Relay
Live delivery
Relay is for live handoff when both sides are ready now and the file should move without making retained storage the default.
Stop uploading one-time sends into permanent storage.
Sync.com is a strong privacy-focused legacy cloud storage and sync platform. PhotonFile is built for teams and individuals who need more than storage: live Relay when a file should move now, File Passes for oversized one-off delivery, Secure Inbox for external intake, and Vault when files actually need to stay.
File Pass
Completion-gated delivery
A File Pass is consumed only after completed delivery. If a transfer fails before completion, the pass remains available for retry.
Vault
Persistent encrypted storage
Use Photon Vault when persistence is the job: retained encrypted files, sharing, version history, Secure Inbox intake, and per-Vault sync.
Ephemeral over storage
Backup is not delivery.
A legacy storage-first workflow makes sense for backup, shared folders, and long-term access. It is the wrong default for a one-time 50 GiB delivery. PhotonFile Relay is built for active delivery: encrypted bytes move through the live session instead of making retained storage the default.
Storage should be a choice
Do not burn storage to move data.
If the goal is "move this file now," PhotonFile does not force the workflow through persistent Vault storage. Use Relay for live handoff. Use Vault when retention is the job. Relay moves the file. Vault keeps the file. Secure Inbox collects the file. Those should not be the same workflow.
Storage is separate from transfer
Vault is for files that need to stay available.
Relay and File Passes are built for moving files. Vault is built for keeping encrypted files available, with usage based on how much you store, not the size of a single upload.
Legacy sync folder vs Vault domains
Sync.com is legacy storage-first. PhotonFile lets storage be optional.
Sync.com is built around the old-school Sync folder, cloud files, shared folders, and storage-first collaboration. PhotonFile uses Vaults as encrypted work domains and Vault Sync as the local boundary. A Vault can represent a client, project, team, sensitivity level, or jurisdictional boundary.
Compare by operational pain
| Operational pain | Sync.com-style legacy cloud sync | PhotonFile |
|---|---|---|
| One-time oversized delivery | Usually begins as stored cloud content or shared link. | Relay or File Pass live delivery. |
| Long-term storage | Core product model. | Vault only when persistence is needed. |
| External collection | File request workflow. | Secure Inbox ingress into a Vault. |
| Team scale | Per-user team pricing model. | Owner-powered eligible teams. |
| Local boundaries | Legacy sync folder and cloud-file model. | Per-Vault desktop sync maps each work domain to its own local folder. |
| Failed large send | Retry behavior depends on workflow. | File Pass consumed only after completion. |
Where PhotonFile wins
- Relay: live sender-to-recipient workflow when delivery, not retention, is the job.
- File Pass: completion-gated large file transfer for occasional oversized sends.
- Secure Inbox: secure client upload into the right Vault workflow without workspace exposure.
- Per-Vault sync: sync by Vault, not one giant drive tree.
- Account Region Move: documented region-control workflow when home-region needs change.
When Sync.com may still fit better
Sync.com is a good fit when the core requirement is legacy secure cloud storage, backup, shared folders, and long-term access.
PhotonFile is the better fit when storage should not be the default path for every transfer.
Choose the PhotonFile workflow
Need a Sync.com alternative for live file operations?
A one-time 50 GiB send should not have to become permanent cloud storage. Use Relay for live handoff, File Passes for occasional oversized delivery, and Vault when files need to stay.