17 years helping Australian businesses
choose better software

About Obsidian

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge management software. A second brain for custom-built solutions.

Learn more about Obsidian

Pros:

Word's cannot express my gratitude to the Obsidian app and the amazing community built around it.

Cons:

Collaboration: While vaults can be accessed by multiple users, obsidian has no inherent support for collaboration, and therefore can be problematic in team settings.

Obsidian ratings

Average score

Ease of Use
4.1
Customer Service
4.2
Features
4.6
Value for Money
4.7

Likelihood to recommend

9.2/10

Obsidian has an overall rating of 4.8 out 5 stars based on 32 user reviews on Capterra.

Have you used Obsidian before?

Share your experiences with other software buyers.

Filter reviews (32)

Ruchir
Ruchir
Cloud Support Engineer in Australia
Verified LinkedIn User
Information Technology & Services, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Excellent note taking software for markdown notes

5.0 4 months ago

Pros:

Easy to use for taking and editing notes. It was helpful in importing and reading markdown notes that I had exported from Mac Notes.

Cons:

Markdown based syntax does take some time getting used to

Oscar
commission analyst in Portugal
Information Technology & Services, 1,001–5,000 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

Obsidian best tool to keep knowledge

5.0 9 months ago

Comments: it is great, I use it in my work to keep all the knowledge i gather from the task I do, and also in my personal life to study, as you have this digital record to come back and review, for me is better tool than One note or Evernote, and if you dont have something you want, there are additional modules you can add for free.

Pros:

i loved the linkage of data using the brackets, this makes more easy to construct complex information articles, especially when you have abstract information that you need to deconstruct for understand.

Cons:

that you have to pay for the multi--device link a subscription, I think it should be a one time payment.

Alexander
Copywriter in Germany
Writing & Editing, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Obsidian, my go-to, every-day note-taking tool

5.0 2 weeks ago New

Comments: I’m using Obsidian every day for personal notes and private notes.

Pros:

I like how I have the feeling of control when it comes to organizing my notes and therefore my “second brain”.

Cons:

Sometimes I would like to a way to organize elements freely like in a Word document but I know that’s not the intended usage.

Ivy
Admin in Canada
Telecommunications, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

You may need some tech knowledge to use it better

4.0 last year

Pros:

I think Obsidian is ideal for text-centric tasks and it excels in note-taking and daily task tracking.

Cons:

It's missing the ability to create forms which might be a bummer for me. Setting up team collaboration isn't a walk in the park either – it lacks the seamless integration for smooth group work.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Writing & Editing, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Best Notetaking App

5.0 2 months ago

Comments: Obsidian can take some getting used to but once you find your stride, it is such a powerful tool and customisable for your particlar ideosyncrasies.

Pros:

Obsidian is the best notetaking app that I have used and the ability to connect notes and organise them into a personal wiki makes it very useful

Cons:

The community is overwhelming because the numerous plugins can get out of hand.

Harold
Postdoctoral fellow in France
Research, 10,000+ Employees
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The best knowledge management software

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: I have been looking for years for a good (not even great) note-taking / knowledge management system. I have tried many different apps (like Evernote, Simplenote, Gnome Notes, Google Keep, etc.), but I did not like anything. I started considering writing my own app and was taking some notes. Then, Obsidian arrived and blew my mind. I increased my efficiency 100-fold after starting to use it for basically everything (from my notes on string theory and machine learning to my cooking recipes). I would never go back to any other system.

Pros:

The fact that it's very fast to take notes (simple markdown format, Latex included…) and to retrieve quickly something (through the fuzzy filename matching, full-text search or tags). That it's possible to sync across various devices (with an excellent mobile app) is outstanding. The extension system is very helpful to supplement features. Also having an open file format is reassuring in case the creators stop updating the app.

Cons:

The single most annoying aspect is the lack of proper bibliography / citations management. There is a plugin, but I don't like too much how it works. Otherwise, there is no default.

Danny
Educational Science Researcher in UK
Writing & Editing, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Obsidian keeps me sane

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: 3+ years and I am still learning and exploring the options available enjoying my writing and research as I go.

Pros:

Simple, flexible, extensible, and just works.Offline, online, phone, desktop, laptop it doesn't matter.

