Can I use Roam Research or Obsidian completely for free?

Obsidian is completely free with no limitations on features or storage. Roam Research offers a 30-day free trial but then requires a $15/month subscription. Obsidian's optional Obsidian Sync ($10/month) and Obsidian Publish ($10/month) are add-ons, not required.

Which is better for team collaboration?

Roam Research has built-in real-time collaboration where multiple users can edit the same workspace simultaneously. Obsidian lacks native collaboration but can be used with Git-based plugins or shared through Obsidian Sync (coming soon with multiplayer features in beta). For teams, Roam is the current better choice.

What happens to my notes if the service shuts down?

With Roam Research, your notes are stored on their servers; you can export to Markdown but losing access could be problematic. With Obsidian, your notes are plain Markdown files on your computer—you own them completely and can access them with any text editor even if Obsidian ceases to exist.

Can I use Obsidian offline?

Yes, Obsidian works completely offline on your local device. All features function without an internet connection. Roam Research requires an internet connection to access and edit your notes, though you can view cached content briefly if disconnected.

Which has a better plugin ecosystem?

Obsidian has a significantly larger ecosystem with 1000+ community-developed plugins (Dataview, Templater, Kanban, Tasks, etc.), while Roam has ~50 official integrations. If you need advanced customization and workflows, Obsidian's plugin community is substantially more extensive.

Roam Research vs Obsidian

Updated June 15, 2026

Roam Research

Cloud-based collaborative networked note-taking platform with built-in graph database and real-time sharing.

Teams and individuals who need collaborative note-taking, work primarily in browser, and value seamless sharing over cost savings.

Check Price

Obsidian

Local-first markdown note-taking app for Windows, Mac, and Linux with extensive plugin support and no mandatory fees.

Individual knowledge workers who value privacy, control, offline access, and want to own their data outright without recurring costs.

Short Answer

Roam Research is a cloud-based collaborative note-taking tool optimized for networked thinking with built-in backlinks, while Obsidian is a local-first desktop application that stores files on your computer with greater privacy and offline functionality. Roam costs $15/month, Obsidian is free with optional $10/month sync.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Choose Roam Research if you prioritize real-time team collaboration, work primarily online, and want a fully managed solution optimized for connected thinking. Choose Obsidian if you value privacy, data ownership, offline access, and want a powerful tool that won't force you to pay recurring fees—especially if you're willing to set up your own sync via iCloud, Dropbox, or Git.

Was this verdict helpful?

Thanks — we'll use this to improve our verdicts.

Roam Research5

10Obsidian

Choose Roam Research if

Teams and individuals who need collaborative note-taking, work primarily in browser, and value seamless sharing over cost savings.

Track this comparison

Get notified when prices change, new specs ship, or our verdict updates.

Triggers: price change new spec verdict update

No spam. Stop anytime.

Key Differences at a Glance

💾

Storage Model: Obsidian wins (Local-first (your computer) vs Cloud-based (Roam servers))

💰

Monthly Cost (Individual Plan): Obsidian wins ($0 (free) or $10/month for Obsidian Sync vs $15/month)

🔹

Offline Access: Obsidian wins (Full offline functionality vs Requires internet connection)

See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

Metric	Roam Research	Obsidian	Diff
Starting Price(USD/month)	$15/month	—	—
User Rating(stars out of 5)	8/10	—	—
Native Tools/Integrations(count)	44 native tools plus MCP servers	—	—
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)	$165	Free (with optional $50 Sync)

Key Differences

Roam Research

Attribute

Obsidian

Cloud-based (Roam servers)

Storage Model

Local-first (your computer)🏆

$15/month

Monthly Cost (Individual Plan)

$0 (free) or $10/month for Obsidian Sync🏆

Requires internet connection

Offline Access

Full offline functionality

Related Comparisons

Notion vs Obsidian

software

Obsidian vs Logseq

technology

Notion vs Roam Research

software

Roam Research vs RemNote

software

Notion vs Obsidian vs Logseq: Which Knowledge Management App Is Best in 2026?

