Notion vs Obsidian: Which Note-Taking App Should You Choose in 2025?

•Read Time: 15 minutes

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Quick Verdict

CriteriaWinnerWhy
Best for Note-TakingObsidianSuperior linking, local-first, markdown-native
Best for TeamsNotionReal-time collaboration, comments, permissions
Best for DatabasesNotionBuilt-in databases, formulas, relations
Best for PrivacyObsidianLocal files, no cloud required, open source
Best ValueObsidianFree forever for personal use

Quick Comparison Table

FeatureNotionObsidian
Starting PriceFree (limited)Free forever
Paid Plans$8-15/user/month$10/month (optional)
Data StorageCloud (required)Local files (your choice)
Markdown SupportPartial✅ Native
Linking SystemBasic✅ Graph view, backlinks
Databases✅ Built-inVia plugins
Collaboration✅ Real-timeLimited
Mobile App✅ Excellent✅ Good
Offline AccessLimited✅ Full
Plugins/ExtensionsLimited✅ 1000+ community plugins

The Real Difference: Cloud vs Local

Here's the thing most comparisons miss: Notion and Obsidian solve fundamentally different problems. After using both for over a year, I've realized they're not really competitors—they're different tools for different mindsets.

Notion is built for the cloud-first world. Everything lives on their servers. You open it in a browser, collaborate in real-time, and your data is always synced. It's like Google Docs for knowledge management. This is fantastic if you work in teams, need databases, or want everything accessible from anywhere instantly.

Obsidian takes the opposite approach. Your notes are just markdown files sitting in a folder on your computer. No cloud required. No vendor lock-in. You own your data completely. This appeals to people who want control, privacy, and the ability to use powerful tools like Git for version control. It's like having a personal Wikipedia that lives on your hard drive.

The Core Philosophy Difference:

  • Notion: "We'll handle everything for you. Just write and collaborate."
  • Obsidian: "You own your data. We give you powerful tools to work with it."

This fundamental difference shapes everything else. Notion prioritizes ease of use and collaboration. Obsidian prioritizes power and ownership. Neither is wrong—they just serve different needs.

Notion: The All-in-One Workspace

What Makes Notion Special

I've been using Notion since 2019, and here's what keeps me coming back: it's the only tool that combines notes, databases, and collaboration seamlessly. You can create a page for meeting notes, embed a database to track action items, add a calendar view, and share it with your team—all in one place.

The database feature is Notion's killer app. Need to track projects? Create a database. Want a content calendar? Database with calendar view. Building a CRM? Database with relations. It's like having Airtable, Google Docs, and Trello rolled into one. For teams, this is incredibly powerful.

What I Love About Notion

1. Databases Are Game-Changing

I use Notion databases for everything: project tracking, content planning, book notes, habit tracking. The ability to switch between table, board, calendar, and gallery views of the same data is brilliant. Plus, you can create relations between databases, use formulas, and filter/sort on the fly.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Real example: I track all my blog ideas in a database with status, tags, word count, and publish date. I can instantly switch to calendar view to see what's publishing when, or board view to see the workflow.

2. Collaboration That Actually Works

Real-time collaboration in Notion is smooth. Multiple people can edit simultaneously, see each other's cursors, and leave comments. The @mention system works well for notifications. For team knowledge bases, this is essential.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Real example: My team uses a shared Notion workspace for documentation. When someone updates a process, everyone sees it immediately. No email chains, no version confusion.

3. Beautiful, Flexible Pages

Notion pages are like blank canvases. You can embed videos, create columns, add toggles, insert code blocks, and build complex layouts. The block system is intuitive—everything is a block that you can move, nest, or convert.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)

The catch: Sometimes the flexibility leads to decision paralysis. I've spent hours tweaking page layouts when I should have been writing.

What Frustrates Me About Notion

1. Performance Can Be Slow

Large databases with hundreds of rows can lag. The mobile app sometimes takes a few seconds to load. This isn't a dealbreaker, but it's noticeable compared to local-first tools.

2. Limited Offline Access

You need internet to use Notion. The mobile app caches some content, but it's not reliable for offline work. If you travel frequently or have spotty internet, this is a problem.

3. Vendor Lock-In

Your data lives on Notion's servers. Exporting is possible but clunky. If Notion shuts down or changes pricing dramatically, you're stuck. This makes some people nervous (rightfully so).

Obsidian: The Knowledge Graph

Why Obsidian Feels Different

I switched to Obsidian six months ago for my personal notes, and it's changed how I think about knowledge management. Obsidian treats your notes as a graph of connected ideas, not just a collection of documents. This might sound abstract, but it's powerful in practice.