Cons:

Syncing between devices requires a cloud service or payment of Obsidian sync.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Computer Software, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

My favorite app

5.0 7 months ago

Comments: In general the use of Obsidian has been very good, after several configurations and a lot of help from the community I have managed to have a knowledge management system which adapts to my learning style and that I enjoy using it, besides that visually I have configured it so that even using it is a pleasant experience.

Pros:

During the time I've been using the program I've loved the possibilities of customization that you have and the infinite number of plugins to accomplish tasks from the most specific to some more general, also in the aesthetic part also has many configuration options, from the options within the application, as well as using your own CSS files. Finally, the community that has formed around the application is a great addition because being mostly open source everyone can contribute to improve the use, from developing plugins, themes or usage systems.

Cons:

I think one of the biggest disadvantages of obsidian is that in large vaults it can have a lot of performance drops and sometimes navigating between different notes is slow, also for new users it can be challenging to use because of all the possibilities it offers.

Glen
Director in UK
Staffing & Recruiting, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Obsidian for Personal Information Management (PKM)

4.0 last month New

Comments: A learning curve, but plenty of info and demos out there to help. a great information storage device.

Pros:

Obsidian is free to use, and I sync it between all of my devices via iCloud. It's a great way to store lots of information and to cross-link everything. Before, I used to add snippets to lots of note-taking apps and forget where I had put it.

Cons:

It has a learning curve based on mark down language, but the plugins that you can add to it can make it more user friendly. It is not a million miles away from how Notion works.

Aakash
Accessibility Consultant in UK
Information Technology & Services, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Aesthetic and modern

5.0 8 months ago

Pros:

A very aesthetic and modern knowledge management software that is very easy to use. The ability to easily use markdown to format your content is amazing. The software makes it very easy to split content between folders and notes.

Cons:

Some great features are behind a paywall which is a bit annoying but understandable. It would be good to have a basic feature such as cloud sync available for free.

Olivia
Student in US
Education Management, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

A Good Offline Notes App

4.0 last week New

Comments: I truly like Obsidian. There was a small learning curve and I was intimidated at first because it looked complex. However, it's pretty easy to use once you understand some of the commands.

Pros:

I love that it's a offline note app so, I'm able to see my files on my computer.

Cons:

Sometimes I have to look up what commands to use. For example, there isn't a button to underline words. I have to do the HTML <ul> tag to do it and I didn't know this until I Googled it.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Research, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

One of the first knowledge management tools I've tried and it has improved so much since

5.0 last year

Comments: Obsidian in general is a nice user experience, particularly for a single person or a small team where you don't need real-time collaboration. However, I like to run meetings with live notes and Obsidian can't do this. It does have ObsidianSync and Git support, but those cannot support real-time editing. I understand this may be trade-off between local first storage and real-time collaborative support, but there are alternatives out there that are trying to make that work. Otherwise, Obisidian is very nice product for knowledge management.

Pros:

Local first, offline use. Excellent graph and document organization. Multi-platform including mobile. LaTeX support for technical elements.

Cons:

Lack of real-time collaboration -- very important for my use case. Education discounts are not that great.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Entertainment, 201–500 Employees
Used the Software for: 6-12 months
Reviewer Source

My knowledge management software of choice

5.0 last year

Comments: Learning curve might be off-putting for some (plugins, Markdown basics etc.)

Pros:

I settled on Obsidian after long research, and even though there was a learning curve, it was 100% a great choice. I love using it, it looks clean, it's super fast, it works offline, it's super customizable and you can make it exactly what you need it to be. Usually if there is a feature missing in the functionality, it's solved by community plugins.

Cons:

- search is terrible, if the search term is more than one word you can forget about it - tables are unusable even with community plugins - the mobile app could definitely use some work

Julie
owner in US
Writing & Editing, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Obsidian has been a game changer

5.0 last year

Comments: I've started using Obsidian to brainstorm novels. Before I was trying to use file cards, but that just got too confusing. I always felt like I had to keep the entire story in my head at once, which is impossible. Now I can put all the pieces into Obsidian and focus on one part at a time without worrying about losing track of the rest.

Pros:

When I discovered Obsidian, my life changed. Not only is it a great way to keep track of all my research, but I can also use it for journaling, brainstorming, and even household management. It's a real pleasure to use, and has changed how I think about information management.

