If you play co-op games regularly, you have almost certainly lost progress because of save file issues. The host forgot to upload the save. Someone loaded an old version. The file got corrupted during transfer. These problems are so common that an entire category of tools and workarounds has emerged to deal with them.

Here is a straightforward comparison of every method available for syncing co-op game saves in 2026.

Steam Cloud

What it does: Steam Cloud automatically syncs your personal save data across your own devices. If you play on a desktop and a laptop, Steam Cloud keeps your saves in sync between them.

What it does not do: Steam Cloud does not share saves between different Steam accounts. It is a personal backup and sync service. If your friend hosts a co-op world, Steam Cloud will not give you a copy of their save file.

Best for: Backing up your own single-player saves across multiple PCs.

Not useful for: Co-op save sharing. This is a common misconception, so it is worth being clear: Steam Cloud does not solve the co-op save problem at all.

Google Drive / Dropbox / OneDrive

What it does: You create a shared folder and manually upload save files after each session. Other players download the latest save before they host.

Pros:

  • Free for most storage needs
  • Familiar tools that most people already have
  • Works with any game

Cons:

  • Entirely manual process requiring discipline from every player
  • No awareness of game save structures. It treats your save folder like any other collection of files
  • Sync conflicts can occur if two people upload around the same time
  • No versioning designed for game saves. You can accidentally overwrite a newer save with an older one
  • You need to know where each game stores its saves

Best for: Small groups playing one game where the host reliably uploads saves after every session.

Breaks down when: Anyone forgets to upload, downloads the wrong version, or the group plays multiple games.

Syncthing

What it does: Syncthing is an open-source continuous file synchronization tool. You point it at a folder on your computer, and it keeps that folder in sync with the same folder on another computer in real time.

Pros:

  • Free and open source
  • Peer-to-peer with no cloud dependency
  • Real-time sync

Cons:

  • Not designed for game saves. Syncing save folders while a game is running can cause corruption
  • Requires technical setup on each machine
  • No concept of “sessions” or save versioning
  • Conflicts between simultaneous changes are handled at the file level, not the game-save level
  • Can be confusing to configure for non-technical users

Best for: Technical users who want real-time folder sync and understand the risks.

Breaks down when: Two players modify saves at similar times, or when the always-on sync interferes with a running game.

GameSave Manager and Similar Backup Tools

What they do: Tools like GameSave Manager can detect, backup, and restore game saves from a wide library of games. They know where most games store their saves and can automate the backup process.

Pros:

  • Good for personal backup
  • Supports a wide range of games
  • Can export saves for transfer

Cons:

  • Designed for individual backup, not multiplayer sharing
  • No built-in sharing mechanism between players
  • No group sync or versioning for co-op scenarios
  • You still need an external method to get the backup file to another player

Best for: Backing up your own saves before a system wipe or hardware upgrade.

Not useful for: Active co-op save sharing between multiple players.

SaveSync

What it does: SaveSync is a Steam application built specifically for synchronizing co-op game saves between players. You create a group, invite your co-op friends, select a game, and SaveSync handles the rest. After each session, the latest save is synced to the group. Before the next session, any player can pull the latest save and host.

Pros:

  • Purpose-built for co-op save sharing
  • Knows where each supported game stores its saves (no digging through AppData)
  • Built-in versioning ensures the latest save is always available
  • Integrates directly with Steam
  • One-time purchase with no monthly fees
  • Supports 27 games including Schedule I, Stardew Valley, Minecraft Java Edition, Valheim, Satisfactory, Terraria, and more
  • LAN Sync feature for local network play (Minecraft Java and Vintage Story)

Cons:

  • Only works with its supported game list (though new games are added regularly)
  • Requires all co-op players to own SaveSync
  • Does not provide always-on servers like a dedicated host would

Best for: Co-op groups who play regularly and want any player to be able to host without manual file management.

The Verdict

For personal save backup, Steam Cloud and GameSave Manager do the job. For sharing co-op saves between players, nothing else on the market is built for the task the way SaveSync is. Cloud storage folders and Syncthing can work in a pinch, but they require manual effort and technical knowledge that SaveSync eliminates entirely.

If you are tired of lost saves and host dependency, there is a tool built exactly for you.