Is Obsidian worth it? Our review

Best Features, Pros, Cons, Pricing & User Reviews

Obsidian is one of the most popular PKM note-taking applications in the space right now.

The concept is very simple. Obsidian wants you to help take your notes together and bring them all into a networked thought system. This system allows you to see relationships between notes and also helps you collaborate and better manage them. The experience is free. It's not as easy to use, but it does take some time to learn.

However, it is an application that many people are moving towards from popular apps like Evernote and other such resources to take back control of their notes and create a system they can use every day. Let's explore it in this review as we've tried and tested Obsidian to give you the best breakdown and see whether it's the best application for you.

What is Obsidian?

Obsidian is a note-taking application designed to help you connect and organize your ideas effectively. It’s a local-first, markdown note-taking app, meaning your notes are stored securely on your device, prioritizing privacy.

Obsidian is accessible on Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS, and Android, and no account or sign-up is required unless you want to sync between devices. This makes it easy to use, and Obsidian is becoming a well-known Evernote alternative.

Who is Obsidian best suited for?

Obsidian is typically best for those who want to organize their notes in a connected environment. Obsidian won't be for everyone, primarily because it's quite challenging to learn.

Obsidan isn't like a traditional notes app with a simplistic user interface and a set of features that you could probably start using from day one.

Obsidian is an amalgamation of features. Not using some of the more advanced features feels like underutilizing the platform. The application is, of course, free to use, which makes it really accessible for the more budget-conscious.

But we typically recommend or find that Obsidian is most suitable for those who want to create relationships between their notes and build a digital brain of all of their ideas and concepts. It's popular with researchers, students, and busy professionals.

But we typically find that those who want to diverge from their notes-taking concepts a little bit more and embrace systems like the second brain find the best qualities of Obsidian. So, if you meet those criteria, it's worth exploring.

How does Obsidian work?

Obsidian works by allowing you to take notes, connect them & visualize them. Obsidian works very simply, like most other note-taking applications. You can create a new note. And inside of that note, the concept is pretty simple. You can start writing, adding headers, and adding details like images and other such bits.

How does markdown work in Obsidian?

You can also use Markdown to write these notes, which makes them accessible and great for moving platforms in the future. If you're interested, try checking out some of our Obsidian alternatives.

Obsidian will allow you to use Markdown to format your items, adding everything you need, including code and maths, as well as up to six headings too. You can also insert tables, callouts, and horizontal rules as part of the regular text formatting. Now, inside each of the notes you take, you can use the brackets to search for a note you may have in your account.

How do backlinks work in Obsidian?

This is called backlinking, and Obsidian's power is brought into one experience. The idea is to connect a note in your system and build it from there. You can also see the word count and characters that you've used per note.

This is where the real magic comes in with Obsidian, is you can go and see the graph view, which will allow you to get a perspective of all of the notes you've created in your account and how they connect up. You need to start using backlinking to be able to see those relationships merge, but this is an exciting offering. This is well explained by people like Nick Milo, Obsidian expert.

Many people use Obsidian to build relationships between notes, allowing you to enhance them and see how they interconnect. Obsidian uses local-first, which means you can view notes offline, but you can use it without storing data outside of your device. You can sync it with other devices (say you have iOS and Windows), but you would need the Obsidian sync pricing, which allows you to sync and have E2E notes. Obsidian also works with markdown, which means you can take easy notes and move between apps.

How does Obsidian graph view work?

Obsidian also has more views for visualizing notes, like graph and canvas views.

Both are effective ways to take notes and see how they connect. Graph view acts like a brain and a visual representation of all the notes in your account. Many people also like Obsidian Canvas, which provides users with a Miro-like layout for organizing notes, images, and documents in a canvas-like layout.

Obsidian uses plugins to optimize your use; community plugins allow you to add experiences like Kanban, calendar, and task management to Obsidian in a (what feels like) hacky style for better workload management. There are also core plugins, which are the features available to Obsidian users as part of the core experience that you can choose to switch on and off, making Obsidian very customizable.

Now, Obsidian is packed with many other features, but in terms of its core structure, everything is built from something called Evolve. This means everything in Obsidian is locally stored, which is incredibly helpful for many people.

Whilst we tested it, it worked very well as a way to locally store all of the notes in Markdown format. This doesn't just make it ideal as a concept for moving applications in the future, but for security as well. You own the notes. You can move the notes anywhere you like.

Some have found it beneficial to add it into secure iCloud folders so that they can use it between devices. But obviously, that's up to your liking. And of course, Obsidian is available on a range of devices.

Feature Focus

Obsidian: Offline Mode

How does offline work in Obsidian?

Obsidian has a local-first focus, which allows you to build a vault. This helps store your files and documents on the device, allowing for a more secure setup. This will enable you to store your vault on the device you own.

Many people find Obsidian's offline local-first focus an attractive solution to companies owning your data. An optional "sync" mode allows you to sync between devices, but this comes as a monthly fee.

Feature Focus

Obsidian: Note Editor

What can I add to Obsidian notes?

Obsidian notes can contain the following formats: text, links, images, tags, tables, backlinks, and embeds like YouTube videos, PDFs, and code snippets. Obsidian's plugin community allows for more Kanban Boards and calendar views.

