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Best Free File Copy Utility

Updated 20. November 2011 - 21:53 by Alkaliv2

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Introduction
Hard drives are becoming larger with each advance made in the hardware industry.  With the increase in storage size available the amount of files the average user keeps on their computer has also vastly increased.  But when you want to backup those files safely to either another partition or an external hard drive you need a copy utility that will not run into problems.  I used my own music collection at 21.7GB and used several free copy utility programs to see which of them was the fastest, most reliable, and easy to use.
Discussion

The program, FastCopy is my choice for the best file copy manager.  When it comes to stability and speed, FastCopy gave me consistent results and beat out every other manager in the running by several seconds.  I also noted that during the transfer, even with the 64MB cache that it used, I was still not seeing a significant jump in resource usage.  My RAM usage stayed consistently low throughout the entire transfer.  The program is excellent which made it my top choice of the file managers I tested.  It also includes shell integration with the program and x64 capabilities.  The program can also be run without being installed which is a very nice touch if you only need it for certain tasks.  It also includes an installer for shell integration and using it as your default copier.  It will not override your Windows file copier even when installed.  There are a lot of great things about this program but I cannot give this program a 10/10 for the following reasons.  First, the uninstalling utility would probably be confusing for the average user since you have to enter the C:\Program Files\FastCopy folder in order to run setup again and choose to uninstall the program.  With that said it did not show up in the "Uninstall Program" section of Windows 7 Control Panel which would be the optimal place for the program to be uninstalled.  Also, shell integration must be configured via the "Options" menu and choose what FastCopy options you would like added to the right-click menu since it does not automatically override your Windows copier.  These to me are minor gripes as the shell extensions added manually are excellent and you can even choose to hide the transfer window in the system tray and hover your mouse over to see the transfer speeds.  Also built into the program is a file wiping utility that does up to three passes over the file it is deleting for those wanting secure deletion of their files.  A big thank you to the commenters for bringing this program, and its benchmarks, to my attention.

The next program that I tested was Unstoppable Copier.  This one wins hands down in the reliability category.  Not only does it transfer faster than the normal windows copier, it is also able to recover partial files from damaged media or some corrupt areas of a hard disk drive.  This program is not a miracle worker but I gave it several scratched DVD's that were denied by my Windows copier and it was able to get me a complete backup of the files on the disk.  I am very impressed by the software and it uses.  I do not believe it is the intention of the project to do so, but I think this could be an even better program if it was able to be used in place of the Windows copier.  It is portable and installable but both versions must be launched in order to do file transfers.  The output of the program is outstanding and gives you a very good idea of which files have copied successfully and which files will be re-attempted.  With its unique ability to recover damaged files, this copying program is the most reliable of the programs I tested.

 

I recently used the 2.22 version of TeraCopy.   I've seen a lot of complaints about stability with this program and decided to push it to the limits.  Full on 21.7GB transfer of small files, pausing and resuming of said files, follow-up verification of the total transfer, and killing and re-starting of the same transfer.  I will say that these features worked as intended on my setup which is Windows 7 x64 Home Premium.  While this program is a beta the features I tested performed as they should on my setup.  My results are as individual as they come because obviously I cannot account for every variation but the method I used it was the only program running, even when I wasn't harassing it by pausing and resuming, my setup is RAID 0, and I tried copying small files and one ridiculously large file several times.  Each time it did exactly what I asked it to do.  The file verification also reassured me that everything transferred correctly even if I did manually verify later.  I personally switch file copiers because I want something faster and more reliable than the Windows copier.  In this aspect for total Windows copier replacement TeraCopy still shines.  I will have some people I know test this program and see if they run into any problems that perhaps I could not.  But I still have to say that this is the most actively developed and impressively integrated file copier out right now.  The fact that they have a freeware version that works with Windows 8 x64 (seriously, look at their page) and smooth total integration still makes this one of the best file copiers I've used to date.  Which is why it remains a contender for the top spot.  If a new release ends up putting it on speed, resource usage, and stability comparative with FastCopy, then you all will be seeing a new top spot reccommendation from me. 

