Notion vs. Obsidian: A Complete Guide [2025]

Notion and Obsidian offer two distinct approaches to note-taking: one is a collaborative, all-in-one workspace, while the other is a privacy-focused, personal knowledge base. Do you need seamless team collaboration, or do you prefer complete control over your notes? This in-depth comparison will help you choose the right tool for your workflow.

Notion vs. Obsidian at a glance

Feature	Notion	Obsidian
Primary use	All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, project management, and collaboration	Personal knowledge management with a focus on privacy and offline access
User interface	Intuitive, highly customizable, block-based structure	Minimalist, focused on Markdown editing and note connections
Collaboration	Robust collaboration with real-time editing, comments, mentions, and shared workspaces	Limited native collaboration; requires third-party plugins or Obsidian Publish for sharing
Platforms	Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android	Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
Offline access	Limited offline capabilities; primarily designed for online use	Strong offline capabilities; all data stored locally by default
Real-time collaboration	Yes; supports real-time collaboration with multiple users.	No native real-time collaboration features
Knowledge graph	No native knowledge graph feature	Yes; visual representation of note connections through a dynamic graph view
Backlinking	Yes; supports backlinks to connect notes.	Yes; core feature with robust backlinking and bidirectional links
Sync across devices	Yes; syncs across devices with internet connection	Not available in the free version; requires Obsidian Sync add-on for cross-device synchronization
API support	Yes; offers a public API for integrations	Yes; supports community plugins and API for customization
Template support	Extensive range of templates available for various use cases	Limited native template support; community plugins can extend functionality
Markdown support	Yes; supports Markdown formatting	Yes; primarily uses Markdown for note-taking
File import options	Supports multiple file types and integration with other apps	Primarily supports Markdown files (.md); other formats may require plugins
Publish notes as websites	Yes; allows publishing pages to the web	Yes; with Obsidian Publish (paid add-on)
AI assistant	Yes; Notion AI available as an add-on for enhanced productivity	No native AI assistant feature
Integrations and plugins	Integrates with over 117 tools like Figma, Trello, GitHub, Slack, Zoom	Offers over 2,000 community plugins for customization; lacks native integrations but can be extended
Security	Data encrypted in transit and at rest; offers two-step verification	Notes stored locally; AES-256 encryption if stored on a cloud; user maintains full control over data
Export options	Limited exporting capabilities; Markdown exports may lose some formatting and structure	Seamless exporting; notes stored as Markdown files, preserving links and structure
Pricing	– Free plan – Plus: $12/user/month – Business: $18/user/month – Enterprise: Custom pricing – Notion AI: $10/user/month (add-on)	– Free for personal use – Commercial: $50/user/year – Obsidian Sync: $5/month for single vault, $10/month for multiple vaults – Obsidian Publish: $10/site/month

Reasons to choose Notion

• All-in-one workspace: note-taking, project management, and database functionalities
• User-friendly interface
• Highly customizable with a wide range of templates
• Advanced collaboration features with real-time editing
• Integrated AI assistance
• Multiple integrations with API, such as Slack, Google Drive, and Asana

▶️ Choose Notion

Reasons to choose Obsidian

• Local data storage for enhanced privacy
• Knowledge Graph feature for a visual representation of relationships between notes
• Extensive plugin options
• Customizable interface + custom CSS
• Minimalistic design with a distraction-free environment
• Great offline functionality

▶️ Choose Obsidian

User experience

Notion may look complex at first, but it has a user-friendly interface that lets you customize almost everything.

Its visually appealing design is clean and intuitive, making it accessible to users of all technical levels. The platform excels in presenting a sleek workspace, where the blocks-based structure simplifies content creation and organization.

The flexibility and range of features Notion offers can be a double-edged sword. For new users, the abundance of options might lead to a steeper learning curve as they navigate through the various functionalities.

Some users have also pointed out that the UI can become cluttered with extensive use, which could impact the overall user experience.

