SaveKnight vs SideSave

SaveKnight is a Windows desktop app for backing up PC game save files and retaining earlier versions. It scans a computer and uses Ludusavi’s database to locate saves; the download page says that database covers more than 10,000 games. The app targets PC games storing saves locally, runs in the background, and backs up when games exit. Cloud copies are encrypted, can be accessed from any PC and synchronize across a user’s gaming PCs. Version history supports manual rollback to an earlier save. The app is open source under the MIT License and built with Tauri and Rust. Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit, is required, along with at least 4 GB RAM, 100 MB free disk space, internet for cloud sync and a SaveKnight account. The Free plan has 2 game profiles and 500 MB storage. Knight costs $5 a month; Legend costs $15 a month.

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.