UltraCopier 2.0.16

I mentioned before I was using SuperCopier 2.2 beta because I liked the options available for speed tweaking and the like over it's rival UltraCopier.  However, I took note that over at the UltraCopier website that the author is still developing a 0.3 version of his file copier.  It has some pretty exciting features but what speaks most about it is that it has an excellent file resume option.  In a video, which is listed on the right side of the author's webpage, it shows that his newest copy program will allow for resuming of a file transfer from a disconnected USB key.  So for those of you playing at home, if you're in the middle of a file transfer from a USB key and it somehow becomes disconnected, when you plug it in again all you have to do is hit resume and it will pick up where you left off!  Pretty exciting feature, especially if you have a finnicky Windows install that randomly disconnects your drive.  While I am excited about it, and using 2.0.16 in anticipation of this software, there is no shown schedule for its arrival.  As of right now the 0.3 pre-alpha is up but there is no word on when a stable revision will be out.  This does however beat out SuperCopier in my mind because SuperCopier has not shown development progress since 2009 and as far as looks go, UltraCopier 2.0.16 is a much more visually attractive copier replacement.  The link to UltraCopier is posted above and feel free to check out the videos that are listed under the news section.  Also, give 2.0.16 and try and see if it performs well for you.  I still recommend SuperCopier 2.2 beta and KillCopy 2.85 since both are stable and reliable.  Both are faster than the built-in Windows copier, they both run from the system tray, both light on resources, but KillCopy is quite a bit faster on transfers and has a plethora of options for the advanced user.  KillCopy gets a hard time for it's looks but it has many skins available on it's webpage if you do decide to go that route.  None that make it as attractive as UltraCopier in my opinion, but it does help.  All of the software I mention here is excellent and it is up to the user to try these out and decide which one they prefer.  For now, I'll be using FastCopy for large transfers and UltraCopier for daily transfers side by side.
Related Products and Links
Quick Selection Guide

FastCopy
9
 
Gizmo's Freeware award as the best product in its class!

Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Fastest of all utilities tested | Light on system resources | Auto-selects settings for copying | Works without installation
Must be uninstalled from original installer | Manual shell integration | Does not override Windows Copier
http://ipmsg.org/tools/fastcopy.html.en
http://ipmsg.org/tools/fastcopy.html.en
2.08
353 KB
32 and 64 bit versions available
Open source freeware
This product is portable
Windows 98 - Windows 7

If you want to install in USB memory, please copy the two files "fastcopy.exe" and "fastcopy.chm" to USB memory. (In this case, shell extension can't be used.)

Unstoppable Copier
8
 
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Good transfer speeds | Recovery of damaged files | Can rebuild files even if not completely copied from source
Lacks Windows integration | Not recommended for single file transfer
http://www.roadkil.net/unstopcp.html
http://www.roadkil.net/program.php?ProgramID=29
5.2
427 KB
Unrestricted freeware
A portable version of this product is available from the developer.
Windows 95-Windows 7, Linux

Non-English languages supported: Dutch, English, French, German, Hungarian, Italian, Polish, Russian, Spanish, Turkish

TeraCopy
8
 
Runs as a stand-alone program on a user's computer
Seamless Windows integration | Easy install and usage | Simple and elegant GUI and design
Transfer speeds | Resource usage
http://www.codesector.com/teracopy.php
http://blog.codesector.com/category/code-sector-software/teracopy/
2.27
2.5 MB
32 bit but 64 bit compatible
Free for private use only
Windows 2000 - Windows 7

Editor
This software category is maintained by volunteer editor alkaliv2.  Registered members can contact the editor with any comments or questions they might have by clicking here.
Tags
copy files, fast copy files, best free copy software, free file copy software.

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Comments

by mrwire (not verified) on 30. January 2012 - 20:44  (88051)

I've used a number of file copiers. I have had to transfer GBs often and transferring TBs is not unusual here either.

My biggest disappointment has been with TeraCopy. Partly based on the number of people who consider it in high regards. That has never been the case with me. Over time I have used several versions of it. It has been a huge fail for me. It has been buggy and crashes.

