Obsidian is the better app overall, scoring 9.3 to 8.5. Obsidian wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Logseq on 0, with 1 tied.
Writers, students and researchers building up their notes for years
Students, researchers and writers who like outlines and linked daily notes
Score by score
The details
| Feature | Obsidian | Logseq |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Productivity & Notes | Productivity & Notes |
| Category rank | #2 of 17 | #10 of 17 |
| Developer | Dynalist Inc. | Logseq, Inc. |
| Pricing | Free + paid plans | Free |
| Usable for free | Yes | Yes |
| iPhone & iPad | ✓ | ✓ |
| Android | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mac | ✓ | ✓ |
| Windows | ✓ | ✓ |
| Linux | ✓ | ✓ |
| Web | — | ✓ |
Common questions
Is Obsidian better than Logseq?
Obsidian is the better app overall, scoring 9.3 to 8.5. Obsidian wins on 4 of the 5 scores, Logseq on 0, with 1 tied.
Which is cheaper, Obsidian or Logseq?
Obsidian: Free app; Sync from $4/month and Publish from $8/month, billed yearly. Logseq: Free and open source; optional Open Collective backing starts at $5 a month. On value for money, Obsidian scores higher.
Do Obsidian and Logseq work on the same devices?
Only Logseq runs on Web.
Which is more private, Obsidian or Logseq?
Obsidian scores higher on privacy (9.7/10). The App Store label says no data is collected, and there are no ads or tracking. Notes are local files on your device, and the optional Sync service is end-to-end encrypted by default.
Strengths and weaknesses
Obsidian
- Notes are files on your device that stay yours forever
- Fast, works fully offline, and no account needed
- Free for personal and work use
- Hard to learn, with lots of setup choices
- Official sync and publishing cost extra
Obsidian keeps your notes as plain text files (Markdown) on your own device. You own them outright, and they work offline. Backlinks, graph view, Canvas and Bases turn a folder of notes into a web of linked ideas. Bases now has table, list and kanban views. Community plugins cover almost anything else. The app is free for any use. The catch: it takes time to learn, and official sync costs extra.
Full Obsidian review
Logseq
- Free and open source
- Your notes stay on your own device
- Linking, searches and plugins for building a big knowledge base
- The new database version is still in beta
- iPhone App Store version last updated in April 2024
- Android app isn't on Google Play
Logseq is a free, open-source outliner for people who think in bullet points. Each day starts with a journal page, and linking ideas with double brackets slowly builds a web of connected notes. Add tasks, saved searches, flashcards and notes on PDFs, and keep it all on your own device. A big change is underway, though: the new database version is still in beta, and the iPhone App Store app dates from 2024.
Full Logseq review