technology

Roam Research vs Mem

software

Roam Research vs Logseq

software

Roam Research vs Bear

software

Evernote vs Obsidian

software

Bear vs Obsidian

software

WordPress vs Wix

software

Slack vs Microsoft Teams

software

technology

Best Streaming Services in 2026: Top Picks for Every Budget & Interest

Navigating the crowded streaming landscape in 2026 can be overwhelming. We've tested and ranked the best streaming services that offer the most value, from Netflix's massive library to budget-friendly options like Tubi, helping you cut cable and find your perfect entertainment solution.

technology

Best Live TV Streaming Services & Plans for Spring 2026: Complete Buyer's Guide

Tired of overpaying for cable? Discover the best live TV streaming services and plans for Spring 2026, including YouTube TV's new genre-based packages starting at $55/month. Our comprehensive guide breaks down pricing, channels, and features to help you cut the cord.

Explore Entities

More Software

People Also Compare

Last updated: June 15, 2026AI generated

Full Comparison

Attribute	Roam Research	Obsidian

Starting Price(USD/month)	$15/month	—
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)	$165	Free (with optional $50 Sync)
Free Plan	No	—
Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD)	$165	—
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)	$15/month or $180/year	—
Show 12 more attributes Annual Cost (Committed Plan)(USD) $165/year — Base Subscription Cost(USD/month) $15/month Free (Sync $8/month optional) Annual Cost (Individual)(USD) $180/year $0-96/year (depending on add-ons) Base Monthly Cost(USD) $15/month $0/month (free tier) Annual Cost (Single User)(USD) $180/year $0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync) Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD) $0 (free) — Sync Service Cost(USD/year) $96 — One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD) $89 — Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD) $0 (not designed for teams) — Price (personal) Free — Price (sync) Obsidian Sync $4/mo — Price (team) N/A (no team plan) —

User Rating(stars out of 5)	8/10	—

Native Tools/Integrations(count)	44 native tools plus MCP servers	—
Built-in AI Features	Multi-provider LLM support with AI agents	—
API Access	API access with scheduled jobs coming soon	—
Search Query Flexibility	Advanced backlink queries	—
Native Mobile Apps	iOS and Android (native, feature-complete)	—
Show 6 more attributes Bidirectional Linking(null) Yes - automatic backlinks and graph visualization — Advanced Query Language Datalog with RoamScript — Offline Functionality Requires internet connection Full offline access Available Plugins/Extensions(count) ~50 official extensions 1000+ community plugins Team Collaboration Features(count) Minimal (plugin-dependent) — Built-in Task Management(feature completeness) Via plugins only —

Collaboration Capacity(collaborators)	Unlimited collaborators	—

Core Strength	Bidirectional linking and networked graphs	—
Offline Access(capability)	Limited cached access only	Full offline support included
Graph View Visualization(feature)	Built-in interactive graph with density indicators	Built-in graph with plugin enhancements

Target User Type	Researchers, knowledge workers, academics	—

Concurrent Collaborators(users)	Unlimited	—
Real-time Collaboration(users)	Native multi-user editing	No native support
Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)	Unlimited (built-in)	0 (no native support)

Native API Access	Yes, full API	—

Spaced Repetition Features	No native support	—

Database/Table Customization	Basic views	—

Discord Community Size(members)	~35,000	—
Active User Base (approximate)(millions)	3+ million active users	—

Supported Platforms	Web (primary), limited iOS/Android	5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)	Unlimited with real-time editing	—

Free Storage Tier(GB)	None (paid only)	—
Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)	Unlimited	—

Typical Learning Curve(hours)	40-50 hours	—
Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)	40-60 hours for advanced use	—
Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)	8/10 (gentle)	—

AI Search Queries Per Month (Free Tier)(queries)	Not available	—

Knowledge Graph Visualization	Native visual graphs	—

Mobile App Feature Parity(%)	60% of desktop features	—

Data Storage Model	Cloud-based (Roam servers)	—

Source Code License	Closed-source proprietary	—

Maximum Database Size(TB)	Unlimited (cloud-based)	—

Export Formats(formats supported)	JSON, Markdown, EDN	—
Storage Format(format type)	Proprietary JSON (Edn format)	Standard Markdown (.md files)

