Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Obsidian.md VS Solid Explorer

Compare Obsidian.md VS Solid Explorer and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Obsidian.md logo Obsidian.md

A second brain, for you, forever. Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files.

Solid Explorer logo Solid Explorer

Solid Explorer is a powerful Android file manager featuring access to most popular cloud storages, root access and easy extensibility.
  • Obsidian.md Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-01
  • Solid Explorer Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-09-25

Obsidian.md features and specs

  • Local-first
    Obsidian stores your notes locally on your device, giving you full control over your data and enhancing privacy.
  • Markdown Support
    Obsidian uses Markdown, making it easy to format text and compatible with many other text editors and tools.
  • Bidirectional Linking
    You can create bidirectional links between notes, which helps in building a knowledge graph and navigating related information more easily.
  • Customizability
    Obsidian is highly customizable with community plugins, themes, and various settings to fit different workflows.
  • Graph View
    Provides a visual graph view of your notes and their connections, aiding in understanding relationships and discovering insights.
  • Offline Access
    Since the notes are stored locally, you can access and edit them without an internet connection.

Possible disadvantages of Obsidian.md

  • Learning Curve
    Obsidian can be complex and overwhelming for beginners due to its extensive features and customizable nature.
  • Sync Limitations
    While local-first is great for privacy, it requires additional steps or third-party solutions for syncing across devices.
  • No True Real-time Collaboration
    Obsidian lacks native real-time collaboration features, making it less suitable for collaborative work compared to cloud-based solutions.
  • Limited Mobile Features
    The mobile version of Obsidian, while functional, is not as robust as the desktop application, potentially hindering productivity on the go.
  • Dependence on Plugins
    Many advanced features require the use of third-party plugins, which could lead to compatibility issues and reliance on community support.
  • Performance on Large Vaults
    Performance might degrade with a very large number of notes or complex graphs, impacting usability.

Solid Explorer features and specs

  • User Interface
    Solid Explorer has a clean and visually appealing user interface that supports both light and dark themes, making it pleasant to use.
  • Dual-pane mode
    The app supports a dual-pane mode, which allows you to manage files in two different locations simultaneously, enhancing productivity.
  • Cloud Storage Integration
    Solid Explorer supports a wide range of cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, OneDrive, and more, allowing for seamless file management across different platforms.
  • File Encryption
    The app includes features for encrypting and decrypting files, providing an extra layer of security for sensitive information.
  • Customization Options
    Solid Explorer offers extensive customization options, allowing users to change themes, icon sets, and layout to fit their preference.
  • Root Access
    It supports root access for rooted devices, enabling advanced file management tasks such as modifying system files.

Possible disadvantages of Solid Explorer

  • Payment Required
    Solid Explorer offers a 14-day trial period, after which a one-time payment is required to continue using the app, which might deter some users.
  • Occasional Bugs
    Some users have reported occasional bugs and crashes, which can disrupt the file management experience.
  • Storage Permissions
    The app requires extensive storage permissions, which some users might find concerning from a privacy standpoint.
  • Resource Intensive
    Solid Explorer can be resource-intensive, consuming more battery and memory compared to some of its competitors.
  • Limited Free Features
    While the app is feature-rich, the free version has limited functionalities, which could be a downside for users not willing to pay.

Analysis of Obsidian.md

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Obsidian.md is an excellent tool for users looking for a versatile and powerful note-taking application. Its unique features such as backlinking, markdown support, and robust customization options make it a favorite among knowledge management enthusiasts.

Why this product is good

  • Obsidian.md is considered good by many users because it is a powerful knowledge management and note-taking application that leverages Markdown for document formatting. It allows for bi-directional linking between notes, which helps in creating a network of interconnected ideas, often described as a 'second brain.' Its ability to support plugins, themes, and robust graph visualization also adds to its appeal. Additionally, it stores notes locally, ensuring privacy and data ownership, while being cross-platform compatible across Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Recommended for

  • Knowledge workers who need a powerful tool to organize and connect their thoughts.
  • Students who are looking to create a structured and visually interconnected note system.
  • Writers and researchers who benefit from linking related ideas and maintaining detailed notes.
  • Tech-savvy users or developers who appreciate the local storage and open ecosystem for plugins and customization.

