Obsidian

Overview

Obsidian is a note-taking and knowledge-management app for building a personal library of notes on your own device. It suits people who want offline access and room to shape their workflow; the core app is free, while syncing across devices and publishing a site cost extra.

Its files use open formats, and it supports importing notes from services including Notion, Evernote, Apple Notes, Google Keep, Bear, Craft, Roam Research and Logseq. Thousands of plugins and an open API offer considerable scope to customize a setup, while Canvas gives users an open workspace for research, diagrams and brainstorming. That flexibility is a strength for people who want to assemble their own system, but less appealing to anyone seeking a fixed, guided workflow.

Obsidian is available on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android and as a Chrome extension. For other options, browse Personal Knowledge Management Software and Note-taking apps.

Key features

Local notes and privacy

Notes remain on the user's device and are available offline. The core app has no sign-up requirement or stated usage limit, and Obsidian says its apps collect no telemetry and do not sell user data. Open file formats also reduce dependence on Obsidian itself, a meaningful advantage for a long-lived notes archive.

Sync and shared work

Obsidian Sync adds encrypted synchronization, using AES-256 end-to-end encryption, plus version history. Shared vaults support teams working on the same files with real-time updates. Sync Standard's one-vault, 1 GB and 5 MB-per-file limits suit modest collections; large attachments or multiple projects are a reason to consider Plus instead.

Publishing

Publish turns notes into a hosted site, with themes, custom domains, password protection and SEO options. It is a separate subscription rather than an included benefit of the free app or Sync, and each site has a 4 GB hosting allowance.

Pricing

The core app is free, with no sign-up required and no stated limits. Paid plans cover particular services rather than unlocking the basic note-taking app.

• Sync Standard: $5 a month, billed annually, per user. It provides one synced vault, 1 GB total storage, a 5 MB maximum file size and one month of version history. Best for a single, modest vault; its file and storage caps can be restrictive for media-heavy notes.
• Sync Plus: $10 a month, billed annually, per user. It raises the allowance to 10 vaults, 10 GB and 200 MB per file, with 12 months of version history; storage can be upgraded to 100 GB. Choose it for larger files, longer recovery history or several synced vaults.
• Publish: $10 a month, billed annually, per site, with up to 4 GB hosting per site. This is the relevant plan for turning notes into a hosted site, not for syncing alone.
• Catalyst: $25.00 USD one-time. It supports Obsidian and includes beta access, community badges and exclusive channels.
• Commercial: $50 a year, billed annually. It supports development and includes eligibility for featured-organization status.

Sync and Publish are also offered monthly at $5 and $10 respectively. Students, faculty and nonprofit employees receive a 40% discount on Sync and Publish. Those purchases qualify for a full refund within seven days.

Who it's for

Obsidian is a strong fit for people who value local, offline notes, open files and extensive customization, and who are comfortable choosing plugins and shaping a workflow. Teams can use shared vaults for real-time work, though syncing is a paid add-on. If all you need is a free local notes app, the core product avoids a subscription; if you need hosted publishing or synced access, account for those separate costs and their quotas.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Free core app with no sign-up and offline access, so private notes remain available without a connection.
• Pros: Open file formats, plugins and an API offer flexibility without tying notes exclusively to Obsidian.
• Pros: Sync Plus provides 200 MB file limits and a year of version history, useful for large attachments and longer recovery needs.
• Cons: Cross-device Sync and website publishing require separate paid plans.
• Cons: Sync Standard's 1 GB storage and 5 MB file cap may not suit large or media-rich libraries.
• Cons: Publish is priced per site, and its 4 GB hosting cap matters for larger sites.

Alternatives

Consider Logseq if you want a free, forever personal-use option and its listed platforms, including web, suit your devices; its optional Sync Backer plan is a $5.00 USD monthly recurring donation for beta sync access. SiYuan is another freemium choice, with a free trial and downloads described as completely open source, with most features free, including for commercial use.

Capacities is worth comparing if a defined free media allowance fits: Basic includes 5 GB of uploads total, then 100 MB per month. Supernotes is another freemium alternative, with a Starter plan limited to 100 cards.

TheBrain offers a free app with unlimited thoughts, links and brains, private sync for up to 1,000 thoughts and 100 MB of synced attachments. Anytype is a freemium alternative with free access and listed Pro and Builder plans without prices. RemNote is a freemium option for readers who want its free-plan allowances, including three annotated PDFs and 250 AI credits per month. NotesGraph is free, open source, and offers no-registration access without tracking.

Verdict

Choose Obsidian if you want a customizable, offline-first notes library that stays on your device and uses open file formats. Its free core is compelling for local note-taking; look elsewhere if you need syncing or publishing included without separate subscriptions, or if Sync Standard's storage and file caps are too tight.