Ambifold

Guide

Google Drive clients for Linux in 2026: what still works, and Insync alternatives

Google makes no Drive app for Linux, but several third-party tools do the job. Here is an honest comparison of the ones that work in 2026, what each does best, and what no longer works.

By Ambifold · Published · Last checked

Disclosure: we make Ambifold, one of the options below. It is a two-way sync app for Linux, before its private beta (planned for October–November 2026). We have tried to describe every tool fairly, including what it does better than ours. If something here is wrong or out of date, please tell us at support@ambifold.com.

In short

  • Three kinds of tools: sync apps that keep real copies of your folders on disk, mounts that show Drive as a folder without copying it, and command-line tools that do either.
  • Mature and paid: Insync is the long-standing choice. Free and open source: rclone on the command line, and FreeFileSync with a graphical app. Free for personal use: ExpanDrive, which mounts Drive instead of copying it.
  • Several tools need your own Google client ID, including overGrive and google-drive-ocamlfuse. rclone still has a shared one, but it is being retired in 2026, so rclone users should create their own too.

1. How we checked

On 28 September 2026 we read each tool's own website, documentation and release notes, and the project pages and forums listed under Sources. We did not benchmark the tools against each other, and features change, so check the linked pages before you decide. We list no prices, only how each tool is paid for.

Google's own Drive for desktop is not in this list: Google makes it only for Windows and macOS. If you also want to know why Drive disappeared from the file manager on Ubuntu 26.04, see Google Drive on Ubuntu 26.04 and Linux Mint.

2. At a glance

“Local copies” means real files on your disk that work offline. “Mount” means Drive appears as a folder, but files are fetched from the cloud when you open them.

ToolTypeLocal copiesGraphical appOpen sourceHow it is paid forSeveral Google accounts
Insync Sync app Yes Yes No One-time licence per cloud account; 7-day trial Yes
overGrive Sync app Yes Yes No One-time licence per account; 14-day trial One active at a time
FreeFileSync Sync jobs Yes Yes Yes Free; optional donation edition Yes
rclone bisync Sync, command line Yes No Yes Free Yes
Ambifold (our app, pre-release) Sync app, always on Yes Yes (tray and a browser settings page) Planned (MPL-2.0) Free edition; a paid plan is planned Yes
ExpanDrive Mount See note Yes No Free for personal use Yes
rclone mount Mount, command line No (optional cache) No Yes Free Yes
google-drive-ocamlfuse Mount, command line No No Yes Free Yes
Online Accounts (GVfs), older releases only Mount, built in No Yes (file manager) Yes Free Yes

3. Sync apps and tools

Insync

A polished commercial sync client that has supported Linux for years. It syncs Google Drive, OneDrive and Dropbox, handles several accounts, and can sync Shared drives and “Shared with me” as well as My Drive. It offers selective sync and Google Docs conversion, you sign in with Google in the browser, and it lists Linux Mint, Ubuntu, Fedora and Pop!_OS among its main supported distributions.

Keep in mind: it is closed source and paid, with a one-time licence for each cloud account that includes a year of support. Its latest Linux release when we checked was 3.9.11 (14 July 2026).

A good choice if you want a mature, always-on sync app today that also handles shared drives, OneDrive or Dropbox, or want support from a company.

overGrive

A Google Drive sync client made only for Linux, with automatic two-way sync and packages for many distributions, from Ubuntu, Mint and Debian to Fedora, openSUSE and Arch. You pay once per account, and updates are free.

Keep in mind: only one account can be active at a time, it is closed source, and you create your own Google API client during setup, which its guide walks you through. Latest release: 3.6.0 (25 May 2026).

FreeFileSync

An open-source tool for comparing and synchronising folders, with a graphical app that runs on Linux. It has supported Google Drive since version 10.8: you sign in with your Google account in the browser, with no client of your own to create, and you can add several accounts as separate connections. It supports two-way sync, and Shared drives since version 10.25.

Keep in mind: synchronisation runs as jobs that you start or schedule. Its companion, RealTimeSync, can start a job when files in local folders change. Latest release: 14.12 (9 September 2026).

rclone bisync

rclone is a free, open-source command-line tool for dozens of cloud services. Its bisync command does two-way sync between a local folder and Drive. It is flexible and scriptable, and it is the engine inside Ambifold.

Keep in mind: you set up the first run (--resync), the schedule (for example a cron job or a systemd timer) and the error handling yourself, and you should create your own Google client ID: rclone's shared one is being retired in 2026. rclone can also sync Shared drives. Latest rclone release: v1.75.1 (4 September 2026).

Ambifold (our app, pre-release)

A background app for Linux that keeps the folders you choose in two-way sync with Google Drive, with several Google accounts side by side. It shows a preview before the first sync, stops before mass deletes, keeps a backup of files it replaces or deletes on your computer, and has no server of its own. It runs rclone inside.

Keep in mind: it is pre-release, with a private beta planned for October–November 2026, and Linux only; the beta targets Linux Mint and Ubuntu (Cinnamon and GNOME). It syncs My Drive only, skips Google Docs, Sheets and Slides by default, and picks up changes made in Drive within about two minutes. Its free edition needs your own Google sign-in client, which the app guides you through; a paid plan with one-click sign-in is planned. It will be released as open source under the MPL-2.0.

