2026-06-11 · · Daniel A

How to Sync Obsidian Notes Without Paying $8/Month

You can sync Obsidian notes for free using iCloud Drive (Apple users), Syncthing (Android/Windows), or the Obsidian Git plugin (Power users). While these methods avoid the $8/month official fee, they require manual setup and troubleshooting. For a zero-config, encrypted alternative, consider a cloud-native tool like SimplyBoard.

You can sync Obsidian notes for free by using third-party cloud services like iCloud Drive, peer-to-peer tools like Syncthing, or version control systems like Git.

Obsidian is a powerful local-first Markdown editor, but its greatest strength is also its biggest hurdle for new users: your data stays on your device. To get those notes onto your phone or a second laptop, you either pay for the official service or build your own pipeline. If you are looking to avoid the monthly fee, here is how to navigate the most reliable free alternatives.

Option 1: iCloud Drive (The Path of Least Resistance for Apple Users)

For users strictly within the Apple ecosystem (macOS and iOS), iCloud Drive is the most seamless free method. Because Obsidian for iOS can natively create and open vaults within the iCloud Drive folder, the setup is nearly identical to the official sync service.

1. On your Mac, move your existing Obsidian vault folder into the iCloud Drive/Obsidian directory.
2. On your iPhone or iPad, open the Obsidian app and select "Open folder as vault."
3. Navigate to the iCloud Drive location and select your vault.

The Trade-offs: iCloud is notorious for "evicting" files to save space, which can cause Obsidian to hang while it waits for a note to download. Furthermore, if you edit the same note on two devices simultaneously while offline, you will encounter conflict files (duplicates) that must be merged manually. This method is also effectively closed to Windows and Android users, as the iCloud client for Windows often struggles with the high file-count of an Obsidian vault.

Option 2: Syncthing (The Privacy-First Peer-to-Peer Choice)

Unlike iCloud or Dropbox, it does not store your data on a central server. Instead, it syncs files directly between your devices over your local network or the internet using encrypted P2P protocols.

1. Install Syncthing on your primary computer and your Android device.
2. Share your Obsidian vault folder from your computer to your phone.
3. On Android, point the Obsidian app to the folder Syncthing is managing.

The Trade-offs: Syncthing is excellent for Android and Windows/Linux users but has a major hurdle on iOS. Due to Apple's file system restrictions, the official Syncthing client does not exist for iPhone. You must use a third-party app like Möbius Sync, which often requires a one-time purchase to sync folders larger than a few megabytes. Additionally, for a sync to occur, at least two of your devices must be online at the same time.

Option 3: Obsidian Git (The Developer's Approach)

If you are comfortable with version control, the Obsidian Git community plugin is perhaps the most robust free solution. It treats your vault as a Git repository, pushing changes to a private host like GitHub or GitLab.

1. Create a private repository on GitHub.
2. Initialize Git in your vault folder and push your notes to the remote repo.
3. Install the Obsidian Git plugin and configure it to "Auto Backup" every few minutes or on every file change.

The Trade-offs: This is the most "technical" setup. While it works flawlessly on desktop, mobile support requires using a Git client like Working Copy (iOS) or Termux (Android), or using the plugin's internal (and sometimes experimental) Git implementation. Merge conflicts are a real possibility if you forget to "pull" changes before editing on a different device.

Option 4: Remotely Save (S3, Dropbox, or OneDrive)

The Remotely Save plugin is a popular community alternative that allows you to sync your vault to generic cloud storage providers. It supports Amazon S3 (and S3-compatible services like Cloudflare R2), Dropbox, OneDrive, and WebDAV.

1. Install the Remotely Save plugin from the Obsidian community store.
2. Connect your preferred cloud account (e.g., a free 5GB OneDrive account).
3. Set the sync frequency (e.g., on startup or every 10 minutes).

The Trade-offs: Because this is a plugin and not a system-level sync, it only runs when the Obsidian app is open. This can lead to "race conditions" where you start typing before the plugin has finished downloading the latest changes from the cloud, resulting in lost data or duplicated blocks.

Why Free Sync Often Feels Like a Full-Time Job

There is a hidden cost to "free" sync: your time. Obsidian was designed as a local-first tool, meaning every sync solution mentioned above is essentially a "hack" layered on top of a file system. You will eventually encounter:

• Indexing Delays: Every time you switch devices, Obsidian may need to re-index your files, which can take seconds or minutes depending on your vault size.
• Plugin Fragmentation: Some sync methods don't handle the .obsidian configuration folder well, leading to different settings or broken plugins on different devices.
• Battery Drain: Background sync tools like Syncthing or frequent Git pushes can impact mobile battery life.

If you find yourself spending more time troubleshooting your sync setup than actually taking notes, you are experiencing the "Obsidian Tax."

The Modern Alternative: SimplyBoard

If you want the privacy of Obsidian without the manual labor of managing vaults and sync scripts, SimplyBoard offers a different path.

SimplyBoard is a client-side encrypted note-taking app that handles sync automatically. Unlike Obsidian, where sync is an add-on, SimplyBoard is built with an offline-first architecture. Your notes are encrypted in your browser using AES-256-GCM (with keys derived via Argon2id) before they ever reach the server.

• Instant Sync: No plugins or Git commands required. It just works across all your devices.
• Zero-Knowledge Privacy: We cannot read your notes. Only you hold the key.
• Search-First Workflow: An encrypted IndexedDB cache allows for instant fuzzy search over your entire knowledge base, even when you are offline.
• No Vault Setup: Start writing immediately in a private, secure environment without configuring folders or cloud providers.

For those who love the Markdown simplicity of Obsidian but need the reliability of a cloud-first sync, SimplyBoard provides a fast, free-to-start alternative that respects your privacy and your time.

Which Method Should You Choose?

• Choose iCloud if you only use a Mac and an iPhone and don't mind occasional file-loading delays.
• Choose Syncthing if you are an Android/Windows power user who wants to keep data off the "cloud" entirely.
• Choose Git if you are a developer who wants a perfect history of every change made to your notes.
• Choose [SimplyBoard](/app) if you want your notes to "just work" everywhere with zero configuration and industry-leading encryption.

Stop fighting your tools. Whether you stick with Obsidian or move to a more streamlined PKM system, your focus should be on the ideas, not the infrastructure.