Community Plugins Available(count)	~150 plugins	1,000+ plugins

Users (Estimated)(millions)	1.5M+ registered (2024)	5M+ downloads on mobile alone
Active Users	~1M+	—
Monthly Active Users(millions)	~2.5M (estimated)	—

Data Storage Location	Roam cloud servers (third-party controlled)	Local device or user-chosen cloud storage

Mobile App Support	iOS, Android, Web (all full-featured)	iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)

Free Trial Period(days)	30 days free trial	Unlimited (fully free tier)

Storage Location	Local device	—
Data Ownership	100% local (user controls all files)	—

Monthly Cost(USD)	Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)	—

Offline Capability(Percentage)	Complete (100%)	—

Database & Relation Support	Basic (via plugins only)	—

Native AI Features	No (plugin-based only)	—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)	1000+ (community plugins)	—
Community Plugins(count)	1000+	—
AI integration	Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)	—

Offline Functionality(percentage)	100%	—

Setup Time(minutes)	30-45	—

API Access(available)	Limited (HTTP API beta)	—

Funding Raised(millions USD)	Bootstrapped (private)	—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)	9 (advanced graph visualization)	—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)	5-15 (markdown basics)	—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)	7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)	—

Data Export / Portability(format support)	Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)	—

Architecture	Local Markdown files	—
Note format	Plain Markdown	—
Data portability	Native Markdown (always portable)	—

Open Source	No (free but proprietary)	—

Collaboration	No (single-player by default)	—
Sync	Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox	—

Mobile app quality	Yes	—

Outliner / block linking	Via Outliner plugin	—
Bidirectional links	Yes (via [[links]])	—
Graph / network view	Yes — link graph	—
Database / table view	Via Dataview plugin	—
Templates	Yes (community + core)	—
Show 2 more attributes Kanban / tasks Via plugins — Spaced repetition Via Spaced Repetition plugin —

Plugin / app ecosystem	1,500+ community plugins	—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)	10-15 minutes	—

Data Format(portability score)	Standard markdown (high portability)	—

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)	70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)	—

Maximum Note Size(MB)	Unlimited (device storage dependent)	—

Roam Research

Obsidian

Starting Price(USD/month)

$15/month

—

Annual Subscription Cost(USD)

$165

Free (with optional $50 Sync)

Free Plan

—

Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD)

$165

—

Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)

$15/month or $180/year

—

Show 12 more attributes

Annual Cost (Committed Plan)(USD)

$165/year

—

Base Subscription Cost(USD/month)

$15/month

Free (Sync $8/month optional)

Annual Cost (Individual)(USD)

$180/year

$0-96/year (depending on add-ons)

Base Monthly Cost(USD)

$15/month

$0/month (free tier)

Annual Cost (Single User)(USD)

$180/year

$0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync)

Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD)

$0 (free)

—

Sync Service Cost(USD/year)

$96

—

One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD)

$89

—

Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD)

$0 (not designed for teams)

—

Price (personal)

Free

—

Price (sync)

Obsidian Sync $4/mo

—

Price (team)

N/A (no team plan)

—

User Rating(stars out of 5)

8/10

—

Native Tools/Integrations(count)

44 native tools plus MCP servers

—

Built-in AI Features

Multi-provider LLM support with AI agents

—

API Access

API access with scheduled jobs coming soon

—

Search Query Flexibility

Advanced backlink queries

—

Native Mobile Apps

iOS and Android (native, feature-complete)

—

Show 6 more attributes

Bidirectional Linking(null)

Yes - automatic backlinks and graph visualization

—

Advanced Query Language

Datalog with RoamScript

—

Offline Functionality

Requires internet connection

Full offline access

Available Plugins/Extensions(count)

~50 official extensions

1000+ community plugins

Team Collaboration Features(count)

Minimal (plugin-dependent)

—

Built-in Task Management(feature completeness)

