want an app with wide compatibility for different music file formats like MP3, FLAC, WMA, and AAC. It should also work across platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS. An app restricted to only certain file types or operating systems severely limits what you can sync.
For people with large music libraries, the app needs to handle thousands of tracks without performance issues. Slow sync times will make the app unusable.
Look for options that allow manual syncing of specific artists or playlists. Automatic syncing the entire library works for some, but most people prefer manually selecting music. This gives more control over storage on mobile devices.
Finally, the ability to retain metadata like playlists, ratings, play counts, and album art makes for a much better syncing experience. Losing this information negatively impacts the usability of the synced music library.
Top Options
There are several good apps available to sync music between your PC and Android device. Some top options to consider include:
iSyncr
iSyncr is a popular app specifically designed to sync iTunes playlists and music to Android devices (source). It lets you sync music over a USB or WiFi connection. With iSyncr you can preview tracks before syncing, and it supports a wide variety of audio formats. The app costs $4.99.
SyncMyTracks
SyncMyTracks allows syncing your music library between a Windows PC and Android device over WiFi. You can selectively sync playlists or your entire music collection. It also provides options for converting unsupported formats during transfer. SyncMyTracks is free for syncing up to 200 tracks.
Syncthing
Syncthing takes a decentralized approach – instead of syncing your Android device to your PC, they sync directly with each other. This allows syncing music across multiple devices. Syncthing is open source and free.
Resilio Sync
Resilio Sync uses peer-to-peer technology to sync files between devices. It creates a private network between your devices for transferring music. Resilio Sync has a free tier with limited features, or a paid Pro version with more control.
Plex
Plex allows you to set up a media server on your PC and then stream music from it to your Android device. This doesn’t require syncing files, but gives access to your music library on the go. Plex’s core features are free.
iSyncr
iSyncr is an app that allows you to easily sync and transfer music between your Android device and a computer running iTunes. It provides a simple wireless connection via WiFi to sync music, playlists, podcasts, videos and more from an iTunes library to an Android phone or tablet (Source).
Overview
iSyncr aims to provide an iTunes-like music management experience on Android. After installing both the mobile and desktop apps, you can sync selected playlists or your entire music library over a WiFi connection. It supports syncing iTunes playlists, ratings, play counts and last played dates (Source).
Ease of Use
The setup process for iSyncr is quick and straightforward. You simply install the app on your Android device, download the Mac or PC companion app, connect to the same WiFi network, and choose which playlists or songs to sync. The automatic syncing in the background makes it easy to keep your Android music collection up to date (Source).
Compatibility
iSyncr supports syncing music between iTunes on Mac or Windows PC and any Android device running Android 4.0 or higher. It also offers a native Linux app for syncing music from Rhythmbox, Amarok, Banshee and other Linux music players (Source).
Sync Options
In addition to automatic background syncing, iSyncr provides manual sync options and granular control over which media is transferred. You can choose to sync your entire iTunes library or only specific playlists. It also allows you to selectively transfer playlists, podcasts, videos, ratings and play counts (Source).
Limitations
Some users report issues with large libraries taking a long time to sync initially. There is also no support for syncing iTunes apps, books or photos. An active internet connection is required for the syncing process (Source).
SyncMyTracks
SyncMyTracks is an app designed to help sync music tracks between Android devices and computers. It has gotten solid reviews from users for its ease of use and compatibility. According to one review on APPLION, “Best sync app!”
SyncMyTracks aims to make syncing music seamless and straightforward. After installing the app on your Android device and computer, you simply select the tracks you want to transfer and SyncMyTracks handles the syncing process automatically. Many users mention how SyncMyTracks just works without hassle.
In terms of compatibility, SyncMyTracks supports syncing between Android devices and Windows/Mac computers. So whether you have an Android phone or tablet, you can sync music to and from your desktop or laptop. SyncMyTracks connects to your Android device via WiFi, USB or Bluetooth.
When it comes to sync options, you have the ability to select individual tracks to sync or entire albums and playlists. SyncMyTracks will intelligently detect new tracks and only transfer songs that aren’t already on the target device. You can also configure one-way or two-way syncing depending on your preferences.
One limitation with SyncMyTracks is that it only works between Android and computers. So you cannot use it to sync music between two Android phones for example. The app also lacks advanced options for controlling metadata, folders, etc. But overall, SyncMyTracks delivers a quick and reliable way to sync music across your Android and computer devices.
