CYNC vs sync.blue
sync.blue connects 80+ platforms — CYNC goes deep on Microsoft 365. If Entra ID → Exchange contact sync is your use case, here's why IT admins choose CYNC's transparent pricing and on-premise architecture.
The short version
Choose CYNC if…
Choose sync.blue if you need to sync contacts across multiple platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Workspace), require bi-directional sync, or prefer a fully cloud-managed solution with no on-premise infrastructure to maintain.
Feature-by-feature
Detailed head-to-head
33 criteria across five categories. Filled blue dot marks the stronger fit; a hollow dot marks a tie.
Architecture & Data Sovereignty
06 criteriaDeployment model
Data residency
Air-gapped / offline operation
Platform focus
Multi-platform support
German engineering
| Criterion | CYNC | sync.blue |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment model | On-premise Windows Service | Cloud-only SaaS |
| Data residency | Your server — data never leaves | Routed through sync.blue cloud |
| Air-gapped / offline operation | Yes — sync runs locally | No — requires cloud connectivity |
| Platform focus | Microsoft 365 specialist | 80+ connectors (broad) |
| Multi-platform support | M365 only (depth-first) | Salesforce, HubSpot, Google, etc. |
| German engineering | Austrian development | Made in Germany |
Microsoft 365 Integration
08 criteriaAuthentication
Graph API (modern)
EWS dependency
Contact photo sync
GAL sync (Entra → Exchange)
Open Extension correlation
Selective user sync
Bi-directional sync
| Criterion | CYNC | sync.blue |
|---|---|---|
| Authentication | Certificate-based (Entra ID) | OAuth / API key |
| Graph API (modern) | Native Graph API | Uses Graph API |
| EWS dependency | None — Graph-only | None reported |
| Contact photo sync | Full resolution | Supported |
| GAL sync (Entra → Exchange) | Core feature | Via M365 connector |
| Open Extension correlation | com.itbaer.cync | Display-name matching |
| Selective user sync | Per-user / group filters | Filter-based |
| Bi-directional sync | GAL → personal contacts (one-way) | Bi-directional available |
Pricing & Transparency
07 criteriaPublished pricing
Free tier
Small-team plan (≤10 users)
Price transparency (11+ users)
Self-serve purchase
Volume discounts
Annual billing option
| Criterion | CYNC | sync.blue |
|---|---|---|
| Published pricing | Fully public, per-user | TEAM plan only; 11+ users hidden |
| Free tier | 10 users free — forever | No persistent free tier |
| Small-team plan (≤10 users) | Free (€0) | TEAM: €19/month flat |
| Price transparency (11+ users) | €0.23–0.29/user/month | "Price on request" (contact sales) |
| Self-serve purchase | Credit card checkout | Sales call for 11+ users |
| Volume discounts | Automatic per-bracket | Negotiated (opaque) |
| Annual billing option | ~10–33% savings | Unknown for 11+ users |
Security & Compliance
06 criteriaCompliance certifications
Data processing location
Credential storage
Audit trail
No third-party cloud transit
Enterprise compliance portfolio
| Criterion | CYNC | sync.blue |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance certifications | GDPR-compliant, on-premise | ISO 27001, BSI-KritisV, DSGVO, DataGuard |
| Data processing location | On your server (no cloud transit) | German data centres |
| Credential storage | Certificate in Windows cert store | OAuth tokens in sync.blue cloud |
| Audit trail | Full SQLite log on-premise | Dashboard activity log |
| No third-party cloud transit | By architecture | Data routed through sync.blue |
| Enterprise compliance portfolio | On-premise model (your compliance) | ISO 27001 + BSI-KritisV certified |
Operations & Deployment
06 criteriaInstallation method
GPO / SCCM deployment
Updates
Admin dashboard
Monitoring / logging
Self-serve download
| Criterion | CYNC | sync.blue |
|---|---|---|
| Installation method | MSI installer + silent /quiet | Web dashboard — no install |
| GPO / SCCM deployment | Silent MSI (enterprise) | N/A — cloud SaaS |
| Updates | WiX MSI with silent upgrade (/quiet) | Automatic (cloud-managed) |
| Admin dashboard | Local WinUI 3 app | Web-based dashboard |
| Monitoring / logging | Serilog structured logs + SQLite | Cloud dashboard metrics |
| Self-serve download | Instant — no sales call | Account required + TEAM plan |
Cost comparison
Pricing: transparent vs hidden
CYNC publishes every tier. sync.blue shows pricing for 1–10 users only — anything above requires “price on request”.