Best results for me so far has been from KillCopy. Not a pretty face but it is a reliable performer and has the right amount of options to configure the right settings.
by Alkaliv2 on 29. January 2012 - 23:35  (88002)

Pretty interesting article written by the guys at How-to geek. The results they found surprised me and I was impressed to see Windows copier holding it's own against the other two. If you're coming here to find the best software I want everyone to be as informed as possible.

http://www.howtogeek.com/73887/battle-of-the-file-copiers-windows-teraco...
by Anupam on 30. January 2012 - 7:54  (88011)

Very interesting.

The default copy in Windows 7 performed quite well, and if a few seconds don't matter to someone, then its good idea to go with it.
by Epsilon on 7. January 2012 - 12:15  (86756)

TeraCopy trap for the unwary.

When copying files I consider it vital that all files are copied, even if doing so places files in a folder path that, along with the file name, has more than 255 characters.
By default, TeraCopy 2.27 does not do that. It does show that such files have been skipped and shows an error message as 'Target Open Error'. The problem can be solved by clicking on the 'Always Ask' text below the minimize/close buttons. Just click '255 chars limit' to toggle the limitation off.
by Jimmi (not verified) on 2. January 2012 - 10:06  (86395)

Im looking for a program that allows the user to queue files to be moved by batch selecting files then selecting destination foler (on another hardrive), while that running batch select files again for a diffent folder, which subsequently queues these for when the last transfer is complete. Does a program that does this exist? Thanks
by Alkaliv2 on 3. January 2012 - 16:20  (86478)

I'm going to attempt to sum up, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong. You want to mass select files into a copy queue, copy them, and then set up subsequent queues to start after the first batch is done? Or are you trying to run multiple instances of the copy utility simultaneously?
by Alkaliv2 on 20. November 2011 - 23:01  (83611)

TeraCopy 2.27 is out now. I just finished testing 2.22 so I'm kind of interested to see if this one improves in the areas I have as cons. Let me know if this new version sorts out bugs you all saw in the last revision.
by Anonymous - anon (not verified) on 18. November 2011 - 20:01  (83503)

I was hoping to find something that was able mostly to:

1)pause and re-start copy functions
2)offered the option to verify all files transferred
correctly with hash checking

and a little less important to me is this:

3)offers optional shell integration
4)offers some GUI options like TeraCopy

and least important/unimportant is:

5) copy speed

i tried TeraCopy but it made errors and/or froze several times so it appears unreliable to me at this point.

would be great if the editor of this article could consider that some of us are just looking for an improvement on day to day file copy and transfer and may not need to deal with huge files.

Thanks.
by Alkaliv2 on 20. November 2011 - 20:35  (83608)

Well if you're still looking for it, at the bottom I mention that I also use SuperCopier beta and it does allow for pausing and resuming of file transfers. Its unrelated/related cousin UltraCopier allows for pausing and resuming of file transfers as well if you're looking for something semi-actively developed. It's 0.2.16 version works well and so does SuperCopier even though it is a beta version. As for a file copier that offers MD5 hash checking built in I came up with nothing. If you do find a program that offers that, let me know and I'll take a look at it and add it to the website since it's something people want. Or if you really need it, feel free to build it and then after you've made it free and usable to everyone, let me know and I'll be happy to review it for you. No rush, I'll be here.
by Alkaliv2 on 13. November 2011 - 4:14  (83173)

Sorry about being an absentee reviewer. I'm coming to the end of my school semester and currently decrypting my HDD because like an idiot I wiped the free space and the system didn't boot. So needless to say it's been decrypting for days...I did a small performance test with Teracopy 2.22 before my computer didn't boot and saw similar copy times as I had in the previous iteration. It was faster on my system by a few seconds and completely stable. I won't be able to go with my tried and true test of moving my music until decryption finishes but I will get on that. Keep the suggestions coming, I am not done testing and benchmarking yet!
by TekServer (not verified) on 9. November 2011 - 22:36  (83022)

I've been using AllwaySync (http://allwaysync.com) for years. However, I've never really benchmarked AllwaySync - except when I accidentally crashed a server with several parallel copy operations totaling about 350GB - and I've never even heard of most of the products mentioned here, so I was wondering if anyone had any side-by-side comparison data between AllwaySync and the top contenders here regarding speed, resource usage, features, etc.

