Notion is a cloud-based all-in-one workspace with databases and collaboration features, while Obsidian is a local-first markdown editor focused on linking and ownership of your data. Notion excels for teams and complex databases; Obsidian prioritizes speed, privacy, and knowledge linking for individual users.
Notion vs Obsidian — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
All-in-one workspace for notes, databases, wikis, and team collaboration
Local-first markdown editor with bidirectional linking, plugins, and complete data ownership.
Data Storage & Ownership. Collaboration Support. Database Functionality. Price (Personal Use). App Load Time. Learning Curve. Offline Functionality
Choose Notion if you need advanced database management, real-time team collaboration, and an all-in-one workspace for projects, CRMs, and documentation. Choose Obsidian if you prioritize privacy, speed, own your data, prefer markdown-based writing, and primarily work solo or asynchronously with a focus on knowledge linking and personal note systems.
Notion: Notion's cloud servers | Obsidian: Local device
Notion: Free / $8-15 per user | Obsidian: Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)
Notion: Customizable approach | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Moderate support | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Real-time co-editing, permissions, comments, activity tracking | Obsidian: Minimal (plugin-dependent)
Notion: Limited (~30%) | Obsidian: Complete (100%)
Notion: Full (relational databases, rollups, formulas) | Obsidian: Basic (via plugins only)
Notion: 5/10 (steep) | Obsidian: 8/10 (gentle)
Notion: Cloud-hosted (Notion controls servers) | Obsidian: Complete local ownership; markdown files on your device
Notion: Yes (built-in AI assistant) | Obsidian: No (plugin-based only)
Notion: High availability (no published SLA) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 9/10 (blocks, databases, relations) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 5/10 (basic automations only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 2-50 users (flexible scale) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 7-14 days (custom setup required) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $20 (Business tier) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $24+ (Enterprise, custom) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited task/project features | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 9/10 - Highly customizable | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 8/10 - Steep learning curve | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 9/10 - Native docs & databases | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Basic (manual linking only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Comprehensive (wiki, docs, databases, linked records) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: No (requires manual setup with databases) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Very High (fully customizable databases and properties) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10 (free plan with guests) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Not available (must track manually) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $8/month (Team tier) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Excellent for non-technical users - intuitive linked properties | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited native two-way sync capability | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Built-in AI assistant with limited agent connections | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Steep learning curve with flexible drag-and-drop | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Exceptional - optimized for feature roadmaps and linked data | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Basic (via integrations only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited tier system | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full editor (formatting, blocks, collaboration) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 100+ templates and integrations | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited with role-based permissions | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Flexible block-based editor with databases | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Teams, project managers, content creators | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Views API, Markdown support, automatic retries (2026) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited blocks and pages | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full relational database support | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited offline capabilities | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Table, Board, Timeline, Calendar, Gallery, List | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: REST API and official SDK | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Comments, mentions, real-time editing, threads | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Free (or $10/month for AI) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited offline; web-first platform | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $0 (free tier exists) | Obsidian: $89
Notion: $100-160/month | Obsidian: $0 (not designed for teams)
Notion: Unlimited | Obsidian: No native support
Notion: Basic linked mentions; manual linking required | Obsidian: 9 (advanced graph visualization)
Notion: 400+ (official integrations) | Obsidian: 1000+ (community plugins)
Notion: 100+ million across all sectors | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Free (Plus $10/user) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Moderate (2-3 seconds with complex databases) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1000+ through Zapier and native | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: All-in-one workspace & documentation | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 3-7 days depending on customization | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Native iOS/Android, good but slower | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: SSO, AI features, advanced permissions, audit logs | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 30-60 (database learning curve) | Obsidian: 5-15 (markdown basics)
Notion: 8 (iOS/Android, full sync) | Obsidian: 7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)
Notion: PDF/CSV (some lock-in) | Obsidian: Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)
Notion: 10+ million active users | Obsidian: 3+ million active users
Notion: Yes, basic timeline view only | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 3 requests per second (~180/min) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited (manual + integrations) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 50,000+ community templates | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Cloud-based SaaS | Obsidian: Local Markdown files
Notion: Proprietary blocks | Obsidian: Plain Markdown
Notion: CSV / Markdown export | Obsidian: Native Markdown (always portable)
Notion: No | Obsidian: No (free but proprietary)
Notion: Yes — real-time | Obsidian: No (single-player by default)
Notion: Cloud (built-in) | Obsidian: Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox
Notion: Limited | Obsidian: Via Outliner plugin
Notion: Yes (basic) | Obsidian: Yes (via links)
Notion: Yes — powerful | Obsidian: Via Dataview plugin
Notion: Yes | Obsidian: Yes (community + core)
Notion: Yes (basic) | Obsidian: Via plugins
Notion: No | Obsidian: Via Spaced Repetition plugin
Notion: Limited (limited API) | Obsidian: 1,500+ community plugins
Notion: Notion AI (bundled in Business/Enterprise; trial on Free/Plus) | Obsidian: Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)
Notion: Free (10 guests) | Obsidian: Free
Notion: Included | Obsidian: Obsidian Sync $4/mo
Notion: Plus $10/user/mo | Obsidian: N/A (no team plan)
Free Tier Monthly Recording/Creation Limit
Notion: AI-powered search, Q&A, writing assistance (add-on) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Centralized knowledge/PM workspace | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $100 (10 users @ $10) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10 (Unlimited plan) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Read-only offline (web); requires app for editing | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full relational databases with 10+ view types | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 5-10 hours for proficiency | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Public API with Zapier/webhook support | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10/month (Plus plan) | Obsidian: $0–$10/month (optional sync subscription)
