Obsidian is a local-first, privacy-focused knowledge management application that stores notes as plain markdown files on your device. Its bidirectional linking and graph view create a personal knowledge network where ideas connect across notes. With 900+ community plugins, Obsidian is highly extensible — from Dataview for database-style queries to Kanban boards and spaced repetition. Popular with researchers, writers, and developers who value data ownership and extensibility.
Obsidian
Local-first personal knowledge base with a graph view.
Best for: Power users and researchers wanting full data ownership, plugin extensibility and a networked second brain.
- Free plan
4.7/5 ratingEditorial score 93/100obsidian.md
Entry plan
Free (personal use)
Get started free
Opens the official website in a new tab.
Editorial score93/100
The editorial note
What to know about Obsidian
Is it right for you?
Who Obsidian suits
Choose it if
- Power users and researchers wanting full data ownership, plugin extensibility and a networked second brain.
Look elsewhere if
- Teams needing real-time collaborative editing — Notion or Confluence provide better shared workspace features
- Obsidian excels for individual personal knowledge management
What you get
Key features
- Local markdown file storage
- Bidirectional links and backlinks
- Graph view of knowledge connections
- 900+ community plugins
- Dataview plugin for database queries
- Spaced repetition (Anki-like)
- Canvas for visual thinking
- Custom themes and CSS
Works with
Integrations8
Zotero (citations)Readwise (highlights)GitHub (version control)iCloudDropboxSyncthingCalendar pluginsExcalidraw
What it costs
Pricing
| Plan | Price | What it includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Free (personal use) | Local-first note-taking, free for personal use forever |
| Sync | $10 / monthBilled monthly | End-to-end encrypted sync across all your devices |
| Publish | $10 / monthBilled monthly | Publish your notes as a public website |
Prices are recorded from the vendor's public pricing page and can change. Check before you buy.
The trade-off
Pros and cons
Pros
- Completely local storage — your notes are plain markdown files you own forever
- 900+ community plugins for custom workflows, databases, spaced repetition, and more
- Fast and responsive even with thousands of notes — no network latency
- Fully offline with optional sync via Obsidian Sync or third-party solutions
- Graph view visualizes note connections to discover unexpected knowledge relationships
Cons
- Setup and plugin configuration require time investment to build an effective system
- Real-time collaboration is not available — Obsidian is primarily a personal tool
- Obsidian Sync subscription at $10/month required for cross-device access beyond iCloud/Dropbox
- Mobile app is functional but more limited than the desktop experience
Quick read
At a glance
- Category
- AI Tools
- Pricing model
- Free
- Entry plan
- Free (personal use)
- Free plan
- Available
- Free trial
- Not listed
- Website
- obsidian.md
The verdict
Our take on Obsidian
The best personal knowledge management tool for power users who value data ownership and extensibility.
Where this appears
Mentioned in
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