Cons:

There are so many community plugins available that it can be overwhelming. The good news is, you don't have to use them if you don't want to. It's just so easy to go down that rabbit hole and try out new things.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Health, Wellness & Fitness, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

The App for Zettelkasten

5.0 last year

Comments: Very good app for note taking and use with the Zettelkasten method.

Pros:

This is the only app I found realy useful to use with the Zettlekasten note taking method. Even being an app that works on local files, its quite easy to setup a folder on a cloud based storage like Gdrive and have all your devices sync the files seamlessly. With the community plugins its very easy to customize Obisidian for any workflow you use for your writing.

Cons:

The mobile app UX could be improved. It takes some time to get used to navigate and use it.

Abir
Data scientist in Poland
Computer & Network Security, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Tool for document management

4.0 7 months ago

Pros:

The visualization makes the links looks really easier to understand, therefore it's better to explain the project to a new team member.

Cons:

I can't access it through a web browser, I need to connect from my device each time wanna use it,

Ozone
Jr. FullStack Developer in Nepal
Verified LinkedIn User
E-Learning, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Great Tool for Quick Note Taking

5.0 last year

Pros:

The application is very light and easy to use, and provides easy sync across many platforms. It also has amazing vim support, which is very convenient for vim enthusiasts.

Cons:

As the application is made to be lightweight, it might not feel as organized as something like Notion, and the formatting options are not as easy to find and implement as Notion.

Nivedita
CFO in India
Mechanical or Industrial Engineering, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

One of the best productivity tool to organize work.

4.0 last year

Comments: It was a wonderful application to connect my notes, data, and reports together. It has every data organised and easy to access. It increases productivity to huge aspects.

Pros:

The best thing about Obsidian is Links. It helps connect notes and ideas. There are a lot of templets to choose from and it also has a ton of community plugins to customize and organise how we want it to look like.

Cons:

Obsidian has a learning curve. If a person can learn and use it to it's full potential, then he/she can redeem it's full benefits.

Niklas
Student in Germany
Information Technology & Services, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

A must have for anyone who wants to retain and structure their knowledge

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: As a computer science student, I've found Obsidian to be a really helpful tool for knowledge management. Its features are super versatile, so it's great for organizing all sorts of information.The note-linking feature is one of my favorite things about Obsidian. It lets me connect notes and create a web of knowledge that helps me understand how different concepts relate to each other. The backlinking feature is also helpful because it shows me which notes link to a particular note.Obsidian's graph view is another cool feature. It gives me a visual representation of the relationships between notes, which helps me identify key concepts and how they're connected. And I like that I can customize the graph view to fit my specific needs.Obsidian's support for Markdown is also great. It makes it easy to format my notes and include images, tables, and other media.Overall, Obsidian's knowledge management features are really useful for my studies as a computer science student. It's a powerful yet easy-to-use platform for organizing and managing information.

Pros:

Note-Linking: Obsidian's unique note-linking feature allows you to establish connections between notes, creating a web of knowledge that helps you better understand the relationships between different concepts. This can be especially useful for computer science, where there are often many interrelated concepts that need to be understood in order to fully grasp a topic.Backlinking: Obsidian's backlinking feature shows you which notes link to a particular note, further enhancing your understanding of the connections between different ideas. This can help you quickly identify related concepts and ensure that you have a comprehensive understanding of a topic.Markdown Support: Obsidian supports Markdown, which enables you to format your notes in a clear and concise manner, making it easy to read and understand them. This can be especially useful for computer science, where there are often complex concepts that need to be explained in a clear and concise manner.Customizability: Obsidian is highly customizable, allowing you to tailor it to your specific needs. This can be especially useful when integrating Obsidian with other services, or extending its capabilities.

