A Good Alternative to Google Keep

For years, I’ve been using Google Keep for my notes. You know the ones — quick reminders, shopping lists, random thoughts at 2 AM. It’s simple, fast, and just works. If you’re like me, you probably have hundreds of notes sitting there.

But here’s the thing: this is just my opinion, and it might not be yours. Google Keep is great for quick notes, but I started feeling limited. I wanted more control over my notes, better organization, and the ability to link ideas together. That’s when I discovered Obsidian.

The only problem? Obsidian doesn’t have built-in sync for free. That’s where Syncthing comes in.

Why I Moved Away from Google Keep

Look, Google Keep is solid. It’s everywhere — your phone, your browser, even your smartwatch. You can throw in text, photos, voice notes, and it all syncs instantly. For casual note-taking, it’s hard to beat.

But I ran into a few issues:

  • No folders or organization — everything is just labels and colors
  • Limited formatting — can’t do much beyond basic text
  • Locked into Google — exporting is possible, but it’s not your data really
  • No linking between notes — great for isolated notes, not for connected thinking

Again, this is just my experience. If Google Keep works for you, stick with it! But if you’re feeling the same way I did, keep reading.

Enter Obsidian + Syncthing

Obsidian treats your notes as plain text files (Markdown), stored in a folder called a “vault”. This means you own your data completely. No proprietary formats, no lock-in.

The catch? Obsidian’s official sync service costs money. But we can sync for free using Syncthing.

What is Syncthing?

Syncthing is a free, open-source tool that syncs files between your devices directly. No cloud storage, no middleman. Your data stays on your devices only.

Think of it like your own private sync service.

How It Works

Here’s what happens when you set up Syncthing:

flowchart LR
    A[📱 Phone] <-->|Direct Sync| B[💻 PC/Mac]
    B <-->|Direct Sync| C[🖥️ Another PC]
    A <-->|Direct Sync| C
    
    subgraph "Your Devices"
        A
        B
        C
    end
    
    style A fill:#e3f2fd
    style B fill:#e3f2fd
    style C fill:#e3f2fd

All your devices talk directly to each other. When you edit a note on your phone, it syncs to your PC and any other devices automatically.

Step 1: Install Syncthing

On PC (Windows/Linux)

  1. Go to syncthing.net
  2. Download Syncthing for Windows
  3. Run the installer
  4. It will open in your browser at http://127.0.0.1:8384

On Mac

  1. Open Terminal
  2. Run: brew install syncthing
  3. Run: syncthing
  4. Or download the app from syncthing.net

On Android

  1. Open Google Play Store
  2. Search for Syncthing-Fork (recommended)
  3. Install it

On iPhone (iOS)

  1. Open App Store
  2. Search for Möbius Sync (Syncthing client for iOS)
  3. Install it

Note: iOS requires the app to stay open for syncing. Keep it running in the foreground.

Step 2: Connect Your Devices

Each device has a unique Device ID. You need to exchange these IDs to connect them.

On Your PC/Mac (Main Device)

  1. Open Syncthing in your browser
  2. Click Actions → Show ID
  3. You’ll see a QR code and a long ID string
  4. Keep this screen open

On Your Phone

  1. Open Syncthing app
  2. Tap Add device or the + button
  3. Either:
    • Scan the QR code from your PC, or
    • Type/paste the Device ID manually
  4. Give it a name (e.g., “My PC”)
  5. Tap Save

Back on Your PC/Mac

  1. You’ll see a notification: “New device wants to connect”
  2. Click Add Device
  3. Give your phone a name (e.g., “My Phone”)
  4. Click Save

Now your devices are paired! But they’re not syncing anything yet.

Step 3: Set Up Your Obsidian Folder

On Your PC/Mac

  1. In Syncthing, click Add Folder
  2. Choose a folder label (e.g., “Obsidian Vault”)
  3. Set the Path to where you want your vault stored
  4. Under Sharing, select your phone/other devices
  5. Click Save

Your vault folder is now ready to sync.