The graph view is Obsidian's signature feature. You create notes, link them with [[double brackets]], and Obsidian visualizes the connections. Over time, you build a web of knowledge where ideas connect naturally. It's like having a personal Wikipedia where you can see how everything relates.

What I Love About Obsidian

1. The Linking System Is Revolutionary

In Obsidian, linking isn't just a reference—it's a way of thinking. You write [[note name]] and it creates a link. The graph view shows all connections. Backlinks show what links to the current note. This creates serendipitous discoveries: "Oh, I wrote about this three months ago and forgot!"

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Real example: I'm writing about productivity tools, and Obsidian shows me I have 12 other notes that mention productivity. I click through and find connections I didn't remember making.

2. You Own Your Data Completely

Your notes are just markdown files in a folder. You can open them in any text editor, sync with Dropbox, version control with Git, or back them up however you want. There's no vendor lock-in. If Obsidian disappears tomorrow, your notes are still there.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Real example: I sync my Obsidian vault with Git. Every change is versioned. I can see what I wrote six months ago, revert mistakes, and never worry about data loss.

3. The Plugin Ecosystem Is Incredible

Obsidian has 1000+ community plugins. Want a calendar? There's a plugin. Need task management? Plugin. Want to create flashcards? Plugin. The community builds features that Obsidian doesn't include, and you can customize your workflow exactly how you want.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

Real example: I use the Dataview plugin to create dynamic lists of notes based on queries. "Show me all notes tagged #project that I haven't updated in 30 days." It's like having a database, but built on markdown.

4. It's Fast and Responsive

Since everything is local, Obsidian is fast. No waiting for cloud sync. No lag when searching. Opening a note is instant. For large vaults with thousands of notes, this matters.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)

What Frustrates Me About Obsidian

1. Collaboration Is Limited

Obsidian is built for individuals. There's no real-time collaboration. You can share vaults via cloud storage, but it's clunky. For team knowledge bases, Notion is far superior.

2. Learning Curve Is Steeper

Obsidian requires more setup. You need to understand markdown, configure plugins, and build your own structure. Notion is more "just start writing." This isn't necessarily bad, but it's a barrier.

3. No Built-In Databases

Obsidian doesn't have Notion-style databases. You can create tables in markdown, but they're not interactive. Plugins like Dataview help, but it's not the same. If you need structured data, Notion wins.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Writing Experience

Notion: WYSIWYG editor that's intuitive but sometimes slow. You can format text easily, but the block system can feel restrictive. Markdown support exists but isn't as smooth as Obsidian.

Obsidian: Markdown-first editor that's fast and powerful. If you know markdown, you'll fly. If you don't, there's a learning curve. The live preview mode helps, but it's still markdown-based.

Winner: Obsidian (for markdown users), Notion (for beginners)

Linking and Connections

Notion: Basic linking between pages. You can mention pages with @, but there's no graph view or sophisticated backlink system. Links are functional but not inspiring.

Obsidian: Linking is the core feature. Graph view visualizes connections. Backlinks show relationships. Unlinked mentions help you discover connections. This is Obsidian's superpower.

Winner: Obsidian (by a huge margin)

Search

Notion: Good search that indexes content quickly. Can search across all workspaces. Supports filters and saved searches.

Obsidian: Powerful search with regex support, file search, and content search. Can search within specific folders or tags. More advanced than Notion's search.

Winner: Obsidian (more powerful)

Mobile Experience

Notion: Excellent mobile app that's polished and feature-complete. Syncs reliably. Editing is smooth. This is one of Notion's strengths.

Obsidian: Good mobile app, but not as polished as Notion. Sync requires Obsidian Sync (paid) or manual setup with cloud storage. Editing works well, but the experience is more technical.

Winner: Notion (more polished)

Pricing Breakdown

Notion Pricing

  • Free: Unlimited blocks for personal use, limited blocks for teams (1,000 blocks)
  • Plus ($8/month): Unlimited blocks, file uploads up to 5MB, version history
  • Business ($15/user/month): Advanced permissions, admin tools, unlimited file uploads
  • Enterprise: Custom pricing with SSO, advanced security

My take: The free plan is generous for individuals. Teams will need Plus or Business. The pricing is reasonable for what you get, but it adds up with multiple users.

