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Obsidian
The free and flexible app for your private thoughts, designed to sharpen your thinking.
FreemiumAI Note Takers
Obsidian
The free and flexible app for your private thoughts, designed to sharpen your thinking.
Freemium
Categories
Overview
Obsidian is a powerful knowledge management and note-taking application that stores your notes locally on your device for complete privacy and offline access. It offers extensive customization through thousands of plugins and themes, enabling users to create a personalized workspace tailored to their unique thinking process. With features like bidirectional linking, graph visualization, and an infinite canvas, Obsidian helps users organize ideas, manage projects, and build a personal knowledge base that lasts.
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Key Features
1
Local Storage and Privacy
Stores all notes locally on your device ensuring your data remains private and accessible offline without any external access.
2
Bidirectional Linking
Create connections between notes easily by linking ideas, people, places, and more to build a personal Wikipedia of your knowledge.
3
Graph Visualization
Visualize relationships between notes through an interactive graph to discover hidden patterns and insights in your thinking.
4
Infinite Canvas (Canvas)
Use a limitless space to research, brainstorm, diagram, and layout ideas visually for enhanced creativity and organization.
5
Extensive Plugin Ecosystem
Thousands of community and official plugins allow customization of workflows, including calendar views, kanban boards, advanced queries, and task tracking.
6
End-to-End Encrypted Sync
Securely sync notes across devices with AES-256 encryption, fine-grained control over synced files, version history, and collaboration features.
7
Instant Publishing
Publish your notes to the web as wikis, knowledge bases, or digital gardens with customizable themes, SEO optimization, and password protection.
8
Open File Formats
Uses simple, open markdown file formats to ensure your data is future-proof and not locked into proprietary systems.
Who It's For
Audience 1#1
Personal Knowledge Management
Use Obsidian to capture, link, and organize personal notes, ideas, and research to build a comprehensive and interconnected knowledge base.
Audience 2#2
Project Organization
Manage projects by linking related notes, tracking tasks, and visualizing progress with kanban boards and calendar plugins.
Audience 3#3
Idea Brainstorming and Visualization
Leverage the infinite canvas and graph views to brainstorm, diagram, and explore ideas visually for creative workflows.
Audience 4#4
Collaborative Note Sharing
Share vaults securely with team members using encrypted sync and collaborate on shared files without compromising privacy.
Audience 5#5
Publishing Knowledge Bases
Publish your notes instantly to the web as a wiki or digital garden, customizable with themes and optimized for SEO to share knowledge publicly.
How to Use
1
Download and Install Obsidian
Get Obsidian for your platform from the official website and install it on your device.
2
Create or Open a Vault
Start by creating a new vault (a folder of markdown files) or open an existing one to begin managing your notes.
3
Add and Link Notes
Create notes using markdown and link them together by referencing other notes to build a network of connected ideas.
4
Customize with Plugins and Themes
Browse and install plugins from the community to add features like calendars, kanban boards, and task management; customize the look with themes.
5
Sync and Publish (Optional)
Enable Obsidian Sync to access your notes across devices securely or use Obsidian Publish to share your notes online as a knowledge base.
Pricing
Pricing details are gathered from the official Obsidian website and are provided for reference only. Always confirm the latest information directly with the vendor.
| Plan | Price | Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | Unlimited local notes
|
| Sync | $4 | End-to-end encrypted note syncing
|
| Publish | $8 | Publish notes to the web
|
| Catalyst | $25 | Support development
|
| Commercial License | $50 | Support Obsidian development for organizations
|
Found a change in pricing? We welcome corrections. Reach out so we can keep this listing accurate.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Complete privacy with local data storage and optional end-to-end encrypted sync.
- Highly customizable with thousands of plugins and themes.
- Powerful linking and graph visualization to enhance knowledge discovery.
- Supports offline access and cross-device synchronization.
- Ability to publish notes online easily with customization and SEO optimization.
Cons
- Steeper learning curve due to extensive customization options.
- Some advanced features require paid add-ons like Sync and Publish.
- Primarily focused on markdown, which may not suit all users.
- Collaboration features are limited compared to dedicated team apps.
- No built-in AI content generation or writing assistance features.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Obsidian free to use?
Yes, Obsidian is free to use without limits for local note-taking and customization. Paid add-ons like Sync and Publish are optional.
How does Obsidian ensure data privacy?
All notes are stored locally on your device, inaccessible to anyone else. Obsidian Sync uses end-to-end encryption to secure data during synchronization.
Can I access my notes offline?
Yes, since notes are stored locally, you can access and edit them anytime without an internet connection.
What platforms does Obsidian support?
Obsidian is available for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android devices.
Can I collaborate with others using Obsidian?
Yes, with Obsidian Sync, you can collaborate securely on shared vaults with team members while maintaining privacy.