Analysis of Solid Explorer

Overall verdict

  • Solid Explorer is generally considered a good file management app, appreciated for its comprehensive functionality and ease of use. It is well-regarded for providing solid performance and reliability.

Why this product is good

  • Solid Explorer is popular for its clean and intuitive user interface, robust file management features, and strong support for cloud storage integration. It offers dual-pane navigation, file encryption, and extensive customization options, making it versatile for various file management needs.

Recommended for

  • Users looking for a feature-rich file manager with cloud integration
  • Those who appreciate customizable interfaces
  • Users who need efficient file management on Android devices
  • Individuals looking for secure file encryption options

Obsidian.md videos

OBSIDIAN: Getting Started, Facts & Pricing

Solid Explorer videos

Es File Explorer Vs Solid Explorer

More videos:

  • Review - 8 Cool Things You Can do with Solid Explorer - Best ES File Explorer Alternative
  • Review - best paid android apps 2016 - Solid explorer file manager (Review, Pros, Cons, Does It Worth It)

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Obsidian.md and Solid Explorer)
Knowledge Management
100 100%
0% 0
File Manager
0 0%
100% 100
Note Taking
100 100%
0% 0
File Explorer
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Obsidian.md and Solid Explorer

Obsidian.md Reviews

  1. The kind of software that may change your life

    Perhaps you know someone who swears by Obsidian, it may seem like a cult of overly devoted people for how passionate they are, but it's not without reason

    I've been using Obsidian for over 3 years, at a point in my life when I felt I had to handle too much information and I felt like grasping water not being able to remember everything I wanted, language learning, programming, accounting, university, daily tasks. A friend recommended it to me next to Notion (of which he is a passionate cultist priest) and I reluctantly picked it and fell in love almost immediately.

    Obsidian seems very simple, like a notepad with folder interface, similar to Sublime Text, but the ability to link files together in a Wiki style allows you to organize ideas in any way you want, one file may lead to a dozen or more ideas that are related

    If you want to do something specific, Obsidian has a plethora of community created plugins that expand the functionality, in my case, I use obsidian to organize my classes both as a teacher and as a student, using local databases, calendars, dictionaries, slides, vector graphic drawings, excel-like tables, Anki connection, podcasts, and more

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Notion, Evernote
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Awesome community|Custom plugins|Local hosting|Beautiful themes|Highly customizable|Cloud storage|Becomes more useful over time|Markdown support
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Seems complicated/complex at first|Takes time to set up your personal workspace|Overwhelming for first time user
  2. Stan
    ยท Founder at SaaSHub ยท
    My personal knowledge-base of choice

    I've been using Obsidian for more than a year. It's been great. I think it offer a great balance of control, flexibility and extensibility. What is more, you own your own data, that's been a must-have feature for me. I just can't imagine putting all my knowledge into something that I don't have control over.

    I think two of the most popular alternatives that people consider are Logseq and Roam Research. Although Logseq is a bit different, it's considered compatible with Obsidian. Supposedly, you can use them with a shared database (files. Both use simple text files for storage). I tried that once, a few months ago. It worked, yet it messed up a bit my Obsidian files ยฏ_(ใƒ„)_/ยฏ.