4. Mounts: Drive as a folder

ExpanDrive

A commercial app, free for personal use since April 2025, that mounts Drive and many other cloud services as folders and streams files when you open them. You sign in with Google in the browser, with no client of your own, and several accounts and Shared drives are supported. It comes as .deb, .rpm and AppImage packages.

Keep in mind: it is closed source. On offline use, ExpanDrive's own pages disagree: its Linux page mentions pinning folders for offline access, while its documentation (checked 28 September 2026) says Offline Access is not available in ExpanDrive for Linux. Check the current state before you rely on it.

rclone mount

rclone can also mount Drive as a folder, with many options, including a local cache. It is free and open source. You set it up in the terminal, and you should create your own Google client ID, because rclone's shared one is being retired in 2026. It supports Shared drives.

google-drive-ocamlfuse

A long-standing FUSE file system for Drive, free and open source (MIT). It supports several accounts and shared drives. You create your own OAuth client for it. Latest release: v0.9.1 (18 July 2026).

Online Accounts (GVfs) and the community backend

On Linux Mint 22.x, Ubuntu 24.04, LMDE 7 and Debian 13, Online Accounts still shows Drive in the file manager. It is gone from GNOME 50 (Ubuntu 26.04 and Fedora 44) and expected to go in the next Linux Mint. A community rewrite is under review for GNOME 52 and available as test packages. Our guide to Google Drive on Ubuntu 26.04 and Linux Mint has the details.

Graphical front ends for rclone

Several apps put a graphical interface on rclone. RcloneView, for example, is closed source, with a free plan that includes mounting, folder comparison and sync jobs, and paid plans that add scheduled jobs and filtered comparison (checked 28 September 2026).

5. No longer an option in 2026

  • Online Accounts on GNOME 50 and later (Ubuntu 26.04, Fedora 44): Drive was removed from the file manager, and the next Linux Mint is expected to follow.
  • KDE's built-in Drive access (KIO GDrive, in Dolphin): Google has blocked it since at least February 2025, and KDE has hidden the option.
  • Celeste: archived on GitHub; its last change was on 21 November 2025.
  • odrive's free tier: ended on 31 March 2026. odrive now focuses on business customers.
  • rclone's shared client ID: being retired. rclone's documentation says it “will stop working during 2026”, so create your own.

6. Insync alternatives, by need

  • Free and open source, with a graphical app: FreeFileSync, if sync jobs suit you.
  • Always-on background sync with a free edition: Ambifold (private beta planned for October–November 2026; to be released as open source).
  • At home in the terminal: rclone bisync for two-way sync, rclone mount to browse.
  • Browse a large Drive without copying it: ExpanDrive, rclone mount or google-drive-ocamlfuse.
  • One account and a one-time licence: overGrive.
  • When Insync is the right choice: you want an always-on graphical sync app that also handles shared drives, OneDrive or Dropbox, or a mature product with company support today.

7. How to choose

  1. Do you need your files offline? Choose a sync tool (local copies), not a mount.
  2. How many Google accounts? overGrive runs one at a time; the others handle several.
  3. Shared drives? Insync, FreeFileSync, rclone, ExpanDrive and google-drive-ocamlfuse support them. Ambifold doesn't yet.
  4. Is open source important to you? rclone, FreeFileSync and google-drive-ocamlfuse are open source today; Ambifold will be.
  5. Are you comfortable with the terminal? Then rclone does both sync and mount.
  6. Can you create your own Google client ID? overGrive, google-drive-ocamlfuse and Ambifold's free edition need one, and rclone soon will; Insync, ExpanDrive and FreeFileSync don't. rclone's documentation explains how to make your own client ID.

8. FAQ

What is the best Google Drive client for Linux?

There is no single best one. It depends on whether you want local copies or a mount, a graphical app or the command line, and open source or a commercial product. The table at a glance and how to choose will narrow it down.

Is there a free Google Drive client for Linux?

Yes. rclone, FreeFileSync and google-drive-ocamlfuse are free and open source, ExpanDrive is free for personal use, and on Linux Mint 22.x and Ubuntu 24.04 Online Accounts is built in. Ambifold will always have a free edition.

Is there an open-source Google Drive client for Linux with a graphical app?

FreeFileSync is open source and has a graphical app. The file manager integration (GVfs) is open source too, where it is still available. Ambifold will be released as open source.

Does Insync work on Linux Mint?

Yes. Insync lists Linux Mint among its main supported distributions.

Why do some tools need my own Google client ID?

Google lets an app ask the public for full access to Drive only after a lengthy security review. Tools that have not gone through it ask you to create your own client in your own Google Cloud project, which Google allows for personal use. The client stays with you, and Google shows an “unverified app” warning when you sign in.

9. Sources

All checked on 28 September 2026.

10. Changes to this guide

  • : first published.

Private beta

Try Ambifold before everyone else

Always-on two-way sync of the folders you choose, with a preview first, a stop before mass deletes and backups. We are inviting a small group of Linux Mint and Ubuntu users in October and November 2026.

Ask for an invite See its limits first