Joplin
Obsidian
| Feature | Joplin | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $2.99/mo | Free / from $4/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Best For | privacy-advocates, developers, linux-users, evernote-migrants | researchers, writers, developers, knowledge-workers |
| Founded | 2017 | 2020 |
| Markdown | ✓ | ✓ |
| Encryption | ✓ | ✗ |
| Sync | ✓ | ✗ |
| Web Clipper | ✓ | ✗ |
| Plugins | ✓ | ✓ |
| Notebooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Backlinks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Graph View | ✗ | ✓ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Canvas | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Joplin Pros
- Free and open-source
- End-to-end encryption
- Self-host option
- Import from Evernote
✗ Joplin Cons
- Less polished UI
- Sync requires setup
- Limited collaboration
✓ 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
Joplin is built for privacy advocates and developers, with a focus on markdown and encryption. Obsidian targets researchers and writers and leads with markdown and backlinks.
Pricing is close: Joplin starts at $2.99/mo versus $4/mo for Obsidian — not a deciding factor on its own.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Obsidian edges out on user ratings (4.7 vs 4.2). While both are well-regarded, that gap reflects real differences in user satisfaction worth considering.
Both tools are a solid fit for developers — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
Bottom line: Obsidian has a slight overall edge — but if free and open-source matters most to you, Joplin may still be the right call.
