Self-hosted LiveSync vs Obsidian
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Self-hosted LiveSync
Self-hosted real-time sync backend for Obsidian vaults
VS
Obsidian
Local-first knowledge base on a folder of Markdown files
| Feature | Self-hosted LiveSync | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | MIT | Proprietary |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 11,908 | ★ 20,632 |
| First released | 2021 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Obsidian Sync | Evernote, Notion, OneNote |
Why pick each one
Choose Self-hosted LiveSync if…
- Free alternative to Obsidian Sync
- Encrypted by default
Frequently asked questions
Is Self-hosted LiveSync or Obsidian better?
Obsidian is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Self-hosted LiveSync if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Self-hosted LiveSync and Obsidian free and open-source?
Yes. Self-hosted LiveSync is licensed under MIT and Obsidian under Proprietary. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Self-hosted LiveSync and Obsidian with Docker?
Self-hosted LiveSync: yes. Obsidian: check the project docs for container support.