Obsidian
obsidian.mdBuild Difficulty: 5/5
Build a working replacement in a weekend with AI tools
Sharpen your thinking
How to Replace ObsidianOverview
Features
24 features across 14 categories
Collaboration(1)
Work with your team on shared files without compromising private data
Customization(1)
Thousands of plugins and themes available with open API to tailor Obsidian to personal workflow
Data Ownership(1)
Uses open file formats so you're never locked in and own your data for the long term
Integration(1)
Clip content from the web into Obsidian
Note Organization(1)
Create connections between your notes, linking ideas, people, places, books, and more to build a personal Wikipedia
Plugin(5)
Calendar view of your daily notes by Liam Cain
Advanced queries for the data-obsessed by Michael Brenan
Markdown-backed kanban boards by Matthew Meyers
Work with your lists by Viacheslav Slinko
Track tasks across your entire vault by Martin Schenck and Clare Macrae
Privacy & Security(2)
Apps do not collect telemetry data and never sell user data
Obsidian stores notes privately on your device, accessible offline with no one else able to read them
Publishing(4)
Obsidian Publish sites are fast, mobile-friendly, and optimized for SEO with no configuration required
Turn your notes into an online wiki, knowledge base, documentation, or digital garden
Control the look and feel of your site with themes, custom domains, and password protection
Publish your notes instantly from the Obsidian app and make it easy for readers to explore your web of ideas
Search(1)
Search functionality for published sites including graph visualization and full text search
Security(1)
AES-256 end-to-end encryption for synced data preventing anyone from reading it
Support(1)
Priority support for Sync and Publish subscribers
Synchronization(2)
Decide which files and preferences you want to sync to which devices
Access your notes on any device with end-to-end encryption and secure synchronization
Versioning(1)
Track changes between revisions with one year of version history for every note
Visualization(2)
An infinite space to research, brainstorm, diagram, and lay out ideas in a limitless playground for the mind
Visualize relationships between notes and find hidden patterns in your thinking through an interactive graph
Pricing
Free
Popular- ✓Private note storage
- ✓Links and graph visualization
- ✓Canvas
- ✓Plugins and themes
- ✓Open file formats
- ✓No sign-up required
Sync
- ✓Sync notes across devices
- ✓End-to-end encryption
- ✓Version history
- ✓Collaborate on shared vaults
- ✓Priority support
Publish
- ✓Publish notes to the web
- ✓No technical knowledge required
- ✓Customizable theme
- ✓Graph and full text search
- ✓Priority support
Catalyst
- ✓Support Obsidian
- ✓Early access to beta versions
- ✓Community badges
- ✓VIP channel
Commercial
- ✓Support Obsidian
- ✓Support development
- ✓Become a featured organization
Cost Calculator
Keep Paying Obsidian
Build It Yourself
Total Cost Comparison
DIY hosting estimate based on Vercel + Supabase free/pro tiers (~$20/mo). Build time estimated from 24 features at very easy complexity.
Build vs Buy
Should you build a Obsidian alternative or buy the subscription? Estimate based on 24 features.
Buy Obsidian
Better ValueBuild Your Own
Buying Obsidian saves ~$16,680 over 3 years vs building.
Estimates based on 24 features and a BuildScore of 5/5. Actual costs vary.