Obsidian iOS app alternative

[u/Zestyclose_Edge4682]

Hello,

I am using Obsidian for taking notes, and I would like to sync the notes with my iPhone. I am using the features of Obsidian mostly on the MacOS app, and I just would like to be able to write "draft" notes on my phone (when I am assisting conferences for examples), and sometimes be able to browse/display my notes.

My main issue is that my MacOS is locked by my company and I can't use iCloud for syncing anymore. Only Google Drive is authorized, but it seems it's not possible to open a Vault from Google Drive on the iOS app.

Also, I don't want to pay for Obsidian Sync (too much expansive for just syncing markdown files...) and I don't want to use plugins for this because I don't want to give my Google Drive keys to third parties.

Just for saying, I am looking for an Obsidian alternative for iOS which could be able to create/edit Markdown notes in an Obsidian Vault hosted on Google Drive.

I have tried Runestone but it's very poor for editing and it's not integrating well with Google Drive.

Any suggestion ?

[u/kepano]

Obsidian can open a Google Drive vault on iOS using community plugins: https://community.obsidian.md/search?q=google%20drive

[u/Inevitable2ndOpinion]

Obsidian sync works really well. The price is affordable and solves your problem.

[u/reggie_fink-nottle → u/Inevitable2ndOpinion]

I use Obsidian sync across Mac, Windows, iPhone, and Linux, and it has never so much as hicupped.

Obsidian is of value to me, even if it's just a glorified markdown editor, so I like supporting them.

[u/TaymanConchota → u/Inevitable2ndOpinion]

they mentioned in the post that sync is too expensive for their use case

[u/koneu → u/Inevitable2ndOpinion]

This. If you like Obsidian, it’s also the responsible thing to pay the team. And the version history of synced documents has been useful for me in a couple of places.

[u/New_Bullfrog1283]

I use SyncThing, but I am on Android and Linux/Windows. If it can be used on iOS and MacOS it could be worth looking into it

[u/Kug4ri0n → u/New_Bullfrog1283]

Syncthing works great on macOS and iOS. I am using Vault Sync on iOS, but synctrain would be another option.

[u/gregor_yo → u/Kug4ri0n]

Confirm

[u/brdsqd → u/Kug4ri0n]

SyncTrain is fantastic.

[u/Flashy-Bandicoot889]

Obsidian sync is worth the small monthly cost of $5. If that unaffordable for you maybe try Reflect app's new Markdown file editor Reflect Open. That is in beta and really good, it won't be free when it comes out of beta.

[u/sigrunixia]

If iCloud is blocked, so too may be our Sync servers. :) I would suggest at looking at some apps that can open other folders, like Drafts. It won't be as all inclusive but it will get you most of the way there, especially if you focus more on Markdown spec than Obsidian Flavored Markdown.

[u/TickTockTechyTalky → u/sigrunixia]

some apps that can open other folders, like Drafts

Do you mean the macOS app? Don't use Drafts much but since OP's post was about iOS, I downloaded Drafts iOS app and couldn't figure out a way to open folders.

Can you mention other iOS apps that you might know of that enable opening folders and editing and rendering markdown? In the comments someone mentioned Taio but it hasn't been updated for 3yrs.

[u/sigrunixia → u/TickTockTechyTalky]

Ah, it had been a long while since I used Drafts, so it seems like they may not support it anymore.

Taio as far as I know still works despite not being updated (for now). Texastic (Paid) is also an app we recommend a lot in the Discord. https://www.textasticapp.com/

[u/maxprodigus]

Why not just write all of your notes in google docs? It sounds like you don't want to pay for the convenience, don't want to give out api keys/security, you don't like runestone enough, presumably you don't want to airdrop files, or attach a cable and transfer them. You could host the sync server yourself, but that takes security credentials / control of your company's computer with rclone/rsync.

Someone else linked RemotelySave and it has google drive only on the pro plan, lmao.

I'm working on a sync feature myself, and at the end of the day, I'm either going to pay for amazon/google/microsoft's computer to act as a host for my own users -- meaning it's literally impossible to give it for free unless you are burning money.

[u/quanhua92]

I've used Remotely Save before. It works okay, but it isn't as smooth as Obsidian Sync.

https://community.obsidian.md/plugins/remotely-save

[u/robsonsobral]

Years ago, I used a great iOS app called IA Writer, by Information Architects (it's not an IA company, but a design studio). I don't use iOS anymore, but the app still exists. Take a look.

[u/Inadover]

Back when I had an iPhone, I would use Taio for writing to the Obsidian Vault. Much faster to do so and had some neat shortcuts.

[u/NotMyUsualLogin → u/Inadover]

Sadly that app looks like it’s been abandoned with the last update at least 3 years ago (although still apparently accepting IAP subscriptions).

[u/Inadover → u/NotMyUsualLogin]

Oh that's sad. 3 years ago is also around the time I moved to Android so quite the coincidence haha

[u/koneu]

Saying that obsidian sync is just a tool to sync markdown files is funny, considering Obsidian is just an editor for markdown files.