Via plugins only

—

Collaboration Capacity(collaborators)

Unlimited collaborators

—

Core Strength

Bidirectional linking and networked graphs

—

Offline Access(capability)

Limited cached access only

Full offline support included

Graph View Visualization(feature)

Built-in interactive graph with density indicators

Built-in graph with plugin enhancements

Target User Type

Researchers, knowledge workers, academics

—

Concurrent Collaborators(users)

Unlimited

—

Real-time Collaboration(users)

Native multi-user editing

No native support

Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)

Unlimited (built-in)

0 (no native support)

Native API Access

Yes, full API

—

Spaced Repetition Features

No native support

—

Database/Table Customization

Basic views

—

Discord Community Size(members)

~35,000

—

Active User Base (approximate)(millions)

3+ million active users

—

Supported Platforms

Web (primary), limited iOS/Android

5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)

Unlimited with real-time editing

—

Free Storage Tier(GB)

None (paid only)

—

Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)

Unlimited

—

Typical Learning Curve(hours)

40-50 hours

—

Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)

40-60 hours for advanced use

—

Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)

8/10 (gentle)

—

AI Search Queries Per Month (Free Tier)(queries)

Not available

—

Knowledge Graph Visualization

Native visual graphs

—

Mobile App Feature Parity(%)

60% of desktop features

—

Data Storage Model

Cloud-based (Roam servers)

—

Source Code License

Closed-source proprietary

—

Maximum Database Size(TB)

Unlimited (cloud-based)

—

Export Formats(formats supported)

JSON, Markdown, EDN

—

Storage Format(format type)

Proprietary JSON (Edn format)

Standard Markdown (.md files)

Community Plugins Available(count)

~150 plugins

1,000+ plugins

Users (Estimated)(millions)

1.5M+ registered (2024)

5M+ downloads on mobile alone

Active Users

~1M+

—

Monthly Active Users(millions)

~2.5M (estimated)

—

Data Storage Location

Roam cloud servers (third-party controlled)

Local device or user-chosen cloud storage

Mobile App Support

iOS, Android, Web (all full-featured)

iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)

Free Trial Period(days)

30 days free trial

Unlimited (fully free tier)

Storage Location

Local device

—

Data Ownership

100% local (user controls all files)

—

Monthly Cost(USD)

Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)

—

Offline Capability(Percentage)

Complete (100%)

—

Database & Relation Support

Basic (via plugins only)

—

Native AI Features

No (plugin-based only)

—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)

1000+ (community plugins)

—

Community Plugins(count)

1000+

—

AI integration

Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)

—

Offline Functionality(percentage)

100%

—

Setup Time(minutes)

30-45

—

API Access(available)

Limited (HTTP API beta)

—

Funding Raised(millions USD)

Bootstrapped (private)

—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)

9 (advanced graph visualization)

—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)

5-15 (markdown basics)

—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)

7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)

—

Data Export / Portability(format support)

Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)

—

Architecture

Local Markdown files

—

Note format

Plain Markdown

—

Data portability

Native Markdown (always portable)

—

Open Source

No (free but proprietary)

—

Collaboration

No (single-player by default)

—

Sync

Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox

—

Mobile app quality

Yes

—

Outliner / block linking

Via Outliner plugin

—

Bidirectional links

Yes (via [[links]])

—

Graph / network view

Yes — link graph

—

Database / table view

Via Dataview plugin

—

Templates

Yes (community + core)

—

Show 2 more attributes

Kanban / tasks

Via plugins

—

Spaced repetition

Via Spaced Repetition plugin

—

Plugin / app ecosystem

1,500+ community plugins

—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)

10-15 minutes

—

Data Format(portability score)

Standard markdown (high portability)

—

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)

70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)

—

Maximum Note Size(MB)

Unlimited (device storage dependent)

