Syncthing
Syncs the vault directly between computers; iPhones remain the awkward relative.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-08-11
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- MPL-2.0
- Hosting Model
- Local (on your machine)
- Platforms
- desktopclione-click install
- Installation
- Install a native package or binary on every device, exchange device IDs, and share the vault folder
- Operational Setup
- Every device needs a client and pairing, at least one peer must be online to receive changes, and there is no official iOS client
- Where Your Data Lives
- The original Markdown files and attachments remain as normal files in selected folders on each peer; Syncthing keeps its configuration and index database locally
- The Catch / Trade-off
- It has no central always-available history or recovery service, devices need overlapping availability to propagate changes, and iPhone/iPad support depends on third-party clients.
Replaces 1 paid app
up to $5/mo ($60/yr) in subscriptions
Syncthing FAQ
Common questions
Is Syncthing free and open source?+
Syncthing is an open-source tool licensed under MPL-2.0 that runs on local. Syncs the vault directly between computers; iPhones remain the awkward relative.
What paid software does Syncthing replace?+
Syncthing serves as a free replacement for 1 paid SaaS application: Obsidian Sync, saving up to $5/month ($60/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Syncthing?+
Installation: Install a native package or binary on every device, exchange device IDs, and share the vault folder. Setup notes: Every device needs a client and pairing, at least one peer must be online to receive changes, and there is no official iOS client
What is the catch or trade-off with Syncthing?+
It has no central always-available history or recovery service, devices need overlapping availability to propagate changes, and iPhone/iPad support depends on third-party clients.