CYNC
Free (€0)
sync.blue
€19/month (TEAM)
CYNC
€11.60/month
sync.blue
"Price on request"
CYNC
€53.20/month
sync.blue
"Price on request"
CYNC
€122.50/month
sync.blue
"Price on request"
CYNC
€227.70/month
sync.blue
"Price on request"
| Users | CYNC | sync.blue | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1–10 | Free (€0) | €19/month (TEAM) | €228/yr saved |
| 50 | €11.60/month | "Price on request" | Unknown — hidden |
| 200 | €53.20/month | "Price on request" | Unknown — hidden |
| 500 | €122.50/month | "Price on request" | Unknown — hidden |
| 1,000 | €227.70/month | "Price on request" | Unknown — hidden |
CYNC prices are published rates with volume discounts (EUR). First 10 users per tenant are free. sync.blue TEAM plan is €19/month flat for 1–10 users. Plans above 10 users (“MOBILE”, “PREMIUM”, “ENTERPRISE”) display “price on request” — pricing unknown.
Why IT admins switch
Six reasons to move from sync.blue to CYNC
Transparent pricing at every scale
CYNC publishes every price tier on its website. sync.blue hides pricing for 11+ users behind "Price on request" — you can't budget without a sales call.
Full data sovereignty
CYNC runs on your Windows server. Contact data never leaves your network. sync.blue routes data through its cloud platform — even with German data centres, it's still third-party transit.
Microsoft depth over breadth
sync.blue integrates with 80+ platforms but can only go so deep per connector. CYNC focuses exclusively on Microsoft 365 — with Graph API open extensions, certificate auth, and purpose-built correlation logic.
10 users free — forever
CYNC gives you 10 users at no cost, no time limit, no credit card. sync.blue's smallest plan (TEAM) costs €19/month for 1–10 users. That's €228/year vs €0.
Certificate-based auth
CYNC authenticates with X.509 certificates stored in the Windows certificate store — no passwords, no OAuth tokens stored in the cloud. sync.blue relies on OAuth tokens managed in its platform.
Enterprise deployment-ready
CYNC ships as an MSI with silent install support — deploy via GPO, SCCM, or Intune. sync.blue is cloud-only with no on-premise deployment option for enterprise IT teams.
15-minute migration
Switch in four steps
You don't need to cancel sync.blue first. Install CYNC alongside it, verify, then switch.
Download CYNC
Grab the MSI installer from the download page. Supports silent install (/quiet) for automated deployments via GPO or SCCM.
Register Entra ID app
Create an App Registration in Azure AD with a certificate. CYNC uses certificate-based auth — no passwords or OAuth tokens to manage.
Configure & sync
Point CYNC at your tenant, select which users to sync, and run the first sync. Existing contacts are detected and correlated automatically.
Verify & cancel sync.blue
Use the free tier (10 users) to verify everything works. Once satisfied, cancel your sync.blue subscription. No overlap cost if you're on the free tier.
Common questions
FAQ
- Can CYNC replace sync.blue for Microsoft 365 contact sync?
- Yes. CYNC synchronises Entra ID (Azure AD) contacts to Exchange Online personal contact folders — the core use case most organisations use sync.blue’s M365 connector for. If your only sync direction is Entra ID → Exchange contacts, CYNC is a direct replacement with deeper Microsoft integration.
- What about sync.blue's other connectors (Salesforce, HubSpot, Google)?
- CYNC focuses exclusively on Microsoft 365. If you need to sync contacts between Salesforce, HubSpot, Google Workspace, or other platforms, sync.blue’s multi-platform breadth is a better fit. CYNC trades breadth for depth in the Microsoft ecosystem.
- Why is CYNC's pricing so much more transparent?
- CYNC publishes every price tier on its website — no “contact us” or “price on request.” sync.blue shows the TEAM plan at €19/month (1–10 users), but hides MOBILE, PREMIUM, and ENTERPRISE pricing behind a quote request. We believe IT admins shouldn’t need a sales call to get a price.
- Is sync.blue a bad product?
- No. sync.blue is a well-engineered German platform with ISO 27001 and BSI-KritisV certifications, enterprise customers like Deichmann and the Red Cross, and genuine depth across 80+ connectors. CYNC is a better choice specifically for Microsoft 365 contact sync — where you need on-premise data sovereignty, transparent pricing, and deep Graph API integration.
- Does CYNC support bi-directional sync?
- Currently CYNC syncs one-way: Entra ID → Exchange personal contacts (GAL sync). sync.blue offers bi-directional sync between platforms. If two-way sync is a hard requirement, sync.blue may be the better fit today.
- How does data sovereignty differ?
- CYNC is an on-premise Windows Service — contact data never leaves your server. sync.blue processes data through its cloud platform in German data centres. Both are GDPR-compliant, but CYNC gives you physical control over where data resides.
- Can I try CYNC before committing?
- Yes. Download CYNC and sync up to 10 users for free — no time limit, no credit card. sync.blue’s smallest plan costs €19/month from day one.
Ready to switch from sync.blue?
Download CYNC, try the free tier with 10 users, and see the difference. No demo required, no credit card, no sales call.