Notion
Obsidian
| Feature | Notion | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $10/mo | Free / from $4/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.6 / 5 | 4.7 / 5 |
| Best For | startups, students, freelancers, small-teams | researchers, writers, developers, knowledge-workers |
| Founded | 2016 | 2020 |
| Databases | ✓ | ✗ |
| Kanban | ✓ | ✗ |
| Docs | ✓ | ✗ |
| Wikis | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Templates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Ai Assistant | ✓ | ✗ |
| Markdown | ✗ | ✓ |
| Backlinks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Graph View | ✗ | ✓ |
| Plugins | ✗ | ✓ |
| Themes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Canvas | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Notion Pros
- Extremely flexible
- Great free tier
- Powerful databases
- Template marketplace
✗ Notion Cons
- Slow with large pages
- Steep learning curve
- Offline support limited
✓ 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
Notion is built for startups and students, with a focus on databases and kanban. Obsidian targets researchers and writers and leads with markdown and backlinks.
On pricing, Obsidian is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $4/mo compared to $10/mo for Notion. That $6/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Notion offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while Obsidian takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.
