# VaultSync for Obsidian — Self-Hosted Syncthing Notes

> Self-hosted Obsidian vault synchronization for iOS via Syncthing. (iPhone/iPad app by Umut Erdem.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaultsync-for-obsidian/id6761845197 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Umut Erdem](https://appshunter.io/developer/1891737870)
- Category: Productivity
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 1.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 3 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 25 MB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany), Chinese (Simplified, China), European Spanish
- Released: 2026-04-11
- Data updated: 2026-08-24
- Monetization: free with in-app purchases
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaultsync-for-obsidian/id6761845197/reviews.md

## What is VaultSync for Obsidian?

Your Obsidian vault, on your own server, synced to iPhone and iPad — peer-to-peer with Syncthing, no managed note cloud in the middle.

VaultSync is the missing iOS bridge for people who already trust Syncthing with their notes. If your vault lives on your Mac, Linux box, NAS, or homeserver, VaultSync lets your iPhone and iPad join that setup — without moving anything into iCloud, Dropbox, or someone else's note-sync service. It syncs straight into Obsidian's iOS sandbox, so you open Obsidian and your vault is just there.

WHY VAULTSYNC
- Direct peer-to-peer sync between your devices and your own server.
- Your Markdown never passes through our servers. We can't read, index, store, or proxy your notes — because they never reach us.
- No account. No sign-up. No analytics SDK. No tracking.

SET UP IN MINUTES
- Pair with your desktop or server by scanning a Syncthing QR code (Device ID).
- Pick the vaults you want on this device.
- Open Obsidian — your notes are already in place.

BUILT FOR REAL VAULTS
- Markdown conflict resolver with side-by-side diffs, so you decide which version wins.
- Sync activity timeline that shows what moved and when.
- A "Sync Issues" panel with clear, actionable diagnostics instead of cryptic errors.
- Quiet conflict notifications that update in place instead of spamming a new banner on every sync.

HONEST ABOUT iOS SYNC
iOS does not let third-party apps run a sync daemon in the background, and we won't pretend otherwise:
- Server to iPhone/iPad: near-realtime incoming sync when the optional Cloud Relay delivers a silent push.
- iPhone/iPad to server: most reliable when you open VaultSync. Background refresh can help opportunistically, but iOS decides when it runs.

CLOUD RELAY (OPTIONAL)
A small subscription (monthly or yearly) that sends a silent wake-up push the moment your server has changes, so incoming sync feels instant without opening the app. The relay only ever sees a wake-up signal — your Device ID, an APNs token, and a transaction ID. It never sees your note content, Markdown, filenames, folder names, vault structure, or any metadata. It needs a free Docker sidecar ("vaultsync-notify") on your server. VaultSync works fully without Cloud Relay — the relay only makes incoming sync faster.

SUPPORT VAULTSYNC (OPTIONAL)
Two one-time contributions — Small and Big — for people who want to support the project. They are a tip jar. They unlock nothing, and the app stays completely functional without them.

REQUIREMENTS
- iPhone or iPad on iOS/iPadOS 18 or later.
- Syncthing already running on a Mac, Linux machine, NAS, or homeserver.
- Obsidian installed on your device (for the vault to open into).

PRIVACY & OPEN SOURCE
VaultSync is peer-to-peer by design. There is no managed note cloud, no telemetry, and nothing to sign into. The app is open source under the MPL-2.0 license — read the code, build it yourself, or contribute.

VaultSync is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Obsidian or Syncthing. "Obsidian" and "Syncthing" are trademarks of their respective owners.

## Key features

- Peer-to-peer sync with your own server
- No managed note cloud or third-party storage
- Direct sync into Obsidian's iOS sandbox
- Markdown conflict resolver with side-by-side diffs
- Sync activity timeline and diagnostics
- Optional Cloud Relay for faster incoming sync

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Cloud Relay | $1.99 | per month |
| Cloud Relay | $14.99 | per year |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Small Contribution | $2.99 | one-time |
| Big Contribution | $9.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (3 of 3)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vaultsync-for-obsidian/id6761845197/reviews.md

### 1/5 — Feel ripped off

*2026-07-23*

I paid for a year of the notification service, but I feel ripped off, it doesn’t work. I understand the lack of control developers have for background apps in iOS. Apparently sync takes so long that nothing ever happens with this app when notified, except the notification counter increments. if you want to use Obsidian, you still have to open this app first, and then when you’re done, you have to reopen this app in order to sync back. At the very least this app should have shortcut hooks so that a user could set up a shortcut to trigger a sync when Obsidian opens and again when it closes. Without that, the sync service is really worthless.

