V
vas
Rated 4.0 out of 5
Pros
It is very intelligent
Cons
they should provide tutorials to ramp up your skills and introduce features step-by-step
Obsidian
Claim this toolPrivate and flexible note-taking
From $4/user/mo, billed monthly (free plan available)Positions Obsidian holds among the tools of each category it belongs to (Toolradar data, Oct 2026):
- #1 most compared in Productivity, out of 303 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in Productivity. Source: Toolradar data, Oct 2026.
- #11 most-listed alternative in Productivity, out of 1861 tools in Productivity. Source: Toolradar data, Oct 2026.
- #2 most-listed alternative in Note-Taking, out of 202 tools in Note-Taking. Source: Toolradar data, Oct 2026.
Reviews on G2
13 reviews tracked The Bottom Line
- Best for
- Researchers, writers, and knowledge workers who want full ownership of their notes in plain files, and who enjoy customizing their tools. The right pick for anyone who has outgrown Apple Notes/Evernote and wants a PKM system that will still be readable in 20 years.
- Price
- From $4/user/mo, billed monthly (free plan available). Compare plans
Key facts
- Private knowledge base with markdown
- Your notes, fully offline and yours
- Extensible with 1000+ plugins
Pros
- Local-first privacy
- Extensible plugins
- Graph view
Cons
- Sync costs extra
- Steep learning curve
What is Obsidian?
Obsidian is a knowledge base that works on local Markdown files. Link notes together to build a personal wiki. Graph view visualizes connections between ideas. Hundreds of plugins extend functionality. Your notes stay in plain text files you own. The second brain that lives on your device, not someone else's server.
Available on: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web
Data compiled by Toolradar Pricing checked · How we evaluate
Source obsidian.md Ratings Across the Web
4.5 (12 reviews)
Obsidian holds an aggregate rating of 4.5 out of 5 from 12 reviews across G2, last checked August 23, 2026.
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
- Markdown notes
- Backlinks
- Graph view
- Daily notes
- Templates
- Canvas
- Plugins
- Themes
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Oct 15, 2026. Source: obsidian.md/pricing, read Oct 15, 2026
| Plan | Price | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 |
+3 more Show less
|
| Sync | $4 / user/month |
+2 more Show less
|
| Publish | $8 / site/month |
+2 more Show less
|
| Commercial | $50 / user/year |
|
Is Obsidian worth the price?
Great value
Obsidian core app is genuinely free with no feature gating, every note-taking and knowledge management feature works without paying.
The optional paid services (Sync at $4-5/month, Publish at $8-10/month) are the only revenue sources. This makes Obsidian one of the most honest pricing models in productivity software: you own your data (plain Markdown files stored locally), and you pay only for convenience services.
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Sync ($4-5/month) is almost mandatory for multi-device users. While you can use free alternatives (iCloud, Google Drive, Git), they introduce sync conflicts that Obsidian Sync solves with end-to-end encryption and proper conflict resolution. Most serious users end up paying for Sync
Publish ($8-10/month per site) has no free tier, if you want to publish notes to the web through Obsidian, you pay. Alternatives like Quartz (free, open-source) can publish Obsidian vaults but require technical setup
The Commercial license ($50/user/year) is required for companies with 2+ employees using Obsidian for work. Many small teams overlook this requirement. It unlocks no additional features, it is purely a licensing compliance cost
No built-in collaboration beyond Sync shared vaults. Real-time multiplayer editing requires third-party solutions. Teams needing Google Docs-style collaboration will find Obsidian inadequate without significant workarounds
Mobile app (iOS/Android) is free but less capable than desktop. Complex plugins often do not work on mobile, and the editing experience is more limited
Educational discount (40% off Sync and Publish) requires verification for students, faculty, and nonprofit employees. The discount is generous but not automatically applied
How Obsidian's pricing compares
At $4/user/mo, billed monthly, Obsidian is mid-range of its 4 comparable direct competitors ($3.22 to $14.99/mo across the set).
Not ranked, different unit or currency: Notion $10/member/mo, billed yearly.
Entry paid plan, monthly price, per user, billed monthly. Pricing checked Oct 15, 2026.
