Blog Comparisons 3 min read
Obsidian Sync alternatives in 2026: iCloud, Syncthing, git and more
Obsidian Sync costs $4 a month billed annually and covers 1 vault with a 5 MB file limit and 1 GB of storage on the Standard plan. The free alternatives are iCloud Drive, Syncthing and git, plus OneDrive and Google Drive on desktop. Each has limits Obsidian's help pages list, and none should be combined with another sync service on the same vault.
Facts as of October 2026. Prices and features change. Each source is linked at the end.
Obsidian Sync is the supported way to move a vault between devices. It is also the thing people most often leave over, because it costs money and has limits. Here is what it offers, and what Obsidian’s own help pages say about the free options.
Obsidian Sync, for reference
The pricing page lists Sync at $4 per user a month billed annually or $5 billed monthly. Per Obsidian’s plans page:
| Standard | Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Synced vaults | 1 | 10 |
| Maximum file size | 5 MB | 200 MB |
| Storage | 1 GB | 10 GB to 100 GB |
| Version history | 1 month | 12 months |
Version history and attachments count toward the storage limit.
The alternatives
| Option | Cost | Works well on | What the Obsidian help page warns about |
|---|---|---|---|
| iCloud Drive | Your iCloud plan | Apple devices | iCloud Drive on Windows may lead to file duplication or corruption; on mobile, a vault outside the Obsidian folder may cause syncing issues |
| Syncthing | Free | Desktop; no cloud | Official Android app no longer maintained, the Syncthing-Fork app can be used; works best when at least one device is always on |
| Git | Free | Anyone comfortable with git | Not automatic: you push and pull by hand |
| OneDrive | Your OneDrive plan | Desktop | Limitations on Android, not officially supported on iOS; avoid Files On-Demand for vaults |
| Google Drive | Your Google plan | Desktop | Not officially supported on iOS; use a third-party solution or the Remotely Save plugin |
Obsidian also lists Dropbox as unsupported on iOS, with the same workarounds. The one rule it states across all of them: do not run more than one sync service on the same vault.
When to switch app instead
If the problem is that you want sync without assembling anything, two other apps include it. Anytype is local-first, peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted. Joplin syncs through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and other services and advertises end-to-end encryption. See Best Obsidian alternatives for the rest.
How to choose
- All Apple devices, free: iCloud Drive, with the vault inside the Obsidian folder on iOS.
- No cloud at all and an always-on computer: Syncthing.
- Developers who want history: git.
- You want it to just work and $4 a month is fine: Obsidian Sync.
- Large vaults with big attachments: Sync Plus, or a file-level service such as iCloud, because the 5 MB Standard file limit will stop attachments.
Frequently asked questions
How much does Obsidian Sync cost?
$4 per user a month billed annually, or $5 billed monthly. Standard covers 1 synced vault, a 5 MB maximum file size, 1 GB of storage and 1 month of version history. Plus covers 10 vaults, 200 MB files, 10 GB to 100 GB of storage and 12 months of history.
What is the best free way to sync Obsidian?
iCloud Drive for Apple devices, Syncthing for a no-cloud setup, or git if you are comfortable with manual pushes and pulls. Obsidian's help pages list the limits of each.
Can I sync Obsidian with Google Drive or OneDrive on iPhone?
Obsidian's help says Google Drive and OneDrive are not officially supported for syncing vaults on iOS and recommends a third-party solution or the Remotely Save plugin. OneDrive also has limitations on Android.
Can I use two sync services on one vault?
Obsidian advises against it, because multiple sync services on the same vault can cause data conflicts or corruption.
Does Syncthing work on Android for Obsidian?
Obsidian's help says the official Syncthing Android app is no longer maintained and that the community fork Syncthing-Fork can be used. It also notes Syncthing works best when at least one device is always on.
Sources
Written by Marco Iannello Updated 21 October 2026 How we write comparisons