This comes in a minimal and easy-to-use layout.

Feature Focus

Obsidian: Canvas View

What is Obsidian Canvas?

Obsidian Canvas is a feature that allows you to connect notes, visualize images and notes in one place, and build a visual workspace that can help bring ideas to life. Many visual thinkers like this experience to bring their ideas together.

The feature is perfect if you have an idea and want to express it in a visual manner, allowing you to use diagrams and existing notes in your Obsidian vault. Other apps like Scrintal and Milanote have features like this.

Feature Focus

E2E notes in Obsidian Sync

Does Obsidian have E2E Notes?

Obsidian offers an optional upgrade for Obsidian Sync (see pricing) that will help you sync between devices and have E2E notes used to sync between devices. The application is excellent because upgrading to the premium syncing options allows you to use end-to-end encryption to store and securely manage your notes between devices.

There's also version history, which allows you to see the version history for every note for one year. Also, if you want to work on team notes, there is a shared file with private data.

Feature Focus

Obsidian: Graph View

What is Obsidian Graph View?

Obsidian graph view helps people visualize notes connected across their workspace. This is perfect for those who want to see relationships between notes created and the creativity of ideas formed in your account.

You can use the filtering of nodes to narrow your search better, but much like the human brain, the graph view shows the synapses between notes and thoughts you've had. This is a popular feature in the note-taking PKM space.

Smaller Features in Obsidian

So, in terms of smaller features that are available inside of Obsidian, let's take a look:

Audio Recorder

Obsidian has a bunch of useful plugins, but not all of them are switched on by default. One example is the audio recorder which allows you to attach audio files to your notes. This is a great time saver, especially for students or those who need to record thoughts quickly.

In our testing, the audio recorder worked well, but it lacks a transcription feature. This isn't surprising since transcribing audio would likely require a paid service due to the AI resources involved. However, you can switch the Audio Recorder on, as it's not activated from the start.

Canvas

One standout feature is the canvas modes, which allows you to add images, files, and notes into a visual workspace. Researchers, in particular, may find this feature invaluable for visualizing ideas.

Some users even set Canvas as their homepage to see an overview of their most-used notes. This feature can be great for connecting ideas and organizing information visually.

Community Themes & Hotkey

With over 150 themes, users can design Obsidian's look and feel to suit their preferences. This customization particularly appeals to writers who want a private and focused writing environment.

Lastly, hotkeys are a key feature in Obsidian, with over 170 available. These shortcuts allow you to customize your workflow and improve efficiency, making them a great feature for developers or users who prefer staying on the keyboard without constantly switching between mouse and keyboard.

Publish

Obsidian Publish is another feature worth noting. It's a great option for users who want to share their notes externally, such as hosting a digital garden, website, or wiki. This feature makes it easy to turn your notes into publicly accessible documents or sites.

Pros:

• Comes with PKM abilities
• Powerful graph view for networked notes
• Obsidian adds new features fairly regularly
• You can switch on and off features
• Free & easy access

Cons:

• Lacks project management
• Does not have database abilities

Pricing:

Obsidian is free to use with no limits; there is a $4 per month pricing for E2E notes & sync.

Is Obsidian fast to use?

In terms of performance, Obsidian proved to be one of the fastest applications we tested, especially when working offline. It handled tasks like creating new notes, moving content in Canvas mode, and using the graph view seamlessly.

We experienced no issues on Mac, and the app performed well without an internet connection, even allowing the use of features like the audio recorder, which is something not offered by many other apps.

What limitations does Obsidian have?

However, Obsidian has some limitations. The most significant challenge is the learning curve associated with knowledge management (PKM).

For new users, the links, graphs, and extensive plugin options can feel overwhelming. That said, for a free, locally stored system, the learning time is worth it if you’re looking for a powerful and customizable PKM tool. We recommend looking into some of the courses available, as well as engaging with the active Obsidian community, which can be a great resource for optimizing your experience.

How much does Obsidian cost per month?

Obsidian is free, but it offers a $4 monthly sync option for syncing across devices and a $8 monthly publish option popular with digital gardening.

Is Obsidian free?

You can use Obsidian for free as a local-first note-taking application.

Should I get Obsidian?

Obsidian is best suited for advanced note-takers.

If you need to connect notes or see how notes are linked, or if you need something more customizable and accessible, with security as a focus, then Obsidian could be your note-taking app. If you're on a budget too, Obsidian will be very attractive with their local-first approach to notes.

Obsidian is ideal for those seeking a free, offline-first PKM application with markdown functionality. It’s great for users who prefer raw, customizable note management. However, it’s not the best fit for everyone.

Suppose you want to simplify your note-taking system or move away from more complex apps like Evernote. In that case, Obsidian may be a good option, especially because it makes exporting notes easier due to its markdown structure.

That said, Obsidian does lack built-in collaboration features, which might be a drawback for users needing to work with others. But for personal notes, journaling, or project management, it serves a wide range of use cases. If you’re curious about other options, we have an Obsidian alternatives feature that might help you explore different tools.

Obsidian is one of the most customizable ways to take notes with plugins that can make your experience even more powerful while still using markdown notes.