—

Full Comparison

Attribute	Roam Research	Obsidian

Starting Price(USD/month)	$15/month	—
Annual Subscription Cost(USD)	$165	Free (with optional $50 Sync)
Free Plan	No	—
Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD)	$165	—
Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)	$15/month or $180/year	—
Show 12 more attributes Annual Cost (Committed Plan)(USD) $165/year — Base Subscription Cost(USD/month) $15/month Free (Sync $8/month optional) Annual Cost (Individual)(USD) $180/year $0-96/year (depending on add-ons) Base Monthly Cost(USD) $15/month $0/month (free tier) Annual Cost (Single User)(USD) $180/year $0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync) Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD) $0 (free) — Sync Service Cost(USD/year) $96 — One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD) $89 — Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD) $0 (not designed for teams) — Price (personal) Free — Price (sync) Obsidian Sync $4/mo — Price (team) N/A (no team plan) —

User Rating(stars out of 5)	8/10	—

Native Tools/Integrations(count)	44 native tools plus MCP servers	—
Built-in AI Features	Multi-provider LLM support with AI agents	—
API Access	API access with scheduled jobs coming soon	—
Search Query Flexibility	Advanced backlink queries	—
Native Mobile Apps	iOS and Android (native, feature-complete)	—
Show 6 more attributes Bidirectional Linking(null) Yes - automatic backlinks and graph visualization — Advanced Query Language Datalog with RoamScript — Offline Functionality Requires internet connection Full offline access Available Plugins/Extensions(count) ~50 official extensions 1000+ community plugins Team Collaboration Features(count) Minimal (plugin-dependent) — Built-in Task Management(feature completeness) Via plugins only —

Collaboration Capacity(collaborators)	Unlimited collaborators	—

Core Strength	Bidirectional linking and networked graphs	—
Offline Access(capability)	Limited cached access only	Full offline support included
Graph View Visualization(feature)	Built-in interactive graph with density indicators	Built-in graph with plugin enhancements

Target User Type	Researchers, knowledge workers, academics	—

Concurrent Collaborators(users)	Unlimited	—
Real-time Collaboration(users)	Native multi-user editing	No native support
Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)	Unlimited (built-in)	0 (no native support)

Native API Access	Yes, full API	—

Spaced Repetition Features	No native support	—

Database/Table Customization	Basic views	—

Discord Community Size(members)	~35,000	—
Active User Base (approximate)(millions)	3+ million active users	—

Supported Platforms	Web (primary), limited iOS/Android	5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)	Unlimited with real-time editing	—

Free Storage Tier(GB)	None (paid only)	—
Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)	Unlimited	—

Typical Learning Curve(hours)	40-50 hours	—
Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)	40-60 hours for advanced use	—
Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)	8/10 (gentle)	—

AI Search Queries Per Month (Free Tier)(queries)	Not available	—

Knowledge Graph Visualization	Native visual graphs	—

Mobile App Feature Parity(%)	60% of desktop features	—

Data Storage Model	Cloud-based (Roam servers)	—

Source Code License	Closed-source proprietary	—

Maximum Database Size(TB)	Unlimited (cloud-based)	—

Export Formats(formats supported)	JSON, Markdown, EDN	—
Storage Format(format type)	Proprietary JSON (Edn format)	Standard Markdown (.md files)

Community Plugins Available(count)	~150 plugins	1,000+ plugins

Users (Estimated)(millions)	1.5M+ registered (2024)	5M+ downloads on mobile alone
Active Users	~1M+	—
Monthly Active Users(millions)	~2.5M (estimated)	—

Data Storage Location	Roam cloud servers (third-party controlled)	Local device or user-chosen cloud storage

Mobile App Support	iOS, Android, Web (all full-featured)	iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)

Free Trial Period(days)	30 days free trial	Unlimited (fully free tier)

Storage Location	Local device	—
Data Ownership	100% local (user controls all files)	—

Monthly Cost(USD)	Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)	—

Offline Capability(Percentage)	Complete (100%)	—

Database & Relation Support	Basic (via plugins only)	—

Native AI Features	No (plugin-based only)	—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)	1000+ (community plugins)	—
Community Plugins(count)	1000+	—
AI integration	Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)	—

