Alternatives
Alternatives to Obsidian
Obsidian: Local-first Markdown notes with backlinks and a large plugin ecosystem.
Products in the same category (Note-taking apps) that can replace Obsidian. Order is alphabetical, not a ranking.
View product pageWho looks for an alternative
These notes come from our published comparisons that involve this product. Where we have none, we do not guess at reasons.
Obsidian vs Notion
Our assessment
Pick Obsidian for personal, offline, portable notes. Pick Notion when the notes must be shared, structured as databases, or edited by a team.
Read the full comparison: Obsidian vs NotionTradeoffs: Obsidian vs Notion Dimension Obsidian Notion Storage Local Markdown files Notion cloud Offline Full (local files) Per page, opt-in; some features need a connection Collaboration Through paid Obsidian Sync shared vaults Real-time, permissions Extensibility Community plugins Integrations and API Price Free; paid sync optional Free tier, per-seat paid
Facts we could verify
Each value links to the page it was read from and shows the date it was read. Not verified means we found no source we could confirm.
| Products | Free plan | Open source (license) | Self-hosted | Platforms | Import from Obsidian |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anytype | YesSource | Partly (Any Source Available License 1.0 (source available, not OSI-approved; non-commercial or allowed-network use))Source | Not verified | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Not verified |
| AppFlowy | YesSource | Yes (AGPL-3.0)Source | YesSource | Open-source releases, Web apps | Not verified |
| Bear | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Web apps | Not verified |
| Coda | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Web apps | Not verified |
| Evernote | YesSource | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Web apps | Not verified |
| Google Keep | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Web apps | Not verified |
| Joplin | YesSource | Yes (AGPL-3.0-or-later (some subdirectories e.g. packages/server carry their own license))Source | YesSource | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Not verified |
| Logseq | Not verified | Yes (AGPL-3.0)Source | Not verified | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Not verified |
| Microsoft OneNote | YesSource | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Web apps | Not verified |
| Notesnook | YesSource | Yes (GPL-3.0)Source | Not verified | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Not verified |
| Notion | Not verified | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Chrome extensions | Not verified |
| RemNote | YesSource | Not verified | Not verified | iOS apps, Web apps | Not verified |
| Standard Notes | YesSource | Yes (AGPL-3.0)Source | Not verified | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Not verified |
Free and open-source options
Built only from facts verified above. A product missing from a list is not verified for it, which is not the same as no.
Verified open source
Facts not yet reviewed by a named editor
Platforms and pricing
Store-reported platforms and price labels. Pricing is shown only where a store supplied it.
| Products | Platforms | Price (store label) | Store data checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian This product | iOS apps, Open-source releases | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Anytype | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| AppFlowy | Open-source releases, Web apps | Unavailable | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Bear | iOS apps, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Coda | iOS apps, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Evernote | iOS apps, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Google Keep | iOS apps, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Joplin | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Logseq | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Microsoft OneNote | iOS apps, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Notesnook | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Notion | iOS apps, Chrome extensions | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| RemNote | iOS apps, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
| Standard Notes | iOS apps, Open-source releases, Web apps | Free | Oct 17, 2026 |
Alternatives
Anytype
Local-first, encrypted workspace app for notes, objects and shared spaces.
iOS appsOpen-source releasesWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
AppFlowy
Open-source collaborative workspace positioned as a self-hostable alternative to Notion.
Open-source releasesWeb appsPrice (store label): Unavailable
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Bear
Markdown note-taking app for Apple devices.
iOS appsWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Coda
Document and workspace tool; the app is now listed on the App Store as Superhuman Docs.
iOS appsWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Evernote
Note and notebook app with web clipper, tasks, calendar and AI features, sold in tiered plans.
iOS appsWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Google Keep
Google's lightweight notes and lists app tied to a Google account.
iOS appsWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Joplin
Open-source note-taking app that syncs through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive and others.
iOS appsOpen-source releasesWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Logseq
Open-source outliner and knowledge base that stores notes locally.
iOS appsOpen-source releasesWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Microsoft OneNote
Microsoft's notebook app for free-form notes, available across Microsoft 365 and mobile.
iOS appsWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Notesnook
End-to-end encrypted notes app with unlimited free notes and paid storage tiers.
iOS appsOpen-source releasesWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Notion
Docs, wikis and databases in one workspace, with an AI layer on top.
iOS appsChrome extensionsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Obsidian vs Notion
RemNote
Note-taking app that builds flashcards from notes, with PDF annotation, exam scheduling and AI credits.
iOS appsWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Standard Notes
End-to-end encrypted note app with free plain-text notes and paid editors.
iOS appsOpen-source releasesWeb appsPrice (store label): Free
Same category. Not ranked or scored.
Limits of this page
- Alternatives are products in the same category that pass our launch checks. The list is alphabetical, not a ranking.
- A product missing here may still be a good fit; it may simply not be reviewed yet.
- Store price labels can change at any time; check the store before you buy.