Comparison

iKnox vs VaultSync for Obsidian

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ€” with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

iKnox

Securely store and access your passwords, confidential documents, photos, and files with advanced encryption. Protect your sensitive information from loss or theft with robust security features.

Highlights
  • Advanced encryption technologies
  • Double password and multiple keys
  • Biometric recognition (TouchID/FaceID)
  • Secure 'FilesPark' storage
  • Built-in document scanner
  • Import/export flexibility
  • QR-Code generation
Features
Read full description

Protect your Passwords, Confidential Data, Photos and Files, with the most advanced encryption technologies. You will no longer have to worry about remembering all your Passwords, now they will be instantly available and accessible only to you and nobody else. And if you lose your phone or had it stolen? Do not worry, your data are absolutely protected by multiple encryptions and inaccessible by others without your permission. - Maximum data security with double password, multiple keys, double and triple 256-bit AES encryption; - Greater safety with access through biometric recognition (TouchID / FaceID); - A protected storage area, the 'FilesPark', to keep files and images secured using 256-bit AES encryption; - Built-in 'Scanner' to capture text and documents, quickly activated by 3D-Touch; - Maximum flexibility to import and export files, images and data; - Compatible with iPhone and iPad; - Reading and generation of QR-Codes for fast access to WiFi, URL, Contacts, etc.;

About

VaultSync for Obsidian

Sync your Obsidian notes between your devices and your own server using peer-to-peer technology. This app provides a direct connection without relying on cloud storage, ensuring your data remains private and accessible on your iPhone and iPad.

Highlights
  • 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
Features
Read full description

Your Obsidian vault, on your own server, synced to iPhone and iPad โ€” peer-to-peer with Syncthing, no managed note cloud in the middle. VaultSync is the iOS bridge for people who already trust Syncthing with their notes. If your vault lives on a Mac, Windows PC, Linux machine, NAS, or homeserver, VaultSync lets your iPhone and iPad join that setup โ€” without moving anything into iCloud, Dropbox, or someone else's note-sync service. It syncs straight into Obsidian's folder on your device, so you open Obsidian and your vault is just there. WHY VAULTSYNC โ€ข Direct peer-to-peer sync between your devices and your own server. โ€ข Your Markdown never passes through our servers. We can't read, index, store, or proxy your notes โ€” they never reach us. โ€ข No account. No sign-up. No analytics SDK. No tracking. SET UP IN MINUTES โ€ข Pair with your computer or server by scanning its Syncthing QR code (Device ID). โ€ข Pick the vaults you want on this device. โ€ข Open Obsidian โ€” your notes are already in place. BUILT FOR REAL VAULTS โ€ข Resolve Markdown conflicts in a side-by-side comparison: keep this version, the other one, or both. โ€ข "Sync Filters" keep big folders or attachments off your iPhone and iPad. โ€ข Faster, more reliable syncing when your devices are on the same Wi-Fi. โ€ข A "Sync Activity" timeline and a "Sync Issues" panel with clear next steps instead of cryptic errors. โ€ข Home Screen and Lock Screen widgets show your last sync at a glance. โ€ข Quiet conflict notifications that update in place instead of piling up. HONEST ABOUT iOS SYNC iOS does not let third-party apps run a sync service permanently in the background, and we won't pretend otherwise: โ€ข Server to iPhone/iPad: near-realtime incoming sync when the optional Cloud Relay delivers a silent push. โ€ข iPhone/iPad to server: most reliable while VaultSync is open. Background refresh helps opportunistically, but iOS decides when it runs. โ€ข If syncing stops on its own, VaultSync tells you instead of showing "Ready". 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 โ€” 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 โ€” the relay only makes incoming sync faster. SUPPORT VAULTSYNC (OPTIONAL) Two one-time contributions โ€” Small and Big โ€” for people who want to support the project. They are a tip jar: they unlock nothing, and the app stays fully functional without them. REQUIREMENTS โ€ข iPhone or iPad with iOS/iPadOS 18 or later. โ€ข Syncthing running on a Mac, Windows PC, Linux machine, NAS, or homeserver. โ€ข Obsidian installed on your device. PRIVACY & OPEN SOURCE VaultSync is peer-to-peer by design: no managed note cloud, no telemetry, nothing to sign into. The app is open source under the MPL-2.0 license โ€” 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.

Screenshots

iKnox3 screens
VaultSync for Obsidian2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: VaultSync for Obsidian at Free against iKnox's $5.99. VaultSync for Obsidian also leads on update cadence (weekly vs every 3 months). iKnox's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 33%) and in-app purchases (none vs 4). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

VaultSync for Obsidian is free to download; iKnox costs $5.99 up front. VaultSync for Obsidian sells 4 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. iKnox asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

iKnox ships an update every 3 months, VaultSync for Obsidian weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 11, 2026 and October 6, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences ยท 2 level
iKnox versus VaultSync for Obsidian: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteriKnoxVaultSync for Obsidian
Price$5.99Free โ€” better
Positive reviews76.5% of reviews โ€” better33.3% of reviews
Update frequencyEvery 3 monthsWeekly โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo โ€” betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases โ€” better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod โ€” betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13 โ€” better18.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size33 MB25 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTec4FunUmut Erdem

Customer experience

iKnox

Written reviews17 reviews
Positive76.5%
Neutral11.8%
Negative11.8%

VaultSync for Obsidian

Written reviews3 reviews
Positive33.3%
Neutral0.0%
Negative66.7%

In-app purchases

None

iKnox

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

VaultSync for Obsidian

Subscriptions2
  • Cloud Relay$1.991 Month
  • Cloud Relay$14.991 Year
One-time2
  • Small Contribution$2.99
  • Big Contribution$9.99

Questions

Is iKnox free?
iKnox costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is VaultSync for Obsidian free?
VaultSync for Obsidian is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do iKnox or VaultSync for Obsidian have ads?
Neither iKnox nor VaultSync for Obsidian shows ads.
Which is updated more often, iKnox or VaultSync for Obsidian?
iKnox ships an update every 3 months, and VaultSync for Obsidian weekly. Most recently, iKnox was updated on October 11, 2026 and VaultSync for Obsidian on October 6, 2026.

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