“Setting up pages and databases requires understanding how different elements work together, which can take time to learn.”
— Nora

Despite these challenges, Notion’s strengths in versatility and collaboration make it a compelling choice for those seeking a comprehensive tool for managing work and personal projects​.

In contrast, Obsidian prioritizes simplicity and efficiency in its user experience.

The app is designed with a clean and uncluttered interface, offering a distraction-free environment for note-taking and knowledge management.

This minimalistic approach is particularly appealing to users who prefer a streamlined experience without the bells and whistles of more complex platforms.

Obsidian’s user experience is centered around its bi-directional linking system, Knowledge Graph and Canvas feature.

These tools enhance the organization and navigation of notes, allowing users to visualize connections and build a comprehensive knowledge network.

“I use Obsidian primarily as a thinking and creativity tool, and the graph allows me to see notes or thoughts sitting next to otherwise unrelated notes or thoughts, and I find this often spurs whole new ideas.”
— Reddit

It’s also worth noting that Obsidian has stronger offline capabilities than Notion since it’s locally based.

Although Notion can operate offline, it has many limitations. However, a full offline mode is under development at the time of writing this article.

Note-taking

Notion’s approach to note-taking is highly versatile, allowing for a range of formats and styles using multiple predefined templates created by the developers and users.

👉 Learn more: 30+ Best Free Notion Templates

You can create pages that act as individual notes, which can then be organized into a hierarchical structure with databases, folders, tags, and many other properties.

The platform uses a blocks-based system, where each piece of content, whether text, image, or embedded file, is treated as a block.

In addition, Notion’s rich text editor supports various multimedia elements, including images, videos, and web embeds, making the note-taking experience dynamic and visually engaging.

You can also store content from more than 500 embeddable services.

Obsidian takes a different approach, focusing on plain text Markdown files for note-taking. This might appeal to those who prefer a straightforward, text-focused experience.

Markdown is a lightweight markup language that allows for easy formatting of text, making it suitable for users who prioritize writing and organization over visual elements.

A key feature of Obsidian’s note-taking is its emphasis on linking notes. You can create bi-directional links between notes, forming a network of interconnected ideas, which is visually represented in the Knowledge Graph.

This feature is particularly useful for building wikis, research projects, or personal knowledge bases where the relationships between notes are as important as the notes themselves.

While Obsidian’s user interface is more minimalist compared to Notion, it offers a distraction-free environment, ideal for focused writing sessions.

The platform’s extensive plugin system further enhances the note-taking experience by adding functionalities like custom themes, enhanced editors, and additional organizational tools​.

Organization

Taking excellent notes is important, but organizing them is essential.

Notion uses several viewing options, including:

• Lists
• Calendars
• Boards
• Galleries

Each of these views is based on the information of a specific database that can be retrieved to display notes and information exactly the way you want.

They can be customized down to the last detail, so they only show specific data using filters. In fact, using different views for the same database is one of the best use cases for Notion.

Additionally, notes can be linked and even synced to automatically update the information if they are in different sections, thus saving time.

Obsidian operates on a local storage model, keeping your notes securely on your device, which is a key differentiator from Notion’s cloud-based system.

Its unique selling point in the organization is, again, the knowledge graph, which interconnects notes through bi-directional linking.

This feature is valuable for connecting various notes back to a central idea and keeping them visually organized, something Notion can’t do in this way.

Lastly, Obsidian incorporates a quick button to add a today’s note, which is always handy when you want to annotate something quickly.

Collaboration

Notion excels in collaboration and note-sharing capabilities, making it a superior choice for team-based projects and collaborative and dynamic work environments.

The platform allows real-time editing and commenting, enabling multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously—especially beneficial in remote work scenarios.

The strength of Notion lies in its ability to provide shared workspaces where team members with different roles and permissions can collectively edit, comment, and view documents.

You can easily share links to their workspaces with others, enhancing the collaborative aspect.

In contrast, Obsidian’s collaboration features are more limited compared to Notion.

