They do have free cloud sync. It's capped based on the frequency of updating files rather than on a particular file size.

> Your notes will always be stored locally on your paper tablet, but only files used and synced online in the last 50 days will continue to be stored in the cloud and updated in our apps.

That’s a bizarrely low cap on a service with nearly zero marginal cost, and clearly meant to make you upgrade.

I load my Kobo with things like CACM issues and books I buy on sale and then flick through them at leisure when I’m on a plane or such. So now I can’t fetch the July journal issue because it’s aged out?

Nah, I’ll pass. It’s not controversial to say ReMarkable pushes you toward a paid plan. They’d even agree with that, I’m sure. It’s no great sin. Lots of things are subscription these days. It does mean I wouldn’t use it, though, because the non-rental alternatives are also pretty great.