I'm moving from Windows to Linux but will continue using an iPhone and iPad. My Obsidian vault currently syncs through iCloud, but I need an alternative because Linux doesn't have an official iCloud client. I already pay for iCloud and Proton, so I'm looking for a free solution that doesn't require another subscription. Privacy is important, preferably through end-to-end encryption or self-hosting. Ideally, the setup should sync reliably between Linux, iOS, and iPadOS, work automatically or close to real time, minimize conflicts and accidental overwrites, integrate well with Obsidian vaults, and be reasonably easy to maintain. What setup would you recommend based on regular use, and what limitations should I expect?
4 Answers
If you prefer hosted storage, services such as Filen, MEGA, Internxt, Tresorit, or pCloud may be worth comparing. Several offer Linux clients and free tiers, although storage limits and encryption details differ. Filen is one option with a privacy-focused design, but check its current client support and free-plan terms before committing. These services are generally easier than self-hosting, though they provide less control.
Git can work for an Obsidian vault if the files are small and you’re comfortable with version control. You could keep a local repository, push encrypted or private backups to a remote host, and mirror it to an external drive. Git gives you history and makes accidental overwrites recoverable, but it isn’t a near-real-time sync solution and merging changes from multiple devices can be inconvenient. It also needs extra care to avoid exposing private notes.
Syncthing is probably the first thing to try. It works very well between Linux machines or a Linux computer and a home server, and it’s free and open source. The main catch is iOS: Apple’s background-execution limits mean the iOS app may need to be opened periodically for synchronization, so it may not behave like a completely automatic cloud service.
A practical setup is Syncthing between Linux and a server or desktop, combined with an iOS companion app such as Möbius Sync. It works well for many people, but the free iOS version generally requires opening the app to trigger syncing. Automatic background sync is typically part of the paid option, so that limitation matters if you need hands-off synchronization.
That has been my experience too. It’s reliable once everything is configured, but iOS restrictions make it less seamless than syncing between two desktop systems.