Thanks in advance!

[Moderator's note : Link and mention of shareware program removed]
by MidnightCowboy on 10. November 2011 - 5:11  (83034)

The freeware version of Allway Sync is restricted. Full details, including the number of files which may be processed in a given period, are in the EULA on their website.
by Anupam on 10. November 2011 - 5:17  (83035)

In addition to what MC says, Allway Sync is mainly a synchronization program and cannot be considered as a file copy utility, which is what this article is about.
by TekServer (not verified) on 11. November 2011 - 20:02  (83122)

Ah, I see. I should have been looking here: http://www.techsupportalert.com/best-free-folder-synchronization-utility.htm

;)
by yvee (not verified) on 9. November 2011 - 1:50  (82944)

For automation, neither fastcopy or teracopy work, the latter brings up the gui, the former doesn't exit the process on Win7 and hangs. It could be a configuration issue, but I can't find where. I find Robocopy is an excellent solution in this case.
by supanut on 1. November 2011 - 3:20  (82508)

TeraCopy is the best! Great that it came with my new HP p7-1050l. It copied files way faster than Windows copier, and I hadn't experience any errors yet. It also seems to have a lot of users, since there are many languages available; it even use the Windows default language!
by Anupam on 29. October 2011 - 12:44  (82360)

TeraCopy 2.22 released. Will try it and see how it goes.
by Alkaliv2 on 30. October 2011 - 19:20  (82421)

As will I. I'll update the links hopefully no later than tomorrow for the new version. Give it a good testing run and I'll stick to my usual benchmarks. It may allow me to update my review if it plays nicely.
by Anonymus (not verified) on 27. October 2011 - 13:00  (82231)

I used TeraCopy while still a beta version, now more than a year ago and I'm very pleased with this program. The ability to check files copied was crucial for me, after I had miscarried a HDD backup and lost all data. Until now I never knew FastCopy, Unstoppable Copier only've used it before.
Pros: I had not a single error with TeraCopy, using it more than a year, on Windows XP, Vista and 7. Verification of the operation of copying files is a big plus.
Cons: nothing, I am very pleased.
Thank alkaliv2 for FastCopy, I will be happy to give it a try, even if not overwrite copying files in Windows ...
by Alkaliv2 on 30. October 2011 - 19:24  (82422)

It's a great program and I am glad I could bring it to your attention. I hope the creator of the program will see the deserved attention he is getting for his file copy program and keep updating it and making it better. It really does need an install/uninstall option to make it a little easier for the average Windows user.
by kodunmit (not verified) on 26. October 2011 - 13:54  (82159)

I have used teracopy on windows XP and windows 7 for about 6months and have not for once experience any disappointment. Albeit, i am always looking for better solution(s) than i already have hence, i just downloaded fastcopy and testing it with just 31gb of file transfer from my hard drive to a USB drive
by Daniel Sokolowski (not verified) on 23. October 2011 - 0:17  (81959)

I have tried TerraCopy, Easy Robocopy (GUI for MS RoboCopy), and FastCopy. TerraCopy's copy and paste did not work at all on my Windows 7 machine, it worked on my Windows XP machine better but would crash occasionally --- I just don't trust this software with my files.

Easy Robocopy is very powerful and works just fine but is cumbersome as it lacks shell integration.

