Obsidian Free and Paid are both popular tools in their category, but they serve different needs and audiences. This guide compares their features, pricing, and best use cases to help you choose the right one.
Obsidian has one of the best free plans in productivity software — the core app is completely free forever. But the paid add-ons, Sync and Publish, serve specific needs. Here’s whether you need them.
Obsidian Free (Core App)
The free version includes everything most users need:
- Unlimited notes — no caps whatsoever
- Full plugin ecosystem — 1,500+ community plugins
- Graph view — visualize connections between notes
- Canvas — infinite whiteboard for visual thinking
- Local-first storage — your files, your device, your control
- Markdown files — portable, future-proof format
- Themes — fully customizable appearance
- Works offline — always, by default
What’s not included: Cloud sync between devices, and publishing notes as a website.
Obsidian Sync ($4/month)
Sync solves the multi-device problem:
- End-to-end encrypted sync — across all your devices
- Version history — 12 months of note revisions
- Selective sync — choose which vaults to sync
- Up to 10 GB storage ($4) or 100 GB ($8 for Plus)
- Works on mobile — seamless iOS/Android experience
Do you need it? Only if you use Obsidian on multiple devices. If you’re laptop-only, free Obsidian is perfect.
Free alternatives: iCloud Drive, Google Drive, or Syncthing can sync your vault folder for free. It works, but lacks end-to-end encryption and version history.
Obsidian Publish ($8/month)
Publish turns your notes into a website:
- Instant publishing — select notes, click publish
- Custom domain — use your own URL
- Graph view on web — visitors can explore connections
- Search — built-in search for published notes
- Password protection — restrict access if needed
Do you need it? Only if you want to share a knowledge base publicly. Most users don’t need this.
Free alternatives: Use a static site generator (Hugo, Astro, or Quartz) with your Obsidian vault for free publishing.
Who Should Stay Free?
Most Obsidian users. The free version is genuinely complete:
- Single-device users — everything works perfectly
- Users who DIY sync — iCloud/Google Drive works fine
- Privacy-focused users — local-first means zero cloud dependency
Who Should Pay?
- Multi-device power users → Sync ($4/month) for seamless mobile + desktop experience
- Knowledge sharers → Publish ($8/month) for instant digital garden publishing
- Both → $12/month total, still cheaper than most competitors
The Verdict
Obsidian’s free tier is arguably the most generous in the note-taking space. Unlike Evernote or Notion, there are no artificial limitations — you get the full app. Sync and Publish are genuine add-ons, not paywalled essentials.
Compare note-taking options: Obsidian vs Notion or see best Obsidian alternatives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Obsidian Free or Paid better?
It depends on your needs. Obsidian Free and Paid excel in different areas — compare features, pricing, and use cases above to find the best fit for your workflow.
Can I use Obsidian Free and Paid together?
Yes, many teams use both. Obsidian Free and Paid can complement each other depending on your workflow requirements.
Which is cheaper, Obsidian Free or Paid?
Check the pricing comparison table above for current plans. Both offer free tiers, but paid plan pricing varies significantly based on team size and features needed.