- Choose Obsidian Sync if you want Obsidian’s supported sync service, built-in version history, and end-to-end encryption.
- Choose Git if you want commits, diffs, branches, and your own Git remote, and are comfortable managing authentication and conflicts.
Disclosure: this comparison is published by GitSync.md’s developer. It describes Git using our documented iPhone workflow, alongside Obsidian’s official product, pricing, and security documentation checked October 26, 2026. It is not a performance benchmark. GitSync.md is independent of Obsidian.
What you are choosing
On a narrow screen, scroll the table sideways to compare both options.
| Decision | Obsidian Sync | Git workflow |
|---|---|---|
| Sync destination | Obsidian remote vault. | Your chosen Git repository, such as GitHub or a self-hosted server. |
| History | Integrated note version history. | History of committed changes, with commit messages and diffs. |
| Privacy | End-to-end encryption is the default setup option. | Private repo visibility and HTTPS/SSH do not create end-to-end encrypted notes. |
| Setup | Connect Obsidian to its sync service. | Configure the remote, a local working copy, and each Git client’s credentials. |
| Settings | Controls for which preferences and files sync. | Choose what Git tracks and ignores; some settings should remain device-specific. |
| Payment | Recurring service plan. | GitSync.md’s iPhone app is a one-time purchase. Hosting terms are separate. |
Sources: Obsidian Sync features, encryption documentation, and our Git workflow.
Privacy: a private repository is not encrypted storage
Obsidian documents end-to-end encryption as the default option for Sync. It also documents a standard encryption option with different key handling; check the option you choose. Its security documentation explains who holds keys and how to verify encryption.
In an ordinary GitHub private repository, access permissions limit who can open the repository. HTTPS or SSH protects transport. Neither makes your Markdown unreadable to the repository provider. A self-hosted remote changes who operates the server; it does not automatically encrypt the notes with a key only you hold.
GitSync.md performs Git operations on local files. It does not turn GitHub into an encrypted vault. Decide whether provider-readable storage fits your notes before uploading them, and keep credentials and sensitive plugin configuration out of commits.
Version history and conflicts
Obsidian Sync provides history within Obsidian. Git records the snapshots you commit; an edit you never commit is not preserved in Git history just because the folder is a repository. Pull, commit, and push are separate parts of a Git workflow.
Git is useful when you want named commits, inspectable diffs, branches, or a repository shared with other tools. It also gives you conflict recovery work when two devices change the same content. For an example, see resolving Obsidian Git conflicts on iPhone.
Keep an independent backup with either option. Remote synchronization and revision history serve different purposes from a backup stored separately from your active working copies.
Compare the actual cost
As checked October 26, 2026, Obsidian’s pricing page advertises Sync from $4 USD per user per month billed annually, or $5 billed monthly. Check current plan capacities and eligibility before subscribing.
GitSync.md costs $19.99 once on the US App Store for iPhone and iPad, including manual Git and optional Background Sync. Desktop Git tooling and your Git host are separate. Repository storage, large-file usage, and provider plans can affect the full cost; GitSync.md’s purchase is not a hosting plan.
View GitSync.md on the App Store →
The mobile setup matters
GitSync.md and the Obsidian Git plugin are separate Git clients. You can write in Obsidian while GitSync.md handles native Git operations, or configure the plugin separately. Connect can transfer credentials for a supported GitHub HTTPS vault; it does not change the plugin’s mobile implementation.
For a Windows and iPhone setup, follow our GitHub walkthrough. For background expectations, read what automatic Git sync can do on iPhone. GitSync.md cannot guarantee when iOS grants background execution.
Before switching sync methods
- Wait for the current method to finish and check the notes on every device.
- Keep an independent copy of the vault, including files that have not synced.
- Try the new method with a separate working copy. Avoid two sync systems writing the same folder during migration.
- Verify a new note in both directions before relying on the new route. Keep the original copy until you have checked the result.
If managing Git is the part you want to avoid, the official Sync service may be the better fit. If an ordinary Git repository is the goal, start with our iPhone and iPad setup guide.
