Compare tools
Pick 2–5 published tools. Values come from our evidence-checked profiles — an em-dash means unknown, never “no”. Ranking rows reflect the current published methodology for the comparison context.
Obsidian vs Notion
Context: Note-taking Apps · methodology v1.0.0 · 40 rows
Obsidian
#1 · 86/100 · Ranked
Notion
#2 · 83/100 · Ranked
| Attribute | ObsidianDynalist (Obsidian) | NotionNotion Labs |
|---|---|---|
| Identity · Taxonomy | ||
| Documentation | https://obsidian.md/help/ | https://developers.notion.com |
| Tags | markdown, local-first, knowledge-base, plugins | wiki, databases, collaboration, all-in-one |
| Platform · Deployment | ||
| Delivery model | desktop, mobile | SaaS, desktop, mobile |
| Desktop apps | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Mobile apps | iOS, Android | iOS, Android |
| Offline mode | true | false |
| Operating systems | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS |
| Pricing · Licensing | ||
| Free plan | true | true |
| License model | proprietary | proprietary |
| Open source | false | false |
| Pricing model | free, subscription, perpetual | free, subscription |
| Starting price | 4 | 10 |
| Features · Product · Fit | ||
| Core capabilities | Local Markdown vaults, Graph view and backlinks, Community plugins and themes, Obsidian Sync with end-to-end encryption, Obsidian Publish sites, Canvas and Bases views | Pages and databases, Public REST API and webhooks, SAML SSO and SCIM provisioning, Audit logs, Notion AI features, Custom agents |
| Api · Integrations · Ecosystem | ||
| API available | — | true |
| CLI | true | true |
| Enterprise SSO | — | SAML |
| Security · Privacy · Compliance | ||
| Regulatory compliance | — | GDPR, HIPAA |
| Security certifications | — | SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, ISO 27701, ISO 27017, ISO 27018 |
| Audience · Use · Case | ||
| Best for | Individuals who want full ownership of their notes in local Markdown files with a large plugin ecosystem, and who are comfortable managing their own setup. | Teams and individuals that want a flexible all-in-one workspace combining notes, databases, and collaboration with enterprise controls. |
| Company-size fit | individual, SMB | individual, SMB, mid-market, enterprise |
| Primary use cases | Personal knowledge management, Long-form Markdown writing, Private local-first note storage | Team wiki and documentation, Project and task management, Personal knowledge management |
| Skill level | intermediate | beginner |
| Lifecycle · Versioning | ||
| Changelog/release notes | https://obsidian.md/changelog | https://www.notion.com/releases |
| Current version | 1.14.1 | — |
| Maintenance status | active | active |
| Vendor · Maintainer | ||
| Founded year | 2020 | 2013 |
| Headquarters country | — | United States |
| Vendor type | commercial | commercial |
| Ranking factors (current methodology) | ||
| Note-taking Apps — core capability coverage score/100 | 90.0◂ highest | 88.0 |
| Note-taking Apps — outcome quality score/100 | 88.0◂ highest | 84.0 |
| Note-taking Apps — advanced workflow depth score/100 | 89.0◂ highest | 86.0 |
| Note-taking Apps — domain interoperability score/100 | 80.0 | 90.0◂ highest |
| Note-taking Apps — scale / capacity score/100 | 82.0 | 88.0◂ highest |
| Usability & adoption/100 | 76.0 | 84.0◂ highest |
| Reliability & performance/100 | 90.0◂ highest | 74.0 |
| Security, privacy & compliance/100 | 88.0◂ highest | 62.0 |
| Interoperability & ecosystem/100 | 84.0 | 88.0◂ highest |
| Value & total cost/100 | 92.0◂ highest | 84.0 |
| Support & documentation/100 | 78.0 | 86.0◂ highest |
| Evidence confidence/100 | 82.0 | 84.0◂ highest |
“—” means unknown (we never treat missing evidence as a negative). Cells reflect each value's current evidence state; superseded or stale values are excluded. Ranking rows are editorial assessments under the cited methodology version — see the Note-taking Apps category for definitions.