Obsidian
Obsidian · Productivity
Local-first knowledge management tool positioned as the alternative to Notion and Roam for people who don't want their notes trapped in a SaaS database. Distinctive for storing everything as plaintext markdown files on your own disk (no vendor lock-in) plus a massive community plugin ecosystem. Personal use is free forever; Sync ($4/mo) and Publish ($8/mo) are optional add-ons. Popular with researchers, writers, and privacy-conscious knowledge workers.
In other words, Obsidian is worth it for solo knowledge workers (researchers, writers, developers, PMs) who want offline-first, local-file, plain-Markdown note-taking with a huge plugin ecosystem — particularly if you value data ownership over collaboration. Free forever for personal use; Sync (paid) adds cross-device encrypted sync; Publish adds one-click static site publishing. Steep learning curve for graph view and plugin configuration. Limited integrations by design (local-first); community plugins fill gaps. Downside: no real-time collaboration, and mobile app is slower than native competitors.
Pricing summary
$4/mo billed annually
Both
Main metered limit
The app is free for personal use. Optional paid extras: Sync (from $4/mo) and Publish (from $8/mo); businesses need a Commercial license ($50/user/year).
No separate trial
Need team collaboration? Pick Notion or Confluence. Just want simple notes? Apple Notes (free), Google Keep, or Bear.
All plans
| Plan | Monthly | Annual | Key limit |
|---|---|---|---|
App | Free | Free | free incl. commercial use (since Feb 2026) |
Sync | $5 | $4Save 20% | cross-device sync |
Publish | $10 | $8Save 20% | per site, web publishing |
Commercial license (optional)Entry tier | — | $4.17 | $50/user/yr, now voluntary |
All tier prices verified August 24, 2026 · View source →
Price history
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Frequently asked questions
About Obsidian pricing.
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At a glance
- Key limit metric
- Commercial license for business use
- Pricing transparency
- Public
Integrates and connects
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