Obsidian
Local-first markdown note-taking app with bidirectional linking and a plugin ecosystem.
Note Taking
Free
Overview
Obsidian stores your notes as local markdown files, giving you full ownership of your data. It features bidirectional linking, graph view, and a massive plugin ecosystem built by the community.
Free for personal use. Sync ($4/mo) and Publish ($8/mo) are paid add-ons.
Strengths
- Local-first — your notes are plain markdown files you own
- Powerful bidirectional linking and graph view
- Huge plugin ecosystem (1,000+)
- Works offline, fast and responsive
Weaknesses
- No real-time collaboration
- Sync requires paid add-on or third-party solution
- Steeper setup than Notion for non-technical users
- Mobile app is less polished than desktop
Quick info
- Category
- Note Taking
- Starting price
- Free
- Free tier
- Fully free
- Open source
- No
- Best for
- Individuals
- Founded
- 2020
Last updated 2026-04-12
Top alternatives to Obsidian
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Apple Notes
Free
Built-in note-taking app for Apple devices with iCloud sync, folders, and basic formatting.
Obsidian comparisons
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Notion vs Obsidian
Compare Notion and Obsidian side by side. Features, pricing, and which one fits your team.
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Obsidian vs Logseq
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Obsidian vs Roam Research
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Obsidian vs Coda
Obsidian is built for individuals who want local-first, markdown-based notes. Coda is built for teams that want docs that work like apps. Pick the one that fits.
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Obsidian vs Craft
Obsidian is built for individuals who want local-first, markdown-based notes. Craft is built for apple users who want beautiful native docs. Pick the one that fits.
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Obsidian vs Mem
Obsidian is the free option; Mem charges $14.99/mo but may offer more polish. Here is how they compare.
More Note Taking tools
Notion
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, wikis, project management, and databases.
Logseq
Open-source, local-first outliner for knowledge management with bidirectional linking.
Roam Research
Networked note-taking tool with bidirectional links and graph-based knowledge management.
Coda
All-in-one doc platform combining documents, spreadsheets, and app-like functionality.
Craft
Native document editor for Mac and iOS with beautiful formatting and real-time collaboration.
Mem
AI-powered note-taking that automatically organizes and surfaces relevant information.
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