Obsidian
A note-taking application that keeps notes on your device and supports offline access and plugins.
Sources last checked 2026-09-29 · See individual evidence
What is Obsidian?
Obsidian is a note-taking application that keeps your working data locally on your device. The app can be used without signing up, and core use is free for both personal and commercial work. Its desktop and mobile downloads make it an option for keeping a knowledge collection across different devices.
Sync and Publish are optional services rather than requirements for local notes. Sync adds encrypted device synchronization and version history; Publish turns notes into a website. Decide whether you need these services separately from deciding whether the note-taking application suits your workflow.
Based on official product documentation ↗When to consider Obsidian
Typical uses based on its documented tools. Check the requirements of your own project.
- Private personal knowledge collections
- Offline note-taking
- Publishing selected notes as a website
Strengths & considerations
What it offers
- Local data remains accessible independently of hosted add-ons.
- Core use is free, including commercial work.
- Optional Sync includes end-to-end encryption and version history.
What to check
- Official Sync and Publish are separate paid services.
- Local notes still need a backup strategy.
- Test shared-vault collaboration before replacing a team workspace.
Editorial guidance, not a hands-on review or a guarantee of compatibility.
Plans & pricing
Listed amounts use the source currency. Check billing commitments, taxes, region and edition limits before subscribing.
Obsidian app
Free
Personal and commercial use; optional support licenses do not unlock required core features.
Checked 2026-09-29
Check official plan details ↗Sync
$48.00 / year
$4 per user/month billed annually; $5 on monthly billing. Optional service.
Checked 2026-09-29
Check official plan details ↗Publish
$96.00 / year
$8 per site/month billed annually; $10 on monthly billing. Optional service.
Checked 2026-09-29
Check official plan details ↗Features & capabilities
Verified capabilities may belong to different editions or optional services. Read the plan and source notes.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Offline
- Yes
- Commercial use
- Yes
8 other capabilities have not yet been verified
Unknown means we have no confirmed evidence for this field. It does not mean the product lacks the capability.
- Free trial
- Unknown
- Open source
- Unknown
- Self-hosted
- Unknown
- API
- Unknown
- AI features
- Unknown
- Cloud
- Unknown
- Beginner friendly
- Unknown
- Professional
- Unknown
Sources & verification
Verification applies only to the fields listed below. An unlisted feature or platform is unknown, not unsupported.
Obsidian — official product information ↗
Homepage describes a free app, Windows download, local notes, plugins and offline access. Paid Sync and Publish are optional.
Accessed 2026-09-21 · Verified 2026-09-21
Evidence fields (5)
description · freePlan · offlineSupport · feature:notes · platform:windows
Obsidian pricing ↗
Commercial use does not require payment; optional support licenses and add-on services are available.
Accessed 2026-09-21 · Verified 2026-09-21
Evidence fields (2)
commercialUse · plan:base
Obsidian — product and editorial review ↗
Pricing verifies local data, free core, optional services and encryption scoped to Sync. Downloads list the five desktop and mobile platforms.
Accessed 2026-09-29 · Verified 2026-09-29
Evidence fields (11)
description · company · pros · cons · useCases · feature:notes · feature:encryption · pricingModel · plan:base · plan:sync · plan:publish
Obsidian — downloads and requirements ↗
Pricing verifies local data, free core, optional services and encryption scoped to Sync. Downloads list the five desktop and mobile platforms.
Accessed 2026-09-29 · Verified 2026-09-29
Evidence fields (5)
platform:windows · platform:macos · platform:linux · platform:android · platform:ios
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