Obsidian Review: Best Note Taking App for Knowledge Workers?
We used Obsidian with Sync for two full weeks as a primary note taking and knowledge management tool. We evaluated setup time, linking workflow, search quality, plugin reliability (Tasks, Calendar, Dataview), mobile experience on iOS, and long term vault maintainability.
The ClickUp Learn Hub is maintained by ClickUp. Some tools reviewed may compete with ClickUp products. We strive for accuracy and fairness in all evaluations. Our methodology and scoring criteria are disclosed on each page.
Overview
Obsidian is a note taking and knowledge management app built by Dynalist, a small team based in Canada. Launched in 2020, Obsidian has grown rapidly among researchers, writers, developers, and productivity enthusiasts who want full ownership of their notes in a linked, searchable system.
Every note in Obsidian is a plain Markdown file stored on your local device. There is no proprietary database, no cloud lock in, and no risk of losing access if the company shuts down. You can open your notes in any text editor. This local first philosophy is Obsidian’s core differentiator and the reason its community is fiercely loyal.
Key Features
Bidirectional linking lets you connect notes to each other with wiki style double bracket links. When you link Note A to Note B, Note B automatically shows a backlink to Note A. Over time, this creates a network of connected ideas that surfaces relationships you might not have noticed. The graph view visualizes this network as an interactive node map.
The plugin ecosystem includes over 1,000 community plugins that extend Obsidian into a daily planner (Day Planner), a task manager (Tasks), a spaced repetition flashcard system (Anki integration), a publishing platform, and more. This extensibility means Obsidian can become almost any productivity tool if you invest the configuration time.
Canvas is Obsidian’s visual thinking tool. It lets you arrange notes, images, and cards on an infinite spatial canvas for brainstorming, mind mapping, or project planning.
Who Should Use Obsidian
Researchers, writers, and developers who create and connect large volumes of notes. If your work involves synthesizing information from many sources and building original insights, Obsidian’s linking system directly supports that process.
Users who want to own their data permanently. Because notes are plain Markdown files on your device, you never depend on a cloud service for access. This matters for anyone building a knowledge base they plan to use for years or decades.
Who Should NOT Use Obsidian
Users who want a ready made system out of the box. Obsidian starts as an empty vault. Building a useful system requires decisions about folder structure, tags, linking conventions, and plugins. If you want to open an app and start being productive immediately, Todoist or Notion is a better choice.
Teams that need real time collaboration. Obsidian is designed for individual use. While Obsidian Publish and Sync allow sharing and cross device access, the collaboration features are minimal compared to Notion or Google Docs.
Pricing
Obsidian is free for personal use with no feature limits. Obsidian Sync at $4 per month provides end to end encrypted sync across devices. Obsidian Publish at $8 per month lets you publish notes as a website. Commercial use requires a $50 per year per user license.
For most users, the only cost is Sync if you use multiple devices. The core app is genuinely free with no artificial limitations.
Verdict
Obsidian earns an 8.7 out of 10 for productivity. It is the most powerful knowledge management tool available for individual users who are willing to invest in setup and customization. The local first architecture, bidirectional linking, and plugin ecosystem create a system that gets more valuable over time. The 8.7 (not 9+) reflects the learning curve, lack of collaboration features, and the setup investment required before it becomes useful. For users who think in connected ideas and want permanent data ownership, nothing else comes close.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Local first Markdown files mean you own your data forever with no cloud dependency or vendor lock in
- Bidirectional linking and graph view create a genuine knowledge network that gets more valuable over time
- Over 1,000 community plugins extend Obsidian into nearly any productivity workflow
- Free for personal use with no artificial feature limits or usage caps
Cons
- Requires significant setup time; new users face an empty vault with no guidance on structure or workflow
- Collaboration features are minimal; not suitable for team knowledge bases or real time editing
- Mobile app (iOS and Android) is functional but less fluid than the desktop experience
Pricing
| Plan | Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Personal | $0 | Full app with no feature limits, local storage, 1,000+ plugins |
| Sync | $4/month | End to end encrypted sync across devices, version history, selective sync |
| Publish | $8/month | Publish notes as a website, custom domain, password protection |
| Commercial | $50/user/year | License for commercial use, priority support |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Obsidian free?
Yes, for personal use. The full app with all core features, plugins, and local storage is free with no limits. You only pay for optional services: Sync at $4 per month for cross device access, and Publish at $8 per month for publishing notes as a website. Commercial use requires a $50 per year license.
Is Obsidian better than Notion?
They solve different problems. Obsidian is better for personal knowledge management with permanent data ownership and deep linking. Notion is better for team collaboration, shared databases, and lightweight project management. Choose Obsidian if you want a private, local, linked note system. Choose Notion if you need a shared workspace that is easy to set up.
Does Obsidian work offline?
Yes, fully. Because all notes are stored as local files on your device, Obsidian works without any internet connection. Search, linking, editing, and plugin functionality all work offline. This is a major advantage over cloud based tools like Notion that require internet for most operations.
How long does it take to set up Obsidian?
Basic setup (installing the app, creating a vault, and writing notes) takes 10 minutes. Building a productive system with a folder structure, linking conventions, and plugins typically takes 2 to 5 hours spread over a week. The investment pays off quickly for users who take notes regularly, but it is a real barrier compared to tools that work out of the box.
Can I use Obsidian for task management?
Yes, through community plugins. The Tasks plugin adds checkbox based task management with due dates, recurrence, and search queries. The Dataview plugin lets you query tasks across your entire vault. It works, but it is not as polished or purpose built as Todoist or ClickUp for task management. Use it if you want everything in one vault; use a dedicated tool if task management is your primary need.