Obsidian does not offer native real-time collaboration capabilities. However, it allows users to share their notes with others through Obsidian Publish.

This enables users to share their Markdown files in text or PDF format, but its collaboration features feel more limited.

Lastly, users can share the public URL of their Obsidian vaults, but this is more suited for publishing notes to a wider audience rather than collaborative editing in real time.

AI

Notion has embraced this trend with Notion AI, while Obsidian has yet to introduce native AI-powered features.

Notion AI is a built-in tool designed to help users generate content, summarize notes, improve writing, and automate tasks. Key features include:

• Content generation: Instantly draft blog posts, emails, or reports based on prompts.
• Text summarization: Quickly condense long documents or meeting notes into key takeaways.
• Grammar & style improvements: AI-powered suggestions for better clarity and readability.
• Task automation: Generate to-do lists, meeting agendas, and structured workflows.

Notion AI significantly enhances productivity by reducing time spent on content creation and organization, making it a valuable tool for users who deal with large amounts of information daily.

“Notion AI summarizer cannot replace the human brain — but it can definitely help you get work done faster.”
— Notta

👉 Learn more: Notion AI vs. ChatGPT

Unlike Notion, Obsidian does not have a native AI feature.

However, the Obsidian community has developed AI-powered plugins that integrate with external services like OpenAI’s GPT models. These plugins allow users to:

• Automate note-taking workflows with AI-generated summaries and suggestions.
• Use AI for text expansion and knowledge retrieval.
• Enhance search functionality by improving how information is retrieved from linked notes.

Since Obsidian prioritizes local-first storage and privacy, users must opt into AI features through third-party solutions, ensuring they maintain control over their data.

Security and privacy

According to a survey of 1,029 American adults, nearly half (45.3%) have stored sensitive data in note-taking apps. A majority (58.2%) of respondents were unaware that many note-taking applications do not encrypt notes by default.

This lack of awareness underscores the critical importance of selecting note-taking apps that prioritize security and offer end-to-end encryption.

First, Notion stores all data in the cloud, meaning your notes, databases, and projects are accessible from anywhere with an internet connection.

This setup allows for seamless collaboration but also means that your data is stored on Notion’s servers.

• Encryption – Notion encrypts data in transit and at rest, ensuring protection against unauthorized access.
• Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) – Users can enable 2FA for added account security.
• Potential privacy concerns – Since your notes are stored on external servers, privacy-conscious users may be wary of reliance on third-party storage.

For businesses and teams, Notion offers enterprise-level security, including compliance with industry standards like SOC 2 and GDPR. However, you must trust Notion’s cloud infrastructure to keep their data safe.

Obsidian, in contrast, is designed for complete privacy by storing all notes locally on your device. This means:

• You own your data – Your notes never leave your device unless you choose to sync them via a third-party service.
• No account required – Unlike Notion, you don’t need to sign up for an account, reducing data exposure.
• End-to-End encryption (optional) – If you use Obsidian Sync (a paid add-on), your notes are protected with AES-256 encryption.

“Obsidian has a strong privacy ethic. I like the fact that nothing is stored on who-knows-where servers.”
— Robert Buscher

Because Obsidian doesn’t rely on cloud storage by default, it offers more privacy but lacks built-in backups. Users who want cloud syncing need to manually configure services like iCloud, Google Drive, or Obsidian Sync.

Conclusion

In essence, Notion shines as a versatile, collaborative workspace, ideal for teams and complex projects, while Obsidian excels in personal knowledge management with its focus on privacy and interconnected notes.

Your choice hinges on your priorities: collaborative power and flexibility with Notion, or secure, personal knowledge building with Obsidian.

However, if you choose Notion, you can further enhance its capabilities by integrating it with 2sync. By seamlessly synchronizing Notion with tools like Google Calendar and Todoist, 2sync ensures all your tasks and events are consolidated, streamlining your workflow and maximizing your productivity within the Notion ecosystem.

⏩ Try your first automation today