Checkpoint64 vs SideSave

Checkpoint64 backs up PC game save folders to the cloud and lets users browse and restore earlier versions. It checks folders every 60 seconds and uploads changed files after a game finishes writing, with each upload recorded as a version. It supports games from Steam, GOG, and Epic, along with emulators and modded setups; presets cover more than 140 games and seven emulators. For shared saves, a lock limits uploads to its holder. Locks expire, and a teammate taking over gets a warning and a logbook entry. Linking Discord can notify teammates when someone manually commits or restores a shared save. The app is listed for Windows 10 and 11, macOS on Apple Silicon, and Linux; Steam lists Steam Deck support. The free plan includes 20 MiB of cloud storage per space and does not expire. Pro costs €5 a month, while Lifetime costs €10, paid once. Save files are encrypted in transit and at rest, but the service is not end-to-end encrypted or zero-knowledge.

SideSave is free, open-source software that synchronizes save data for non-Steam games added to Steam as shortcuts. It pairs two approved machines and transfers tracked saves over a local network or an internet relay, sending only changed content blocks. Versioned snapshots and branches preserve history, while lineage-based conflict detection asks whether to keep the local copy, remote copy, or both. Saves can be restored individually or as complete versions. Detection reads Steam’s shortcuts.vdf file and offers Proton save locations for tracking. The scan excludes real Steam Cloud games, emulator saves, repack-wrapper detection, and portable installs. Optional backups can mirror snapshots to Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, WebDAV, a webhook, or local/NAS storage. SideSave has no accounts or telemetry; relay traffic is encrypted but not end-to-end. The project publishes no releases, so users build the CLI, desktop app, relay, or Steam Deck components from source.