Offline Functionality(percentage)	100%	—

Setup Time(minutes)	30-45	—

API Access(available)	Limited (HTTP API beta)	—

Funding Raised(millions USD)	Bootstrapped (private)	—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)	9 (advanced graph visualization)	—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)	5-15 (markdown basics)	—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)	7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)	—

Data Export / Portability(format support)	Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)	—

Architecture	Local Markdown files	—
Note format	Plain Markdown	—
Data portability	Native Markdown (always portable)	—

Open Source	No (free but proprietary)	—

Collaboration	No (single-player by default)	—
Sync	Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox	—

Mobile app quality	Yes	—

Outliner / block linking	Via Outliner plugin	—
Bidirectional links	Yes (via [[links]])	—
Graph / network view	Yes — link graph	—
Database / table view	Via Dataview plugin	—
Templates	Yes (community + core)	—
Show 2 more attributes Kanban / tasks Via plugins — Spaced repetition Via Spaced Repetition plugin —

Plugin / app ecosystem	1,500+ community plugins	—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)	10-15 minutes	—

Data Format(portability score)	Standard markdown (high portability)	—

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)	70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)	—

Maximum Note Size(MB)	Unlimited (device storage dependent)	—

Roam Research

Obsidian

Starting Price(USD/month)

$15/month

—

Annual Subscription Cost(USD)

$165

Free (with optional $50 Sync)

Free Plan

—

Annual Cost (Base Plan)(USD)

$165

—

Monthly Subscription Cost(USD)

$15/month or $180/year

—

Show 12 more attributes

Annual Cost (Committed Plan)(USD)

$165/year

—

Base Subscription Cost(USD/month)

$15/month

Free (Sync $8/month optional)

Annual Cost (Individual)(USD)

$180/year

$0-96/year (depending on add-ons)

Base Monthly Cost(USD)

$15/month

$0/month (free tier)

Annual Cost (Single User)(USD)

$180/year

$0/year (or $120 with Obsidian Sync)

Monthly Cost (Individual)(USD)

$0 (free)

—

Sync Service Cost(USD/year)

$96

—

One-Time / Lifetime Cost(USD)

$89

—

Monthly Team Subscription (5 users)(USD)

$0 (not designed for teams)

—

Price (personal)

Free

—

Price (sync)

Obsidian Sync $4/mo

—

Price (team)

N/A (no team plan)

—

User Rating(stars out of 5)

8/10

—

Native Tools/Integrations(count)

44 native tools plus MCP servers

—

Built-in AI Features

Multi-provider LLM support with AI agents

—

API Access

API access with scheduled jobs coming soon

—

Search Query Flexibility

Advanced backlink queries

—

Native Mobile Apps

iOS and Android (native, feature-complete)

—

Show 6 more attributes

Bidirectional Linking(null)

Yes - automatic backlinks and graph visualization

—

Advanced Query Language

Datalog with RoamScript

—

Offline Functionality

Requires internet connection

Full offline access

Available Plugins/Extensions(count)

~50 official extensions

1000+ community plugins

Team Collaboration Features(count)

Minimal (plugin-dependent)

—

Built-in Task Management(feature completeness)

Via plugins only

—

Collaboration Capacity(collaborators)

Unlimited collaborators

—

Core Strength

Bidirectional linking and networked graphs

—

Offline Access(capability)

Limited cached access only

Full offline support included

Graph View Visualization(feature)

Built-in interactive graph with density indicators

Built-in graph with plugin enhancements

Target User Type

Researchers, knowledge workers, academics

—

Concurrent Collaborators(users)

Unlimited

—

Real-time Collaboration(users)

Native multi-user editing

No native support

Real-time Collaboration Users(concurrent users)

Unlimited (built-in)

0 (no native support)

Native API Access

Yes, full API

—

Spaced Repetition Features

No native support

—

Database/Table Customization

Basic views

—

Discord Community Size(members)

~35,000

—

Active User Base (approximate)(millions)

3+ million active users

—

Supported Platforms

Web (primary), limited iOS/Android

5 (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android)

Native Collaboration Features(simultaneous users)

Unlimited with real-time editing

—

Free Storage Tier(GB)

None (paid only)