Notion: 3 (full page, bookmark, simple) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Native relational databases with rollups, filters, sorts | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $0 | Obsidian: $0/month (free tier)
Notion: Basic (AI blocks limited to Pro/Team plans) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 0 (no native integration) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 500+ via Zapier, native integrations, and API | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1000+ community and official templates | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited (requires sync after reconnect) | Obsidian: Full (100% offline functionality)
Notion: 10+ million active users | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 30 minutes (learning curve for full features) | Obsidian: N/A
Monthly Subscription Cost (Personal Plan)
Notion: Unlimited workspace content; 5GB file attachments | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Yes - relations, filters, sorts, multiple views | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full offline mode (desktop app) | Obsidian: 100% fully functional offline
Notion: 60+ (steep learning curve) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 200+ native + 2000+ via Zapier | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Basic (simple triggers and actions) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Yes - unlimited pages and sharing | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Yes (native relations, rollups, and rollup filters) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 6 (Table, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, Board, List) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10,000 (performance degrades noticeably after 5,000) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1,500+ (Zapier, Slack, webhooks, and native integrations) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Comments, mentions, reminders only | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $120/year (Plus plan) | Obsidian: Free (with optional $50 Sync)
Notion: 6 platforms (Web, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Advanced relational databases with filtering and sorting | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full real-time collaboration with comments and permissions | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Partial offline (web requires internet, mobile has limited offline mode) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Proprietary Notion format (limited standard export) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 30-60 minutes to understand core features | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Robust public API with extensive integration ecosystem | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (Plus plan) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Not FedRAMP authorized | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $0 (limited to 1M blocks/month) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (team plan dependent) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1-to-1, Many-to-1, Many-to-Many | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 12+ (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery, etc.) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 6+ (complex feature set requires training) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 8+ (PDF, HTML, Markdown, CSV, etc.) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Yes - unlimited blocks and databases | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 75+ million registered users (as of 2024) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $120 per year (Plus plan, no AI) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited in Team plan | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (per subscription) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: No (third-party integrations only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: No (web-based only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Notion AI included in Pro/Team plans | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Linear page-based structure | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited (paid plans) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full relational databases with filters, sorts, relations | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10000+ community templates | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full offline capability with sync | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited blocks + 10 GB files | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10 (unlimited access) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 50+ integrated features | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited (requires extension) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $0 (Pro: $120/year) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 20+ workspace templates | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Timeline view available; no dependency or critical path analysis | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Manual tracking only; no native capacity features | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10,000 rows (performance degrades) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited cross-database visibility | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $12 (Notion Team plan) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1-2 seconds (1000-2000ms) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10+ (stable with minor lag) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: No native email; third-party only | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 100+ REST API endpoints | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Read-only offline | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1000+ community templates + Zapier/Make | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: iOS + Android official apps | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 800+ official templates | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Notion API + CSV/Markdown exports | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $14 (Pro plan, annual) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $32 (Team plan, annual) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 12 basic automation triggers | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 30 hours for proficiency | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Basic calendar view (limited critical path analysis) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited custom fields, relations, formulas, rollups, and linked databases | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 500+ via Zapier, 50+ native | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10 (billed annually) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: ~10,000+ templates | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited with cursor presence | Obsidian: Limited to manual sharing; no native multi-user editing
Notion: Optimized up to 10,000 items per view | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Database automations, API integrations, Zapier/Make support | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10.00 (or free) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 15+ (Table, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, Timeline, etc.) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $120/month (Pro plan, capped usage) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $120/month (unlimited members, Pro) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 0 native (requires third-party integration) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full rich-text editor with embeds | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Advanced, with rollups and filters | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited offline; requires internet for most features | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10-14 days for average user | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Sync requires active internet connection | Obsidian: N/A
Starting Price per User/Month (Annual Billing)