Cons:

Learning Curve: Obsidian has a bit of a learning curve, especially if you're not familiar with Markdown or haven't used a similar note-taking app before. It can take some time to learn all the features and figure out the best way to use it for your specific needs. The onboarding process is one of the easiest compared to other similar solutions, but sometimes one is tempted to spend time on perfecting the obsidian enviroment instead of taking notes.Collaboration: While vaults can be accessed by multiple users, obsidian has no inherent support for collaboration, and therefore can be problematic in team settings.PDF ANnotation: Obsidian has no good solution to annotate, only link, to specific parts of a pdf. This can be frustrating, but is a technical limitation at the current time. However, there are workarounds using different services like readwise.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Marketing & Advertising, Self Employed
Used the Software for: 2+ years
Reviewer Source

Great tool, although not very attractive to use

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: The interface is quite unpleasant and takes getting used to. There is a lack of detailed tutorials from the company, if it weren't for its disinterested community that shares tips and videos on YouTube it would be very difficult to learn how to take advantage of this tool. But, on the other hand, it is getting better every time, since it is updated frequently. I hope you continue to invest in this tool as it is the best in its field in my opinion. I've tried Logseq, Notion, etc., and I'm sticking with Obsidian.

Pros:

I love that it allows markdown and hosting all your notes on your own computer. It has a large number of plugins and a community willing to help each other.

Cons:

If you want synchronization between devices you will have to pay (there is a free option through Google Drive but it is not very effective). And the payment option is quite expensive per year.

Viktor
Programmer in Czechia
Computer Software, Self Employed
Used the Software for: Free Trial
Reviewer Source

Organizing information

5.0 last year

Pros:

- All your data is stored locally- Markdown- using CSS- user community creating various plugins

Cons:

- i do not know .

Jim
Head of Education and Skills in UK
Computer Software, 11–50 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

A full featured truly cross-platform knowledge management package

5.0 2 years ago

Comments: Obsidian has proven to be the OneNote alternative which treats Linux as a firstclass platform. Also, having seen hosted/proprietary services disappear over the year it is a great comfort knowing I own my own notes and will be able to access them without any special software.

Pros:

For those working across PC, Mac, Linux and mobile Obsidian offers parity of functionality on each platform making switching effortless.A wide range of options for backend storage ensure that you can keep ownership of your notes whether on a public cloud, private cloud or local files. And the notes remain human readable and editable even without the package making them future proof.The active community provides a wide range of add-ons that enhance the functionality and customise it to your needs. You can also tailor the add-ons and settings for each collection of notes.

Cons:

Owning your own notes requires you to invest some time and effort in configuring the backend storage, and not all options are supported on all operating systems. However the developers offer foolproof cloud hosting as a paid alternative.

Verified Reviewer
Verified LinkedIn User
Education Management, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Great knowledge management tool, little pricey, a lot of manual work

5.0 2 years ago

Pros:

I love how fast it is. Since everything lives locally, you don't have to worry about pages not loading or missing internet access. Pages are cached in the background and can load instantly when you want to, making context switching instant and producing content super fast.

Cons:

The idea of knowledge graph is more or less a "marketing concept" (according to [sensitive content hidden] of Reflect, [sensitive content hidden]). Not sure about the usability of it. But also since everything is done locally, it's a lot of work to back things up or sync across devices -- something you'd expect the product to handle like Notion.

Matt
Software Engineer in Australia
Information Technology & Services, 51–200 Employees
Used the Software for: 1+ year
Reviewer Source

Alternatives Considered:

Amazingly customisable note-taking tool

5.0 2 years ago

Pros:

Obsidian has many great features I love - the ability to customise it for your specific needs it fantastic. The search and linking functionality allow me to quickly and easily get whatever data I need. The extensive range of community add-ons mean that extra features are just a couple of clicks away.

Cons:

Hard pressed to think of anything, it's an almost perfect tool!

Lohith
Manager in India
Retail, 2–10 Employees
Used the Software for: 1-5 months
Reviewer Source

Time to Build your second brain

5.0 2 years ago

Pros:

Until I discovered obsidian I never knew the concept of second brain and why would we need one. After researching a lot on it, had many tools on hand that can be used to build one for my own.Finally settled on obsidian just for it's privacy and future proof. This tool just uses plain markdown text files to create your notes. This makes your notes future proof as the usability of files are not depending upon the software itself. The files can be opened by any notepad software.The main reason I chose obsidian over others is this helps you to create more rather than copy notes.Not to mention their linking feature which helps you to link various ideas which in turn results in creating a new idea.

Cons:

sync across devices is payable one. You can find a workaround for this but still I prefer to choose obsidian sync and am fine to pay for it as I feel that I support their development.