Alternatives to EteSync for contacts sync?

General
1

I have been trying to use EteSync for contacts sync (FYI, I will still use Google Calendar for calendar to easily share calendars with normies).

Unfortunately, EteSync just doesn’t seem to work well for me: slow to sync, logging in to the web app spins forever (currently, I’m unable to login), etc. I don’t mean to sound harsh, but I don’t have the patience and mental bandwidth to use software that I feel unsure about whether it’s going to work or not.

I was wondering what alternative options there are? I don’t necessarily want to jump straight back to Google Contacts.

I need to access/sync my contacts from Thunderbird and Android, and a web UI would be great. I don’t want to self-host anything.

FYI, I use ProtonMail and while I would love to store all my contacts on Proton, I don’t think is a way to sync Proton contacts to Thunderbird and Android; IOW, they are isolated to inside Proton apps only.

Thanks!

2

I think I’m going to try NextCloud by following this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJzA9yRGgeM

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3

The setup in the video is what I use and it has worked really well for me for years. If you have the time, you can set up Nextcloud locally so you don’t even have to sign-up for NC hosting.

4

Doesn’t sound like a good recommendation for someone who doesn’t want to self host.
It doesn’t encrypt anything. I would probably rather have it a t Google than some random small nextcloud supplier.

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6

I switched to decsync and syncthing from etesync. Its not too bad to set up and then it pretty much just works.

7

Are you using Windows or Linux?

8

Windows. I forgot I am also using the Radicale plugin for thubderbird.

9

I am always surprised when people say they use this without issues.

I have encountered multiple issues.

https://github.com/39aldo39/Radicale-DecSync/issues/25

And there are many other unaddressed issues on GitHub.

I really want it to work. But even if it started working reliably, I would be very nervous to keep using it.

10

At this point I am really just using it to back up my contacts and tasks but I’m debating moving to something else for tasks and just exporting my contacts from graphene contacts to something like proton drive.

11

Pretty much why we decided not to list decsync. Least friction/most privacy is probably a small Radicale instance on a server you own that has full disk encryption. A lot less trouble than Nextcloud.

Radicale can also do tasks.

There’s also a fairly complete docker container GitHub - tomsquest/docker-radicale: Docker image for Radicale calendar and contact server + security + addons 🚀

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12

I use Radicale together with Davx5. But you have to be willing to self host.

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13

Really enjoying native synced tuta contacts!

14

Is there any other product offering encrypted contacts sync besides Etesync and Tuta?

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15

I guess ProtonMail can also do contact syncing and I assume it is E2EE.

16

Sorry I mean syncing to the device-wide contact list on Android for example. Not just contained to its own app. On desktop it might be less relevant, but I think the Protonmail Bridge also doesn’t sync contacts to Thunderbird.

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17

The problem with self hosting radicale or nextcloud is that it’s not e2ee, so if someone gets access to your server while it’s running or just powered off, you’re cooked.

I’ve been thinking about hosting the radicale instance directly on my phone (GrapheneOS) since at least I have it always with me, it’s more secure than a server, and it reboots every now and then. From what I searched it seems feasible, I will give updates on the set up later.

18

Not sure how expensive (as in battery) it is to have a running Docker instance on a mobile device 24/7. :sweat_smile:

What’s the issue with self-hosting?
Do you have intruders at your place? You can always secure your rack into an isolated room if it’s a concern. :hugs:

If you’re really concerned, don’t store the contacts on any digital device. Or maybe keep them into a password manager!

19

Seizure by law enforcement. It happened to me arbitrarily in the past (completely at random, I’m not an activist nor criminal) and yet they snooped in all my data.

I do self host, but I prefer self hosting e2ee apps (ente, rclone crypt, cryptpad …)

On my mobile phone I have the self erasing password, which I would give law enforcement, plus the hundreds of mitigations that just don’t exist in a linux homelab.

Of course I could keep it in Proton, but I’d lose many nice features from the integration with contacts and calendars on device, like birthdays, sync with other apps such as WhatsApp (with storage scopes), etc.

20

What bothers you in that situation?
Loosing the data itself (and need to rebuild it) or them having access to it?

I never checked on Linux, but there might be a way to have a kill-switch. But again, destruction of (potential) evidence? Not sure about the law on that regard.
Definitely software solutions existing. But…with enough money and time you can probably still get inside of a well encrypted digital device. :sweat_smile:

21

What bothers me is law enforcement or anyone having access to it. I could just do backups for data loss.

On Linux it’s very easy - once they get access to the server - to take the encryption keys on the RAM. Even if the machine was turned off they can still retrieve it for hours. I explored the possibilities of hardening but it’s not there yet.

On the GrapheneOS phone it’s a bit more expensive to get access (they would need 0 day exploits or very destructive methods), and I’m pretty sure the password to erase everything would be effective (they would probably try the password I give without thinking about data erasure). It also goes to BFU with auto reboot, which would be very cumbersome for a linux homelab but fine for a phone that stays with me all the time.