Key differences, specifications and fit guidance for Notion and Obsidian, compiled from official documentation and the iThub profiles.
Notion is a hosted workspace from Notion Labs, Inc. for documents, wikis, databases and projects, with Notion Agent, Custom Agents, an MCP server, a REST API, desktop apps for macOS and Windows, and mobile apps for iOS and Android.
Obsidian is a free note-taking app by Dynalist Inc. that stores notes as local Markdown files, with links, graph view, Canvas, Bases, a CLI and community plugins, plus optional paid Sync and Publish services.
Choose Notion if your team needs a shared cloud workspace with databases, page permissions and admin controls, and choose Obsidian if you want your notes kept as plain Markdown files on your own device. Notion stores workspace data in its cloud, works offline in its desktop and mobile apps, and charges per seat on paid plans. Obsidian is free with no sign-up, keeps each vault as a local folder, and charges only for optional Sync and Publish add-ons. The deciding factor is team collaboration versus file ownership: Notion builds sharing into every page, while Obsidian adds team access through shared vaults in paid Sync.
Choose Notion ifShortlist Notion for shared workspaces and collaborative databases where a managed service fits the organization.
Choose Obsidian ifShortlist Obsidian for local Markdown-based knowledge and extensible personal or file-centered workflows.
| Aspect | Notion | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Product type and data model | Notion is a hosted workspace built from pages and databases, and databases support subtasks, dependencies and custom properties for tracking work next to documentation. | Obsidian is a note-taking app that saves notes as plain text Markdown files in a vault, which is simply a folder on your local file system. |
| Data storage and ownership | Notion says your data is always backed up in its cloud. You can export a page, a database or the entire workspace at any time, including as HTML, Markdown and CSV. | Notes stay on your device, and Obsidian says that data is inaccessible to it. Because notes are plain text files, other editors and file managers can open and edit them directly. |
| Offline access | Notion can be used offline in its desktop and mobile apps, and recent and favorite pages download automatically for offline use. | Obsidian is designed to work without an internet connection because notes live on the device, and Sync merges changes once you reconnect. |
| Collaboration and permissions | Pages can be shared with members, groups, teamspaces and guests, and each person or group can receive its own permission level, such as full access or can edit. | Team work runs through shared vaults in the paid Sync service, where notes update in real time across the team's devices. |
| Pricing model | Notion charges per seat: Free at $0, Plus at $10 and Business at $20 per seat per month, with Enterprise sold through sales. | The core app is free with no sign-up. Sync starts at $4 per month, Publish is billed per site, and a Commercial license is optional even for work use. |
| Extensibility and API | Notion offers a public API for building tools and automations that create pages, organize data and share feedback in a workspace. | Obsidian is extended with thousands of community plugins and themes built on its plugin API, which gives plugins access to the files and folders in the vault. |
| Platforms and apps | Notion runs on desktop, on the web and on mobile, with desktop apps for Windows and macOS. | Obsidian apps cover Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, and Sync can even run headless on a server. |
| Security and privacy | Paid tiers add SAML single sign-on and SCIM user provisioning, and on Enterprise workspaces the LLM providers behind Notion AI apply zero data retention. | Obsidian says its apps collect no telemetry and never sell user data. Sync adds end-to-end encryption and version history for every note. |
From the iThub profiles. “Not recorded” means the profile does not confirm it. Confirm prices and editions with each vendor.
| Attribute | Notion | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free edition or plan ↗ | Free edition or plan ↗ |
| API | Yes ↗ | Yes ↗ |
| Founded | Not recorded | 2020 |
| Headquarters | San Francisco, California, USA | Canada |
| GitHub stars | Not recorded | Not recorded |
| Documentation | Official docs ↗ | Official docs ↗ |
NotionNotion is a hosted workspace made by Notion Labs, Inc. Its about page describes it as an all-in-one workspace assembled from building blocks, so that task lists, product roadmaps and design repositories live in one place, and states that the company is based in San Francisco with offices around the world. The homepage cites 100 million users in over 50 countries and use by 62% of the Fortune 100.
The core unit is the page, which is made of blocks such as headings, paragraphs and lists and can hold text, media and embedded content. Databases are collections of pages with properties and views such as tables, and they are used for task tracking, roadmaps and other structured work. Pages can be organized into teamspaces and wikis, published as sites, or turned into forms. Notion Calendar is a separate app for scheduling, and the Notion Web Clipper saves web pages into Notion from Chrome.
ObsidianObsidian is a note-taking and personal knowledge management application that stores notes as plain-text Markdown files in a local folder, called a vault, on the user's device. The official site describes it as free without limits and lists links between notes, an interactive graph, an infinite canvas and thousands of community plugins and themes. No account is needed to download or use the app; according to the license overview, Obsidian is free for personal, commercial, non-profit, educational and government use.
Obsidian is made by a small team. The About page names Erica Xu, co-founder and COO, who started Obsidian in 2020, Shida Li, co-founder and CTO, and Steph Ango, CEO. The terms of service give the legal business name as Dynalist Inc. and state that the services are operated from offices within Canada. The company describes itself as 100 percent user-supported rather than investor-funded, and its manifesto lists five principles: yours, durable, private, malleable and independent.
Notion and Obsidian represent different knowledge workflows. The decision turns on collaboration, local files, offline use, data ownership, permissions and how much structure the team needs.
Test export and recovery before moving important knowledge. A polished editor does not guarantee a durable migration path or workable access model.
Import representative documents, links, code blocks and attachments. Test concurrent editing, search, offline access, permissions, export and restoration into a clean environment.
Read the editorial guide for use cases, trade-offs and recommendations →
Yes. The Obsidian app is free, needs no sign-up, and you are not required to buy a commercial license even for work use, although Obsidian encourages organizations to buy one. You pay only for optional services: Sync, which starts at $4 per month, and Publish, which is billed per site. Notion, by contrast, charges per seat once you move beyond its Free plan.
No. Notion is a hosted service without a self-hosted edition, and Notion says your data is always backed up in its cloud. For a local copy, you can export a page, a database or the entire workspace at any time, and workspace exports are available as HTML, Markdown and CSV. Obsidian, by contrast, keeps notes as local Markdown files on your device.
Yes, through the paid Obsidian Sync service. Sync lets you invite your team to a shared vault, and notes update in real time across the team's devices. Notion builds sharing into every page, with separate permission levels for each person, group or teamspace.
Notion can export any non-database page as a Markdown file, and full page databases as CSV files with a Markdown file for each subpage. Obsidian stores notes as plain text Markdown files in a vault folder, so exported Markdown files can be placed in a vault. Callout blocks export as HTML because Markdown has no equivalent, so test a sample before migrating.
Yes, in the desktop and mobile apps. Notion lists offline use on the desktop and mobile app, and recent and favorite pages download automatically for offline use. Obsidian works offline by design because notes are stored on your device, and Sync merges changes when you are back online.
Notion is a hosted, collaborative workspace where pages and databases live in Notion's cloud and are shared with page-level permissions. Obsidian is a local-first app that saves notes as plain Markdown files in a folder on your device, with collaboration available through its paid Sync service. The choice comes down to built-in team sharing versus owning your files.
Facts on this page come from these official pages, checked on , and from the iThub profiles. Vendors change plans and features: confirm with them before buying.