On Your Phone

  1. You’ll get a notification: “New folder shared”
  2. Tap the notification
  3. Choose where to store the folder on your phone
  4. Tap Save

Step 4: Open the Vault in Obsidian

On PC/Mac

  1. Open Obsidian
  2. Click Open folder as vault
  3. Select the Syncthing folder you just created
  4. Done!

On Phone

  1. Open Obsidian mobile app
  2. Tap Open folder
  3. Navigate to the Syncthing folder
  4. Select it as your vault

Full Sync Flow

Here’s the complete picture of how your notes sync:

sequenceDiagram
    participant You
    participant PC as 💻 PC/Mac
    participant Syncthing
    participant Phone as 📱 Phone
    
    You->>PC: Edit note in Obsidian
    PC->>Syncthing: File changed detected
    Syncthing->>Phone: Sync changes over LAN/WiFi
    Phone->>Phone: Update file in vault
    Note over Phone: Obsidian auto-refreshes
    
    You->>Phone: Edit note on phone
    Phone->>Syncthing: File changed detected
    Syncthing->>PC: Sync changes
    PC->>PC: Update file in vault
    Note over PC: Obsidian auto-refreshes

Tips for Smooth Syncing

Tip Why It Helps
Keep devices on the same WiFi Faster sync, no data usage
Enable “Send & Receive” on all devices Two-way sync works properly
Don’t edit the same note on two devices at once Can cause conflicts
Check Syncthing status regularly Make sure all devices are connected

Troubleshooting

Devices Not Connecting

  • Make sure both devices are on the same network
  • Check firewall settings (allow Syncthing)
  • Try adding devices manually with Device ID

Sync Is Slow

  • Initial sync takes time for large vaults
  • Move devices closer to WiFi router
  • Enable “Local Discovery” in Syncthing settings

File Conflicts

If you edit the same note on two devices at the same time, Syncthing creates a conflict file (like note.sync-conflict-20260330.md). Just merge the changes manually and delete the conflict file.

Why This Is Better Than Google Keep

Feature Google Keep Obsidian + Syncthing
Cost Free Free
Formatting Basic text only Full Markdown support
Organization Labels and colors Folders, links, tags
Sync Google cloud Your devices directly
Data ownership Google servers Your files, your control
Linking notes ❌ No ✅ Yes (backlinks!)
Offline access Limited Full offline support

Again, this is just my opinion. Google Keep might be perfect for you. But if you want more control and flexibility, this combo is worth trying.

Plugins I Use

Obsidian has a ton of community plugins that make it even better. Here are the ones I use daily:

From Community Plugins

Go to Settings → Community plugins → Browse and search for these:

Plugin What It Does
Excalidraw Draw diagrams, sketches, and whiteboards directly in your notes. Great for visual thinkers!
Numerals Add numbered lists with custom formats. Perfect for structured documents.
Paste URL into selection Paste a URL into selected text to turn it into a link automatically. Saves so much time!

To install:

  1. Open Obsidian Settings
  2. Go to Community plugins
  3. Turn off “Restricted mode” if it’s on
  4. Click Browse
  5. Search for the plugin name
  6. Click Install, then Enable

My Own Plugin: Zzzzz

I also built a plugin called Zzzzz — it helps you find and fix problematic files in your vault (like broken links, large files, or orphaned notes).

Note: Zzzzz is not in the Community plugins store yet. You’ll need to install it manually from my repo:

  1. Go to github.com/0xb01/zzzzz
  2. Download the latest release
  3. Extract it into your vault’s .obsidian/plugins/ folder
  4. Enable it in Settings → Community plugins → Installed plugins

Final Thoughts

I still use Google Keep for quick stuff — shopping lists, random reminders, things I need to grab fast. But for anything that needs real thought or organization, I use Obsidian with Syncthing.

Syncthing takes a bit of setup (maybe 10-15 minutes), but once it’s running, you won’t notice any difference from paid sync services. Your notes stay in sync, your wallet stays happy, and your data stays private.

Give it a try! Your future self will thank you.