Notion: $10/user (free tier available) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited users, unlimited workspaces | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Third-party only (Zapier) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Advanced (rollups, lookups, formulas) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 3 requests/second (180/min) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1.4s (typical page/database view) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 300+ integrations via Zapier/native | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $0 (Unlimited free tier) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: No (requires integration) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 5 views (Table, Board, Calendar, Timeline, Gallery) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 30+ automation options | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 10+ types (includes relations, rollups, formulas, templates) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 2-4 hours to start productive work | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Limited (basic role options, no granular permissions) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $150/month (15 members × $10) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $500/month (50 members × $10) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 1 (comments only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 8 (relational, formulas, rollups, filters, sorts, synced blocks, templates) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited free tier | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 40% of desktop features | Obsidian: N/A
Base Monthly Cost Per User (Annual Billing)
Notion: $10.00 (Team plan) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Not native - timeline view available via database relations | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Manual tracking via database properties | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full support with many-to-many relations and rollups | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Basic - templates and button automations, limited conditional logic | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 150+ integrations via Zapier, Make, and native connectors | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited pages (feature-limited) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 8 (basic actions only) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Full rich-text editor with synced blocks | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Linked databases with basic relations | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 3 (Table, Board, Gallery) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 50+ simultaneous | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10 (Personal Pro with AI) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 30-60 minutes to configure workspace | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Advanced with filtering, sorting, and relations | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: Unlimited simultaneous editors | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: $10 (Plus plan, free tier available with limits) | Obsidian: $0 (free) or $49 one-time
Notion: $120/year ($600 over 5 years) | Obsidian: $49 one-time lifetime
Notion: 2000-4000ms (dependent on internet) | Obsidian: <500ms
Notion: 1000-2000ms | Obsidian: 50-200ms
Notion: Unlimited | Obsidian: 1-2 (shared vault via third-party)
Notion: Full (one-to-many, many-to-many, rollups, formulas) | Obsidian: Partial (Dataview plugin, limited querying)
Notion: 200+ (primarily cosmetic and integration) | Obsidian: 50+ official + 100+ community
Notion: Manual creation (no AI) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 20+ interface languages | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 0 without AI add-on | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: 0% (no AI acceleration) | Obsidian: N/A
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: ~2.5M (estimated)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Via plugins only
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Limited (HTTP API beta)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Bootstrapped (private)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: 5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Standard markdown (high portability)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: 70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Unlimited (device storage dependent)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Free (Sync $8/month optional)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: $0-96/year (depending on add-ons)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Standard Markdown (.md files)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: 5M+ downloads on mobile alone
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Built-in graph with plugin enhancements
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: $0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Local device or user-chosen cloud storage
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: Unlimited (fully free tier)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: $0 (free core) or $120/year (with Sync)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: ~1.5 million (2024 estimate)
Notion: N/A | Obsidian: 6 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web)
How to choose between Notion and Obsidian
Notion vs Obsidian — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for Notion vs Obsidian. Contains 362 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
Notion vs Obsidian — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Notion vs Obsidian.
Can I use Obsidian for team collaboration?
Obsidian is primarily designed for individual use. While you can technically share a vault via Dropbox or iCloud, this creates sync conflicts with multiple simultaneous editors. For true team collaboration, Notion is the clear choice with real-time editing, comments, and permissions. Obsidian supports asynchronous sharing via exported notes but lacks collaborative features.
Which is better for managing a CRM or project database?
Notion is purpose-built for this use case with relational databases, filtering, sorting, templates, and rollup calculations. You can create complex project tracking with status tracking, assigned owners, and deadline views. Obsidian lacks native database functionality; while the Dataview plugin enables basic querying, it cannot handle the relational complexity needed for CRM management.
Is my data safe and private in both tools?
Obsidian is superior for privacy: your files remain entirely on your device (or encrypted on your chosen cloud service). You own and control all data. Notion stores your data on their servers, and while encrypted in transit, it's subject to Notion's privacy policy and potential data requests. For sensitive information or privacy compliance (HIPAA, GDPR), Obsidian is the safer choice.
What's the total cost difference over 3 years?
For a single user over 3 years: Notion costs $360 (at $10/month for Plus plan), while Obsidian is either free or $49 one-time. That's a $311 savings with Obsidian. However, if your team grows, Notion's cost scales with value for collaboration, while Obsidian remains $49 but with limited team features.
Can I switch from one to the other later?
Switching from Notion to Obsidian is moderately difficult: you can export markdown notes from Notion, but databases convert to flat tables, and formatting is partially lost. Switching from Obsidian to Notion is easier—markdown exports to Notion with good formatting preservation. Notion's lock-in is higher due to relational database complexity not easily replicated elsewhere.
How to Choose Between Notion and Obsidian
Data Storage & Ownership: Notion has Cloud-hosted (Notion servers), while Obsidian has Local files on your device.
Collaboration Support: Notion has Real-time, unlimited team members, while Obsidian has Limited (requires third-party sync).
Database Functionality: Notion has Advanced relational databases with filtering/sorting, while Obsidian has Dataview plugin for basic querying.
Price (Personal Use): Notion has $10/month (Plus plan) or free (limited), while Obsidian has $49 one-time purchase or free.
App Load Time: Notion has 2-4 seconds (cloud-dependent), while Obsidian has <500ms (local processing).
Learning Curve: Notion has Steep (complex UI, many features), while Obsidian has Moderate (markdown + linking syntax).
Offline Functionality: Notion has Limited (requires internet for sync), while Obsidian has Full (works completely offline).