Syncthing
Syncthing is an open source file synchronization program that allows you to sync files between devices on a local network or over the internet. It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, Solaris, FreeBSD, and other operating systems. https://cloudeereviews.com/review/syncthing/
Syncthing is designed to be easy to use and set up. It has a simple web GUI that lets you configure folders to sync, add devices, and monitor sync progress. No cloud service or accounts are required. Syncthing uses TLS and cryptography to secure connections between devices. https://proprivacy.com/cloud/review/syncthing
Syncthing has broad compatibility across platforms and integrates with file managers on many desktop OSes. It can sync to external drives and network shares. You can choose bidirectional sync or send-only for backups. There are controls for versioning, conflict resolution, and ignoring files.
Some limitations are that Syncthing can use a lot of system resources during active syncing. There are no mobile apps, so syncing to mobile devices requires a separate utility. Syncthing also lacks cloud storage and syncing capabilities.
Resilio Sync
Resilio Sync (https://www.techwibe.com/resilio-sync-review/) is a file syncing and sharing platform that uses peer-to-peer technology to sync files between devices. It allows users to securely sync files across multiple devices without relying on third-party cloud services. Some key features of Resilio Sync include:
Overview
– Peer-to-peer syncing means files are transferred directly between devices, without passing through a central server. This provides faster transfer speeds and more security.
– Selective sync lets you choose which folders you want synced on each device.
– Can sync unlimited file sizes and file types.
– Encrypted transfer and storage means files are protected from hacking.
– Remote device wipe lets you remotely clear synced files if a device is lost or stolen.
Ease of Use
– Simple set up just requires you to install the app and enter a sync code or link on devices you want to sync.
– Intuitive interface makes it easy to add folders to sync, monitor sync status, and access synced files.
– Available for Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, NAS devices.
Sync Options
– Selective sync allows granular control over which folders sync to which devices.
– Versioning retains previous versions of files.
– Bandwidth limits can be set to restrict syncing data usage.
– Syncs continuously in real-time or on a set schedule.
Limitations
– Doesn’t provide cloud storage or remote access like some other services.
– No collaborative editing features.
– Must port forward routers for optimal connectivity.
Plex
Plex is one of the most popular and full-featured options for syncing music between PC and Android. Plex started as a media server software for personal media libraries, but has expanded into many other capabilities including music syncing.
Plex has an intuitive interface and apps for most platforms, making it very easy to set up and use for syncing music. Plex supports automatic syncing when devices are on the same local network, as well as remote syncing when devices are not on the same network. This makes Plex one of the most flexible and compatible options for syncing between PC and Android.
Plex utilizes a client-server architecture, where the Plex server manages and streams your media library to client apps on all your devices. This allows Plex to handle very large media libraries seamlessly. Plex apps are available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, iOS and many other platforms – this wide support makes Plex a great choice to keep all your devices in sync.
One limitation with Plex is that the music sync is one-way only, from server to client devices. Changes made on the client devices do not get synced back to the master library. So Plex works better as a distribution mechanism than for 2-way sync. Also, Plex requires an account and is free only for personal use, with subscription plans for advanced features.
Recommendation
When comparing the top options, iSyncr and Syncthing emerge as the best apps to sync music between PC and Android. Both allow for two-way syncing between devices, support a range of file formats, and have free versions available.
However, iSyncr stands out as the best overall choice for most users. iSyncr offers a simple, intuitive interface that makes it easy to set up and manage your synced music library. The app allows you to selectively sync playlists and music folders from your PC, giving you more control over what transfers to your Android device. iSyncr also works seamlessly with iTunes and MusicBee for transferring playlists.
In contrast, Syncthing requires more technical know-how to set up folder syncing between devices. The free Syncthing app also lacks advanced features like playlist syncing that would require upgrading to the paid version. While Syncthing offers more customization options for power users, iSyncr provides an optimal balance of automation, flexibility, and ease of use.
With an affordable price, robust feature set, and user-friendly experience, iSyncr is the best overall app for syncing your music library between a PC and Android smartphone or tablet. It allows you to easily keep your music collection up to date and accessible across all your devices.
Conclusion
In summary, an app to sync music between your PC and Android device is extremely useful to keep your music collection accessible across all your devices. With everyone’s lives becoming increasingly mobile, having music playlists, podcasts, and audio books available no matter what device you happen to have with you is a necessity.
The top options discussed all have their merits. iSyncr makes it easy to two-way sync iTunes playlists. SyncMyTracks focuses on tracking play history across devices. Syncthing and Resilio Sync take a peer-to-peer approach for those who want to avoid relying on a cloud-based service. And Plex can sync music as part of its full media center capabilities.
Overall, the best solution comes down to your specific needs and setup. But any of the apps covered here should offer robust music syncing capabilities to keep you jamming no matter which device you’re on.