Obsidian review
Private, local-first notes linked like a second brain
- Dynalist Inc.
- Free + paid plans
- iPhone & iPad, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux
Does it deserve #2?
The verdict
Obsidian stores your notes as plain Markdown files on your own device, so you own them outright and they work offline. Backlinks, graph view, Canvas and Bases turn a folder of notes into a connected knowledge base, and a large library of community plugins adds almost anything else. It is free for personal and work use. The catch is the learning curve, and syncing between devices costs extra unless you set it up yourself.
- Plain Markdown files you own
- Backlinks and graph view
- Large community plugin library
- Encrypted Sync add-on
Score breakdown
Overall = features 30% · design 20% · speed 20% · value 15% · privacy 15%. Why these weights?
What we like
- Notes are local files that stay yours forever
- Fast and fully usable offline
- Free for personal and commercial use
What could be better
- Steep learning curve with many setup choices
- Official sync and publishing are paid add-ons
Writers, students and researchers building a long-term personal knowledge base
you need real-time collaboration with a team
Questions about Obsidian
Is Obsidian free?
Yes, the full app is free for personal and commercial use, with no feature limits. You only pay for the optional Sync or Publish services, or if you want to support development with a Catalyst license.
Can Obsidian sync between devices?
Yes, Obsidian Sync is the paid, end-to-end encrypted option, but you can also sync your vault for free with iCloud, Git or other file-sync tools.
What are the best alternatives to Obsidian?
The closest alternatives are Notion, Craft and Microsoft OneNote. See all of them ranked on our Obsidian alternatives page.
Where does Obsidian rank?
Obsidian ranks #2 of 10 in our Productivity & Notes ranking, with an overall score of 9.3 out of 10.