Then I discovered FastCopy and I can say this software is worth the donation I sent to the author. It transferred over 260GB of 400+K backup files with no errors and relativly quick - furthermore it supports 256+ character long paths. The only thing missing is an installer and more importantly the ability to copy timestamps of the source files.
by Daniel Sokolowski (not verified) on 23. October 2011 - 0:27  (81960)

CORRECTION: FastCopy copy utility software DOES copy the timestamps of files and folders automatically so no setting for that is required.
by Alkaliv2 on 24. October 2011 - 18:44  (82066)

I am glad others are finding FastCopy as useful as I do. While not perfect, it does offer incredibly reliable and fast performance. I keep looking for something new to rival it that has better integration with Windows but so far I have not found anything. I'm sure the author appreciates the donation and hopefully we will see his work on this program continue.
by JMcL (not verified) on 21. October 2011 - 20:32  (81887)

To add to the chorus about Teracopy. I tried it recently and suffered 2 major data losses as a result over 2 days. The first time was partly attributable to me. I was trying to move a bunch of files to a network share, the operation got interrupted leaving a bunch of files not copied, I selected the ones which HAD been copied in the UI and clicked Delete, expecting only the selected files to be deleted, but instead ALL source files were deleted, and unfortunately I mis-clicked on permanently delete, which was just that - beyond the reach of several undelete programs. So yes, I hold my hands up and accept that I did that, but from all best UI practices when confronted with a multi-select list, and buttons at the bottom, I expect only those items to be affected.

The second instance was just plain buggy. I moved a large directory to a USB flash drive (Ctrl-C/Ctrl-V), it trashed it - loads of garbage filenames, no comeback.

Solution, quick uninstall. Avoid is my advice, though I'll check out some of the other recommendations as what I'm ideally looking for is rsync, but I'm not entirely sure I want to bother setting Cygwin up on both ends
by Anonymous_Coward!! (not verified) on 28. September 2011 - 5:19  (80481)

Teracopy has just been garbage for me on WinXP...three times now it stops halfway thru and acts like its done the job but only half of the files have been copied and then the last time it just locked up my computer...enough of that cr@p...

i just wanted a program that would verify file moves with a MD5 or SHA integrity checker or whatever they call it so i know the copy/transfer has been done correctly, didn't need any super speed transfers but Teracopy couldn't even do that so i'll try something else now...would be nice to see listed which programs do this MD5 or SHA stuff because some of us don't need super fast speeds, we just want to know there are no errors...

thanks...
by Alkaliv2 on 28. September 2011 - 16:16  (80516)

I have to say, not that I keep promoting FastCopy. Well, I guess I kind of do. But with FastCopy before the program starts copying you can choose to have it verify the files after it copies them. The transfer should be the same speed but it will verify all files copied correctly when it finishes.
by Alkaliv2 on 25. September 2011 - 16:45  (80306)

And as promised your performance results of NiceCopier versus FastCopy.

21.7GB Small File Transfer:

NiceCopier x64: 5:55.80
FastCopy: 5:41.60

7.3GB Large File Transfer:

NiceCopier x64: 2:06.50
FastCopy: 1:21.32

What I noticed is that on my RAID 0 setup NiceCopier started out really, really strong. Much stronger than FastCopy did. NiceCopier started at 104.87 MBps by the end of the 7.3GB transfer is was barely copying at 40MBps. FastCopy on the other hand stayed in the middle of the road with a consistent 83-89MBps transfer speed beating out NiceCopier by more than 30 seconds. Also, as I've said before I am a huge RAM/resources stickler and while FastCopy barely used any extra resources,(I'm seriously wondering if FastCopy was built to defy all logic as a copier) NiceCopier x64 doubled my RAM usage from beginning to end of transfer. As always, YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary) feel free to test for yourself. It runs in your system tray similar to SuperCopier and UltraCopier and picks up jobs copy and paste commands is Windows Explorer. I did have a hard time getting it to recognize the paste command in FreeCommander XE, even with the correct context menu. But that is neither here nor there. For small transfers I still use SuperCopier but for massive transfers I go FastCopy every time. Keep the suggestions coming! If you need help from me or have your own results to share feel free!

by Anupam on 25. September 2011 - 18:37  (80313)

Thanks for checking it out :). I will have to try out the suggestions in the article, since TeraCopy is not reliable for me anymore.
by Concerned User on 10. October 2011 - 9:32  (81183)

@ Anupam: Having problems with Terracopy. It does not close after the copying has finished:(...tried all options nothing worked. Time to give fastcopy a try.

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