IN THE FIELD GUIDE

Obsidian

obsidian.md

Obsidian is a private note-taking app that stores notes locally on your device, allowing offline access and ensuring data privacy. It supports extensive customization through thousands of plugins and themes, and uses open file formats to avoid vendor lock-in.

THE PRODUCT, BEYOND THE PITCH

Editorially reviewed · Sources checked Sep 23, 2026

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A good fit for

Users who want full control over their private notes stored locally with offline access.
Users who want extensive customization and plugin support to tailor their note-taking workflow.

Know the limitations

Commercial use is allowed without payment but purchasing a commercial license is encouraged for organizational use.

What you can do

Personal note-taking, journaling, and knowledge base creation.
Project management and collaborative team work on shared vaults.

Features

Create connections between notes using links to build a personal knowledge base.
Visualize relationships between notes with an interactive graph view.
Use Canvas as an infinite space for brainstorming, diagramming, and organizing ideas.
Thousands of plugins and an open API allow users to customize and extend Obsidian's functionality.
Sync notes securely across devices with end-to-end encryption and version history.

Integrations

Supports themes and CSS snippets for interface customization.
Includes a Web Clipper browser extension to save web content to Obsidian.

Platforms & data export

Notes are stored in open file formats, ensuring long-term data ownership and no vendor lock-in.

THE COST FOR YOUR TEAM

Go beyond the starting price.

Published plan prices for your team size and usage. Results update as you type. Taxes, currency conversion and unlisted add-ons are excluded, and anything the source did not state is called out rather than guessed.

PeopleBillingCurrencyPrices are shown as published. No exchange rates are applied.Monthly usage per toolApplies to each tool’s own unit. Leave at 0 for subscription cost only.

Cheapest fit for 1 person, all 1 tools

$4.17/month

$50.04 a year on these plans.

Some figures carry conditions the vendor did not state — see the notes beside each plan.

Plan costs based on your requirements
Tool / plan	Monthly	Per year	What this assumes
Obsidian CommercialCheapest fit Per person · 1 billed	$4.17	$50.00	· Only annual billing is published; shown as the monthly equivalent of the annual price. Paying month to month may cost more. Automatically extracted from the linked pricing source. Seat allowances, usage limits, taxes and terms are not confirmed — check them with the provider.

A practical workflow

Download and install Obsidian, create a vault, then create your first note.
Link notes and import notes to build your knowledge base.
Sync your notes across devices using Obsidian Sync for secure access.

Based on the sources below. Editorial review does not imply hands-on product testing.

Alternatives to explore

Filter alternatives →

Candidates based on category and primary feature. Check feature and pricing differences before switching.

Craft

✓ Reviewedprice clarity

Craft is a notes and productivity app designed to work seamlessly across all devices, allowing users to capture ideas, write documents, manage tasks, and organize information. It supports rich organization methods including spaces, folders, tags, and collections, and integrates tasks directly within documents to keep ideas and to-dos connected.

ProductivityFree plan

Evernote

✓ Reviewedprice clarity

Evernote is a note-taking app that helps users capture, organize, and prioritize ideas, projects, and to-do lists across multiple devices. It integrates AI features to enhance productivity and supports collaboration with real-time editing and task assignments.

ProductivityFree plan

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What changed

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Changes to the facts recorded here, not a live scan of every vendor update. Save this tool to follow updates in your account.