Obsidian by the numbers
Toolradar data: Obsidian's entry paid plan ($4/user/mo, billed monthly) ranks #1 of 18 (joint) for price among the Knowledge Base tools with a verified entry price per user, where the median is $7.35/user/mo. It is listed as an alternative to 99 other tools on Toolradar, ranking #3 of 118 in Knowledge Base. As of Oct 2026.
- #1 most compared in Productivity, out of 303 tools with 20+ compare-page visits in Productivity. Source: Toolradar data, Oct 2026.
- #11 most-listed alternative in Productivity, out of 1861 tools in Productivity. Source: Toolradar data, Oct 2026.
- #2 most-listed alternative in Note-Taking, out of 202 tools in Note-Taking. Source: Toolradar data, Oct 2026.
| Metric | Obsidian | Peer median | Position (1 is best) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid plan | $4/user/mo, billed monthly | $7.35/user/mo | #1 of 18 (joint) tools priced per user, verified price |
| Free plan | Yes | 59% have one | n/a |
| Listed as an alternative to | 99 tools | 1 | #3 of 118 |
| Integrations listed | 2 | 3 | #19 of 31 (joint) tools with at least one integration recorded |
| Compare-page visits, last 30 days | 465 visits | 47 | #1 of 23 tools with 20+ compare-page visits |
Visitors most often compare Obsidian with Joplin, Notion and Logseq (last 30 days, Oct 2026).
Each position is counted among the tools that have data for that row, as noted under it. A lower entry price ranks higher; prices are read on vendor pages and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. All Knowledge Base data · How we compute this. Advertising and placement fees are not inputs to any position. Visit counts include visits from every source.
Cite this: Toolradar, “Obsidian by the numbers”, Oct 2026.
Reviews (1)
Reviews written by Toolradar users. The badge on each one says what we checked about its author.
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Best Obsidian Alternatives
Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.
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Notion Freemium
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Joplin Freemium
Capture your thoughts and securely access them from any device with this open-source note-taking app.
Craft Freemium
Apple-quality notes, docs, and websites on all your devices
Logseq Free
Local-first, open-source knowledge base with bi-directional links
Still deciding?
Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.
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Obsidian FAQ
How does Obsidian ensure the privacy and ownership of my notes?
Obsidian works on local Markdown files, meaning your notes are stored directly on your device rather than on a third-party server. This local-first approach ensures you maintain full ownership and privacy of your plain text files.
What is the primary benefit of Obsidian's graph view feature?
Obsidian's graph view visualizes the connections between your linked notes, helping you understand the relationships between your ideas. This feature allows users to explore and discover insights within their personal knowledge base.
How does Obsidian compare to Notion for knowledge management?
Obsidian differentiates itself from Notion by operating on local Markdown files, prioritizing user ownership and privacy. Unlike Notion, Obsidian emphasizes building a personal wiki with interconnected notes stored directly on your device.
What kind of user would benefit most from using Obsidian?
Obsidian is best for users who prioritize data ownership, privacy, and a highly customizable note-taking experience. It caters to individuals looking to build a personal knowledge base with interconnected ideas and extensive plugin functionality.
What are the potential drawbacks or challenges when starting with Obsidian?
Obsidian has a steeper learning curve compared to some other note-taking tools, which might require more time to master. Additionally, synchronization across devices is an extra cost, as it's not included in the free tier.
What is the pricing model for using Obsidian?
Obsidian is available on a free tier, allowing users to access its core note-taking and knowledge base features. Paid plans are offered for those who require more extensive usage or additional features, such as synchronization.
Can Obsidian's functionality be expanded beyond its core features?
Yes, Obsidian's functionality can be significantly extended through its hundreds of available plugins. These plugins allow users to customize and enhance the software to fit their specific workflow and needs.
How does Obsidian pricing compare with other Knowledge Base tools?
Obsidian's entry paid plan ($4/user/mo, billed monthly) ranks #1 of 18 (joint) for price among the Knowledge Base tools with a verified entry price per user, where the median is $7.35/user/mo. Prices are read on each vendor's own pricing page and compared only with tools priced on the same basis. Source: Toolradar, Oct 2026.
Source: obsidian.md