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Obsidian

A personal knowledge base in local files

Profile reviewed 17 Sept 2026 · Documentation comparison checked on 17 September 2026. Official product pages and help articles were read live. No hands-on app trial or speed benchmark was performed. Recommendations are editorial deductions from the documented workflow and constraints.

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Where it fits

Obsidian is a strong candidate for people who want their notes to remain ordinary files they can keep using outside one application. Its vaults contain Markdown text on the local device. The core app is free for personal and commercial use, while official Sync and Publish are separate paid services. This suits a personal archive that should keep working without a connection. Shared vaults exist, but their permissions and editing model differ from a browser document with simultaneous cursors. Migration also depends on the source: the current Notion API importer can preserve more database structure than importing an exported ZIP.

Consider it for

Know the limits

Prices & plans

Published prices keep their original currency and billing terms. Taxes, promotions and checkout prices can differ.

Obsidian

Core

Free

No account or paid license required

AvailabilityGlobal

Free for personal and commercial use.

Source

Sync Standard — monthly

USD 5.00/month

Billed monthly per user

AvailabilityUSD list price

1 vault, 1 GB storage and 5 MB maximum file.

Source

Sync Standard — annual

USD 48.00/year

Billed annually per user

AvailabilityUSD list price

Annual total calculated from the advertised $4 per month billed annually.

Source

Sync Plus — monthly

USD 10.00/month

Billed monthly per user

AvailabilityUSD list price

10 vaults, 10 GB storage and 200 MB maximum file.

Source

Publish — annual

USD 96.00/year

Billed annually per site

AvailabilityUSD list price

Annual total calculated from $8 per month billed annually; separate from Sync.

Source

Features and practical details

10 features

Row headings group related topics. Each answer keeps its specific scope. An unverified answer means we do not have enough evidence.

Platforms

Obsidian

Devices

Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps are documented.

Vendor documentedSource

Offline use

Obsidian

Offline access

The local vault remains available without a connection; Sync merges changes when connectivity returns.

Vendor documentedSource

Storage format

Obsidian

Storage format

Notes are Markdown text in a local folder and can be edited with other text editors.

Vendor documentedSource

Collaboration

Obsidian

Shared vaults

All collaborators need Sync. Shared vaults do not provide live co-editing cursors or fine-grained permissions.

Vendor documentedSource

Export

Obsidian

Portability

Markdown files are directly accessible. Vault settings and extensions live separately in the .obsidian folder.

Vendor documentedSource

Privacy and storage

Obsidian

Sync privacy

Official Sync documents end-to-end encryption; local-only use does not send notes to Obsidian.

Vendor documentedSource 1Source 2

Project portability

Obsidian

Notion migration

API import converts databases and formulas to Bases with limitations. ZIP import does not preserve databases.

Vendor documentedSource

Free plan limits

Obsidian

Core app cost

Core use is free without a mandatory account. Sync and Publish are optional services.

Vendor documentedSource

Use at work

Obsidian

Use at work

Commercial use is free; the paid commercial license is optional support.

Vendor documentedSource

Team limit

Obsidian

Team limit

A shared vault supports at most 20 collaborators according to the current help page.

Vendor documentedSource
Feature comparison
FeatureObsidian
Platforms

Devices

Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android apps are documented.

Vendor documentedSource
Offline use

Offline access

The local vault remains available without a connection; Sync merges changes when connectivity returns.

Vendor documentedSource
Storage format

Storage format

Notes are Markdown text in a local folder and can be edited with other text editors.

Vendor documentedSource
Collaboration

Shared vaults

All collaborators need Sync. Shared vaults do not provide live co-editing cursors or fine-grained permissions.

Vendor documentedSource
Export

Portability

Markdown files are directly accessible. Vault settings and extensions live separately in the .obsidian folder.

Vendor documentedSource
Privacy and storage

Sync privacy

Official Sync documents end-to-end encryption; local-only use does not send notes to Obsidian.

Vendor documentedSource 1Source 2
Project portability

Notion migration

API import converts databases and formulas to Bases with limitations. ZIP import does not preserve databases.

Vendor documentedSource
Free plan limits

Core app cost

Core use is free without a mandatory account. Sync and Publish are optional services.

Vendor documentedSource
Use at work

Use at work

Commercial use is free; the paid commercial license is optional support.

Vendor documentedSource
Team limit

Team limit

A shared vault supports at most 20 collaborators according to the current help page.

Vendor documentedSource

Compare the alternatives

Joplin vs Obsidian: free notes, sync costs and leaving later

Note-taking · Choose Joplin when notebook organization and an Evernote import route fit your archive. Choose Obsidian when direct access to ordinary Markdown files is a firm requirement. Both offer free local use. Cloud sync is a separate decision, with different storage limits and currencies. This is a documentation comparison, not a matched speed or reliability test.

Notion vs Obsidian: shared workspace or personal knowledge base?

Note-taking · Start with Notion for an ongoing team process with shared pages and structured records. Start with Obsidian for a personal archive you want to control as files. Neither wins every workflow and neither should be chosen solely because an old comparison says the other cannot work offline.

Obsidian vs Bear: file control or focused Apple writing?

Note-taking · Shortlist Obsidian for direct file access and a mixed Windows, Linux or Apple setup. Shortlist Bear when your daily writing happens on Apple devices and you prefer its focused notes model. Browser access does not erase Bear's native-platform limits.

Obsidian vs Logseq: local notes with different structures

Note-taking · Obsidian is the clearer shortlist choice when you specifically want a vault of Markdown files. Logseq is worth evaluating when linked blocks and structured graph workflows match how you think. Treat its newer database edition as an evolving product with a separate backup and migration plan.

Sources for this profile