Obsidian Pricing

  • Free: Core app is completely free forever. All essential features included.
  • Catalyst ($25 one-time): Early access to new features, support development
  • Commercial ($50/user/year): License for commercial use
  • Sync ($10/month): End-to-end encrypted sync across devices
  • Publish ($10/month): Publish your vault as a website

My take: Obsidian is essentially free. You only pay if you want sync, publishing, or commercial use. For personal use, you can use it completely free forever. This is incredible value.

Value Winner: Obsidian

For personal use, Obsidian is free while Notion requires a paid plan for serious use. For teams, Notion's pricing is competitive, but Obsidian's free core makes it the value winner.

When to Use Each Tool

Choose Notion If:

  • ✅ You work in a team and need real-time collaboration
  • ✅ You need databases for project tracking, CRM, or structured data
  • ✅ You want an all-in-one workspace (notes + databases + docs)
  • ✅ You prefer cloud-based tools with automatic sync
  • ✅ You need mobile access with a polished app
  • ✅ You want something that "just works" without setup

Choose Obsidian If:

  • ✅ You work solo or don't need real-time collaboration
  • ✅ You want to own your data completely (local files)
  • ✅ You love markdown and want a markdown-first experience
  • ✅ You want powerful linking and graph visualization
  • ✅ You need offline access or work with sensitive data
  • ✅ You enjoy customizing tools with plugins
  • ✅ You want a free tool for personal use

Use Both (Many People Do)

Here's a secret: many power users use both. I use Obsidian for personal notes, research, and deep thinking. The linking system helps me connect ideas over time. I use Notion for team collaboration, project tracking, and structured databases.

They complement each other perfectly. Obsidian for thinking, Notion for doing.

Can You Migrate Between Them?

Notion to Obsidian

Yes, but it's not perfect. You can export Notion pages as markdown, but databases don't convert well. The formatting might need cleanup. It's doable, but expect some manual work.

Obsidian to Notion

Easier, but you lose the graph connections. Markdown imports well, but Obsidian's linking syntax ([[links]]) needs conversion. The structure transfers, but the connections don't.

Bottom line: Migration is possible but imperfect. If you're switching, expect to spend time cleaning up and rebuilding some structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Notion or Obsidian better for note-taking?

For pure note-taking, Obsidian wins. The linking system, graph view, and markdown-first approach make it superior for building a knowledge base. Notion is better if you need databases, collaboration, or an all-in-one workspace beyond just notes.

Is Obsidian completely free?

Yes! The core Obsidian app is free forever for personal use. All essential features are included. You only pay for optional add-ons: Sync ($10/month), Publish ($10/month), or Commercial license ($50/user/year). For personal note-taking, you can use it completely free.

Can I use both Notion and Obsidian?

Absolutely! Many users do this. Use Obsidian for personal notes, research, and deep thinking where you want powerful linking and local control. Use Notion for team collaboration, project management, and structured databases. They complement each other well.

Which is better for teams?

Notion is significantly better for teams. It has real-time collaboration, comments, permissions, and shared workspaces. Obsidian is designed for individual use. While you can share vaults via cloud storage, it's not built for team collaboration.

Is my data safe in Notion?

Notion stores your data on their servers with encryption. They have a good security track record, but you're trusting a third party. If you're concerned about privacy or want complete control, Obsidian's local-first approach is better.

Can Obsidian replace Notion?

Not really. Obsidian can't replace Notion's databases or collaboration features. If you need those, stick with Notion. Obsidian excels at note-taking and knowledge management, but it's not an all-in-one workspace like Notion.

Final Recommendation

After using both tools extensively, here's my honest take:

Choose Notion If:

You work in teams, need databases, or want an all-in-one workspace. Notion is the better choice for collaboration and structured data. The cloud-first approach makes it accessible everywhere, and the database feature is unmatched.

Best for: Teams, project management, structured data, collaboration

Choose Obsidian If:

You work solo, want to own your data, or need powerful linking for knowledge management. Obsidian is the better choice for personal notes, research, and building a knowledge base. The graph view and local-first approach are game-changers.

Best for: Personal notes, research, knowledge management, privacy

My Personal Setup:

I use Obsidian for all my personal notes, research, and writing. The linking system helps me connect ideas over time, and I love owning my data. I use Notion for team projects, databases, and collaboration. This hybrid approach gives me the best of both worlds.

Both tools are excellent. The choice comes down to your priorities: collaboration and structure (Notion) or ownership and linking (Obsidian). Or, like me, use both for different purposes.

Bottom line: Try both. Notion has a generous free plan, and Obsidian is completely free. Use them for a week each, and you'll quickly see which fits your workflow. For many people, the answer is "both, for different things."