UserNest vs Transwiz: which one to choose?

Transwiz (version 1.19) is free software from ForensiT, supplied as a standalone executable: there is nothing to install or uninstall. On the old PC, it creates a transfer file in standard zip format, with the .trans.zip extension, that holds the complete user profile and the information needed to restore it. The product page also mentions backing up additional folders and excluding folders or file types.

Its main strength comes at restore time: Transwiz can assign the profile to any account, local or domain, rename the computer and join it to the domain. This is very useful when a user changes account at the same time as changing PC, for example moving from a local account to a domain account: they get their profile back under the new account.

ForensiT's documentation also points out several limits:

• Azure AD accounts, now Microsoft Entra ID, are not supported.
• There is no direct network transfer: the archive has to be copied to the new PC before the restore.
• Data from Microsoft Store apps is not transferred; ForensiT notes that it is often kept in the cloud with the user's Microsoft account.
• The Professional edition is no longer sold; only the free edition is still offered.

UserNest is a Windows 10 and 11 (64-bit) application that backs up a user's profile to a folder (external drive, USB stick or any other location), then restores it on the new PC or after a reinstall. Instead of copying the profile as a whole, it offers an item-by-item selection: user folders, Chrome, Edge, Brave and Firefox, classic Outlook, Thunderbird, personal Office files, wallpaper, Sticky Notes, printers, Remote Desktop connections and extra folders. A built-in analysis estimates the backup size before anything is copied.

• Outlook: PST files (and OST files, optionally), Outlook profiles, signatures and AutoComplete are backed up. On restore, the Outlook profile is re-imported and its PST and OST paths are updated automatically.
• Printers: network printers are reconnected and the default printer is set again; local drivers and queues are carried over with administrator rights.
• Open applications: browsers, Outlook or Thunderbird still running are listed, then closed after you confirm, so that the copied files are consistent.
• Report and log: at the end, a report states whether the job completed cleanly or with errors, with access to the detailed log.
• Two editions: a Microsoft Store version for home users, with automatic updates, and a portable Pro version, with no installation, for technicians. The interface is available in 36 languages.

UserNest does not move installed applications or their licences, Wi-Fi networks, or most Windows settings (only the wallpaper is carried over). Chrome, Edge and Brave passwords are encrypted for the original Windows account and are not transferred: sync them with your browser account or export them before the migration. For Firefox, check them after the restore or use Firefox Sync.

• You want a free tool to move one profile or a handful of them.
• You want to take the complete profile across without picking items one by one.
• The user changes account at the same time as changing PC, for example from a local account to a domain account: Transwiz assigns the profile to the new account and can rename the computer and join it to the domain. UserNest does not offer these functions.
• Some machines still run an older version of Windows: ForensiT offers Transwiz for Windows 7 and Windows XP as well as Windows 10 and 11.

On the other hand, Transwiz is not suitable if your users sign in with a Microsoft Entra ID (formerly Azure AD) account, since ForensiT states that these accounts are not supported.

• You want to choose what goes across: for example documents, browsers and Outlook, without the rest of the profile.
• You are migrating classic Outlook and want the Outlook profile to point straight to the restored PST files, with no manual re-import.
• You need the network printers and the default printer back on the new machine.
• You need an end-of-job report and a detailed log, for example to document a service call.
• Your users do not all speak the same language: the interface is available in 36 languages.

For personal use, the Microsoft Store version is available from the Download page and updates automatically. Technicians and IT departments can run the Pro version from a USB stick without installation; licences are described on the Pricing page.