### 1/5 — Not stable

*2026-07-13*

Worked for once, then stopped with lots of “unexpected error” messages. Sync conflicts all over the vault. While other devices running smoothly (so there is nothing actual problem with the sync itself)

### 5/5 — It’s working

*2026-05-04*

This app working, as expected ! And have nice GUI) obsidian now very comfortable on iOS) continue testing…

## Frequently asked questions about VaultSync for Obsidian

### Does VaultSync have ads?

VaultSync is ad-free. The app is open source and does not contain any advertisements, allowing for an uninterrupted user experience.

### What are the subscription options for VaultSync?

VaultSync offers an optional Cloud Relay subscription for $1.99 per month or $14.99 per year. This relay helps speed up incoming syncs by sending silent push notifications when your server has changes.

### How does VaultSync handle sync conflicts?

VaultSync includes a Markdown conflict resolver that presents side-by-side diffs, allowing you to choose which version of a file to keep. It also provides a 'Sync Issues' panel for clear diagnostics.

### What are the requirements to use VaultSync?

You need an iPhone or iPad running iOS/iPadOS 18 or later, Syncthing installed and running on a Mac, Linux machine, NAS, or homeserver, and Obsidian installed on your device.

### Is VaultSync compatible with older iOS versions?

VaultSync requires iOS/iPadOS 18 or later. This ensures compatibility with the latest features and security protocols necessary for its operation.

### How often is VaultSync updated?

The latest version of VaultSync is 1.7.1, last updated on June 15, 2026. Update frequency is generally good, with new versions released to improve functionality and address any issues.

### Can I support VaultSync without subscribing to Cloud Relay?

Yes, you can support VaultSync through optional one-time contributions called 'Small' and 'Big'. These are tip jar donations and do not unlock any features, as the app remains fully functional without them.

### What is the age rating for VaultSync?

VaultSync has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for a wide audience, with no mature content.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 2.0.1 — 2026-07-28

Your device connections are now protected after a crash — just update, nothing to set up.

• Fixed: after a hard crash or an interrupted start, VaultSync could quietly introduce itself as a brand-new device — your other devices then treated it as a stranger waiting for approval.
• Now VaultSync keeps its saved identity: on any unclear state it stops with a clear error instead of replacing it, and it recovers by itself on the next start after a temporary glitch.
• Your existing device pairings, notes, and settings stay exactly as they are.
• Also includes a small security update to one of the app's underlying components.

### 2.0.0 — 2026-07-22

Prove your sync — VaultSync 2.0 can verify a real round trip with your own server.

• New optional check: send one tiny signed test file to your server helper and verify its signed reply coming back — upload, download, and the full round trip are shown separately and honestly.
• You stay in control: the check only exists after you pair with your server by QR code and approve a dedicated, visible check area next to your notes.
• No exaggerated results: a partial result stays partial, late or copied replies never count, and the check never claims your whole library is in sync.
• Works with server helper 2.0.2 or newer; older helpers simply show the check as not available.

### 1.8.1 — 2026-07-08

You decide where every shared vault syncs — and every vault you have now shows up in the list.

• New "Choose Vault…" option: pick the folder and name yourself when accepting a shared vault.
• Nothing merges silently: a share never syncs into a folder that already contains files without your approval, and a removed vault stays removed until you accept it again.
• The vault list now shows every vault in your Obsidian folder — including ones not syncing yet, with a hint on how to start them.
• Your Obsidian folder is recognized reliably again, even with leftovers from an earlier setup inside it — and the status stays honest everywhere, including the home-screen widget.

### 1.7.2 — 2026-07-07

A new vault can no longer end up inside an existing vault.

• Every vault now syncs into its own folder — a new vault is never placed inside another vault again.
• If this already happened on your device, VaultSync detects it, pauses the affected vaults, and guides you through separating them safely.
• When you select a single vault as your Obsidian folder, VaultSync now tells you right away how to prepare for more vaults.

### 1.7.1 — 2026-06-15

Multiple vaults from one computer no longer get merged into one folder.

FIXED
• No more merged vaults — when one computer shared several vaults, the second could be pointed at the same local folder as the first, mixing their contents and pushing the mix back to every device. Each vault now always syncs into its own folder, and two vaults can never share one location.
• Already-mixed setups are caught — if an earlier version had already merged two vaults, VaultSync now detects it on launch, pauses the affected vaults to stop further mixing, and shows you how to separate them.
• Sync Filters: pasting a whole list works — the Add pattern field accepts multiple lines, so you can paste a list of filters and each line becomes its own entry. Blank lines and comments are skipped.
• Your filter list keeps its order — removing or changing a filter no longer reshuffles the rest.

IMPROVED
• Faster, more reliable syncing on the same Wi-Fi — VaultSync now finds your other devices on the local network directly, instead of detouring through the internet.

## Related topics

[obsidian sync](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/obsidian-sync) · [syncthing](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/syncthing) · [syncronicity for exchange](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/syncronicity-for-exchange) · [obsidian web](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/obsidian-web) · [obsidian vault](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/obsidian-vault)

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-24.*