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: Logseq, Roam Research

The 6 best note-taking apps in 2024
One thing to note: Notion bills itself as an Evernote competitor for personal users. It can beโ€”but it's too much for most people, and its offline functionality isn't the best. If you love the idea of Notion, go right ahead and try the free Personal Plan, but for me, it's really best as a team notes app or an AI-powered notes app. Something like Obsidian (which we'll look at...
Source: zapier.com
The best note-taking apps for collecting your thoughts and data
This app is the kind of thing that, if youโ€™re into it, will have you exploring its various ins, outs, and add-ons for days and weeks on end. Obsidian uses the Markdown format for its notes (which means they can be used on a variety of other apps). Your notes and other media are kept locally in a Vault (in other words, a main folder). There are ways to sync between devices...
The 5 Best Open Source Miro Alternatives in 2024
However, it's important to note that Obsidian's whiteboard functionality is not as robust as dedicated collaboration tools. While it lacks real-time basic collaboration features, Obsidian compensates with its vibrant plugin ecosystem, empowering users to customize their experience.
Source: affine.pro
The best encrypted note taking apps
For a consumer coming from Evernote, Notion, OneNote, or a similar product, we would advise trying Obsidian along another product on this list as it has the largest learning curve. However, if you are an expert with markdown, experts, linking, and graph views, Obsidian could be an excellent choice. Like many other configuration options, Obsidian leaves end-to-end encryption...
Source: www.skiff.com
Supercharge Your Productivity: Three Recommended Tools for Thought
One of my AP Productivity: Cohort mentors has a powerful system pairing Obsidian with OmniFocus. In OmniFocus, he builds his project and task structures, and in Obsidian he develops and organizes the project support materials as well as other relevant information. Because itโ€™s easy to link to an Obsidian note or an OmniFocus project, he can seamlessly navigate back and forth...
Source: medium.com

Solid Explorer Reviews

The best third-party file managers for Android
Keep it simple with Simple File Manager Pro. Like Solid Explorer, the app is designed within the Material Design schematic, including using one floating action button to add a new file or folder. Simple File Manager Pro only works with localized files, however, and though it doesn't offer access to exterior cloud accounts, you can navigate root files, SD cards, and USB files...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Obsidian.md seems to be a lot more popular than Solid Explorer. While we know about 1520 links to Obsidian.md, we've tracked only 1 mention of Solid Explorer. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Obsidian.md mentions (1520)

  • Bringing Notes, WeChat Reading, and Zhihu into Obsidian: My LLM-Wiki Knowledge Hub
    Install Obsidian: Download the client from obsidian.md and create a local Vault โ€” just a local folder. - Source: dev.to / 17 days ago
  • Ask HN: New clean macOS install. Must-have apps? Best browser?
    Obsidian (https://obsidian.md/) Honestly its not huge and most are probably obvious, but those are what I immediately install on my machines. - Source: Hacker News / 21 days ago
  • Turning Kiro Into a Leadership Coach With Meeting Transcripts
    A place to store the feedback - I keep mine in an Obsidian vault, organised by type (interviewing, facilitation) and date. This makes trend tracking trivial. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • Best Markdown Editors for Developers
    Option 2: Dedicated markdown app.Typora, Obsidian, or similar. Better editing experience, but now you're context-switching between your code editor and your docs editor. Copy-pasting paths, losing mental context, duplicating effort. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
  • How to build a second brain with Obsidian and Claude Code (step by step)
    Obsidian is the storage. A desktop app that opens any folder of markdown files and adds links, search, and a graph view on top. Your files stay on your disk. No cloud unless you turn it on, no proprietary database, no export step. If you want your notes back, you already have them. - Source: dev.to / about 1 month ago
View more

Solid Explorer mentions (1)

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Obsidian.md and Solid Explorer, you can also consider the following products

Notion - All-in-one workspace. One tool for your whole team. Write, plan, and get organized.

MiXplorer - MiXplorer is a mobile app that was designed to make it easy to organize and manage the files on your Android device.

Logseq - Logseq is a local-first, non-linear, outliner notebook for organizing and sharing your personal knowledge base.

Total Commander - A Shareware file manager for Windowsยฎ 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP/Vista/7, and Windowsยฎ 3.1.

Joplin - Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor.

Amaze File Manager - Free and open-source Android file manager with no ads.