Figma
Obsidian
| Feature | Figma | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $15/mo | Free / from $4/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.7 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Best For | designers, design-teams, product-teams, developers | researchers, writers, developers, knowledge-workers |
| Founded | 2012 | 2020 |
| Vector Editing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Prototyping | ✓ | ✗ |
| Dev Mode | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plugins | ✓ | ✓ |
| Components | ✓ | ✗ |
| Auto Layout | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Backlinks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Graph View | ✗ | ✓ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Canvas | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Figma Pros
- Real-time collaboration
- Free for students
- Huge plugin ecosystem
- Dev handoff
✗ Figma Cons
- Needs internet
- Can be slow with large files
- Learning curve
✓ Obsidian Pros
- 100% offline
- Local-first
- Plugin ecosystem
- Graph view
- Free for personal use
✗ Obsidian Cons
- No real-time collaboration
- Steep learning curve
- Mobile app is basic
The Verdict
Figma is best for designers and design-teams who need real-time collaboration. Obsidian is ideal for researchers and writers looking for 100% offline. Both tools offer free plans, so try each to see which fits your workflow.