Is there a free version of Obsidian Sync?

No. Obsidian itself is free, but Obsidian Sync is a paid add-on: $4 a month billed yearly or $5 billed monthly (obsidian.md/pricing, October 26, 2026). Free options are Syncthing, Git, a cloud folder you already have, or Bedrock's built-in sync once it switches on.

Can I keep using Obsidian if I sync with Bedrock?

Yes. A vault is a folder of Markdown files, and Bedrock reads and writes the same files and the same .obsidian settings folder. You can open the vault in either app.

Is Bedrock's sync end-to-end encrypted?

Yes. Bedrock's sync is end-to-end encrypted, with version history, a recycle bin and conflict copies when an edit can't be merged. It runs when you are signed in to Toolbay and the sync service is on (it switches on soon). Signed out, everything works offline and nothing leaves your computer.

Does Bedrock sync to my phone?

Not yet. Bedrock is a desktop app for Windows and Mac. If you need your vault on iPhone or Android today, Obsidian Sync or a cloud folder that your phone can read is the simpler choice.

Why not just use iCloud, Dropbox or Google Drive?

It works for many people, but these services sync whole files without knowing they are notes, so editing the same note on two devices can leave conflicted copies. A notes-aware sync merges or versions changes instead.

A free Obsidian Sync alternative that keeps your vault as it is

By the Toolbay team · Updated October 26, 2026

Bedrock is a free, open-source notes app (MIT) that opens your existing Obsidian vault, with its themes, snippets and community plugins, and has end-to-end encrypted sync between your computers built in. There is no plan to buy. Obsidian Sync costs $4 a month billed yearly, or $5 billed monthly.

Sync is built in and switches on soon (Bedrock is a beta). Until then Bedrock works fully offline, and the other free methods below work today. Bedrock runs on Windows and Mac; there is no phone app yet.

Every way to sync an Obsidian vault, compared

Prices from obsidian.md/pricing; GitHub data checked October 26, 2026.
Feature	Bedrock sync	Obsidian Sync	Syncthing	Git (Obsidian Git)
Available today	Switching on soon	Yes	Yes	Yes
Price	Free	$4/mo yearly, $5/mo monthly	Free	Free (plus a Git host)
End-to-end encrypted	Yes	Yes	Device to device, no server copy	Only if you set it up
Needs both devices online	No	No	Yes, at the same time (or an always-on device)	No
Phones	Not yet	iPhone, Android	Android; iPhone through third-party apps	Clunky on phones
Setup	Sign in to Toolbay	Sign in, pick a vault	Install on each device, pair them	Create a repo, configure the plugin
Version history	Yes	Yes	Optional file versioning	Every commit
Source code	MIT	Closed

What Obsidian Sync costs

From obsidian.md/pricing (October 26, 2026): Sync is $4 per user per month billed yearly, or $5 billed monthly. That is $48 to $60 a year to keep notes in step between your own devices. The Obsidian app itself is free, including for work; the $50 commercial license is optional.

If Obsidian is worth supporting to you, paying for Sync is a fine way to do it. This page is for people who would rather not pay a subscription for syncing their own text files.

How Bedrock syncs your vault

Install Bedrock on each computer (through the Toolbay app, or the installer on GitHub).
Open your vault: Settings › General › Advanced lets you open an existing Obsidian vault as a separate vault or import it into your synced vault.
Sign in to Toolbay on each computer. Changes are encrypted on your device before they leave it. (Sync switches on soon; until then this step does nothing yet.)
Signed out, Bedrock works fully offline, like a local-only vault.

Because the vault stays ordinary .md files, you can still open it in Obsidian on any computer. Our guide to syncing an Obsidian vault for free walks through Syncthing and Git step by step too.

Pros and cons

Bedrock: good

Free, end-to-end encrypted sync built in, no plan or trial
Opens Obsidian vaults, themes, snippets and community plugins
AI agents (Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Cursor) can read and edit notes locally
Open source under MIT

Bedrock: not so good

No iPhone or Android app yet
Beta: newer and less tested than Obsidian
Sync needs a free Toolbay account, and isn't switched on yet
Some community plugins may not work yet

Who should switch, and who should stay

Use Bedrockif your notes live on two or more computers and you don't want a subscription for keeping them in step. Until its sync switches on, pair Bedrock with Syncthing or Git: the vault is plain files, so both work with it today.

Keep Obsidian Sync if you need your vault on your phone, shared vaults with other people, or the longest track record.

Questions people ask

Is there a free version of Obsidian Sync?: No. Obsidian itself is free, but Obsidian Sync is a paid add-on: $4 a month billed yearly or $5 billed monthly (obsidian.md/pricing, October 26, 2026). Free options are Syncthing, Git, a cloud folder you already have, or Bedrock's built-in sync once it switches on.
Can I keep using Obsidian if I sync with Bedrock?: Yes. A vault is a folder of Markdown files, and Bedrock reads and writes the same files and the same .obsidian settings folder. You can open the vault in either app.
Is Bedrock's sync end-to-end encrypted?: Yes. Bedrock's sync is end-to-end encrypted, with version history, a recycle bin and conflict copies when an edit can't be merged. It runs when you are signed in to Toolbay and the sync service is on (it switches on soon). Signed out, everything works offline and nothing leaves your computer.
Does Bedrock sync to my phone?: Not yet. Bedrock is a desktop app for Windows and Mac. If you need your vault on iPhone or Android today, Obsidian Sync or a cloud folder that your phone can read is the simpler choice.
Why not just use iCloud, Dropbox or Google Drive?: It works for many people, but these services sync whole files without knowing they are notes, so editing the same note on two devices can leave conflicted copies. A notes-aware sync merges or versions changes instead.

Obsidian is a trademark of Dynalist Inc.. Toolbay's tools are independent open-source projects, inspired by Obsidian, and are not affiliated with or endorsed by Dynalist Inc..