Can I sync Obsidian with Google Drive or Dropbox?

Yes, if you put the vault inside the synced folder on each computer. It is the easiest free route. The risk is conflicted copies when the same note changes on two devices before they sync, and phone support depends on the app.

Is GitHub a good way to sync Obsidian?

For people comfortable with Git, yes: every change is versioned. The Obsidian Git community plugin can commit and pull on a timer. Use a private repository, and expect merge conflicts if you edit the same note in two places.

Should I sync the .obsidian folder?

Usually yes, so your settings, themes and plugins match everywhere. Leave out workspace files (workspace.json) if they keep conflicting, since they change every time you move a pane.

How to sync an Obsidian vault for free

By the Toolbay team · Updated October 26, 2026

Obsidian Sync costs $4 to $5a month. A vault is just a folder, so anything that syncs folders can sync it for free. The catch is that general-purpose sync doesn't know two edits to the same note should be merged. Here are the four free methods that work, easiest first.

The four methods

Checked October 26, 2026.
Feature	Cloud folder	Syncthing	Git	Bedrock
Cost	Free tier of your cloud	Free	Free (private repo)	Free
Setup time	2 minutes	10 minutes	15+ minutes	2 minutes
Your notes on someone's server	Yes, readable by the provider	No	Yes, on your Git host	Yes, end-to-end encrypted
Same-note edits on two devices	Conflicted copies	Conflict files	Merge conflicts	Three-way merge; conflict copy if it can't
Works today	Yes	Yes	Yes	Switching on soon
Needs devices online together	No	Yes	No	No

1. A cloud folder (iCloud Drive, Dropbox, Google Drive, OneDrive)

Move your vault folder into the synced folder on your main computer.
In Obsidian, choose Open another vault › Open folder as vault and pick the moved folder.
On your other computers, wait for the folder to download, then open it as a vault the same way.

Set the folder to “always keep on this device” so notes are there offline.

2. Syncthing (peer to peer)

Install Syncthing (MPL-2.0) on every device.
Add each device to the others with its device ID.
Share the vault folder from your main computer and accept it on the others.

Nothing touches a server, but two devices have to be online at the same time to sync. An always-on computer or home server solves that.

3. Git with the Obsidian Git plugin

Create a private repository on GitHub, GitLab or similar and clone it to each computer.
Move your vault into the cloned folder and commit it.
Install the Obsidian Git community plugin and turn on automatic commit-and-sync every few minutes.

You get full version history; you also get merge conflicts to resolve by hand now and then.

4. Bedrock's built-in sync

Install Bedrock on each computer.
In Settings › General › Advanced, open your Obsidian vault or import it into your synced vault.
Sign in to Toolbay on each computer. The vault syncs, encrypted before it leaves the device. Sync switches on soon; until then use one of the methods above alongside Bedrock.

The files stay plain Markdown, so Obsidian can still open the same vault. No phone app yet. More in free Obsidian Sync alternative.

Questions people ask

Can I sync Obsidian with Google Drive or Dropbox?: Yes, if you put the vault inside the synced folder on each computer. It is the easiest free route. The risk is conflicted copies when the same note changes on two devices before they sync, and phone support depends on the app.
Is GitHub a good way to sync Obsidian?: For people comfortable with Git, yes: every change is versioned. The Obsidian Git community plugin can commit and pull on a timer. Use a private repository, and expect merge conflicts if you edit the same note in two places.
Should I sync the .obsidian folder?: Usually yes, so your settings, themes and plugins match everywhere. Leave out workspace files (workspace.json) if they keep conflicting, since they change every time you move a pane.

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..