—

Storage Capacity (Free Plan)(GB)

Unlimited

—

Typical Learning Curve(hours)

40-50 hours

—

Learning Curve (hours to proficiency)(hours)

40-60 hours for advanced use

—

Learning Curve (Ease Score)(1-10 scale)

8/10 (gentle)

—

AI Search Queries Per Month (Free Tier)(queries)

Not available

—

Knowledge Graph Visualization

Native visual graphs

—

Mobile App Feature Parity(%)

60% of desktop features

—

Data Storage Model

Cloud-based (Roam servers)

—

Source Code License

Closed-source proprietary

—

Maximum Database Size(TB)

Unlimited (cloud-based)

—

Export Formats(formats supported)

JSON, Markdown, EDN

—

Storage Format(format type)

Proprietary JSON (Edn format)

Standard Markdown (.md files)

Community Plugins Available(count)

~150 plugins

1,000+ plugins

Users (Estimated)(millions)

1.5M+ registered (2024)

5M+ downloads on mobile alone

Active Users

~1M+

—

Monthly Active Users(millions)

~2.5M (estimated)

—

Data Storage Location

Roam cloud servers (third-party controlled)

Local device or user-chosen cloud storage

Mobile App Support

iOS, Android, Web (all full-featured)

iOS and Android available (limited features on free tier)

Free Trial Period(days)

30 days free trial

Unlimited (fully free tier)

Storage Location

Local device

—

Data Ownership

100% local (user controls all files)

—

Monthly Cost(USD)

Free (sync $8-10/mo optional)

—

Offline Capability(Percentage)

Complete (100%)

—

Database & Relation Support

Basic (via plugins only)

—

Native AI Features

No (plugin-based only)

—

Plugin Ecosystem Size(plugins available)

1000+ (community plugins)

—

Community Plugins(count)

1000+

—

AI integration

Via plugins (Copilot, Smart Connections)

—

Offline Functionality(percentage)

100%

—

Setup Time(minutes)

30-45

—

API Access(available)

Limited (HTTP API beta)

—

Funding Raised(millions USD)

Bootstrapped (private)

—

Bidirectional Linking Quality(scale 1-10)

9 (advanced graph visualization)

—

Setup Time (minutes to usable state)(minutes)

5-15 (markdown basics)

—

Mobile App Quality(rating 1-10)

7 (Obsidian Mobile, good)

—

Data Export / Portability(format support)

Markdown + Attachments (fully portable)

—

Architecture

Local Markdown files

—

Note format

Plain Markdown

—

Data portability

Native Markdown (always portable)

—

Open Source

No (free but proprietary)

—

Collaboration

No (single-player by default)

—

Sync

Obsidian Sync ($4/mo) or iCloud/Dropbox

—

Mobile app quality

Yes

—

Outliner / block linking

Via Outliner plugin

—

Bidirectional links

Yes (via [[links]])

—

Graph / network view

Yes — link graph

—

Database / table view

Via Dataview plugin

—

Templates

Yes (community + core)

—

Show 2 more attributes

Kanban / tasks

Via plugins

—

Spaced repetition

Via Spaced Repetition plugin

—

Plugin / app ecosystem

1,500+ community plugins

—

Time to First Note (Setup)(minutes)

10-15 minutes

—

Data Format(portability score)

Standard markdown (high portability)

—

Mobile App Feature Completeness(percentage of desktop)

70% feature parity (plugins limited on mobile)

—

Maximum Note Size(MB)

Unlimited (device storage dependent)

—

Roam Research vs Obsidian

Roam Research

Obsidian

Short Answer

Our Verdict

Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

Related Comparisons

Related Articles

Explore Entities

More Software

People Also Compare

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

Roam Research

Pros

Cons

Obsidian

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Where to Buy

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Roam Research vs Obsidian

Roam Research

Obsidian

Short Answer

Our Verdict

🔔Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

Related Comparisons

Related Articles

Explore Entities

More Software

People Also Compare

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

Roam Research

Pros

Cons

Obsidian

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Where to Buy

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Track this comparison