Software Alternatives & Startups

Obsidian VS Box Notes

Compare Obsidian VS Box Notes and see what are their differences

Obsidian

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.

Rating
5.0 · 2 reviews
Box Notes

Box Notes: take meeting notes, share status updates and plan projects together instantly. Online, across devices.

Rating
0 reviews

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Obsidian seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned 1527 times since March 2021.

social mentions
1,527 vs 0
Note Taking popularity
97% vs 3%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 149

Base details

Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.

Obsidian
Box Notes
Website obsidian.md box.com
Pricing
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Obsidian 6 features
Box Notes 5 features
  • 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

  • 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.
  • Collaboration
    Box Notes offers real-time collaboration, allowing multiple users to work on the same document simultaneously. This feature is particularly useful for teams that need to brainstorm or work together on projects remotely.
  • Integration with Box
    As part of the Box ecosystem, Box Notes integrates smoothly with other Box services, providing seamless access to documents stored in Box and ensuring that notes are easily synchronized and backed up.
  • Ease of Use
    The interface of Box Notes is simple and intuitive, making it easy for users to create and edit notes without a steep learning curve.
  • Security Features
    Box provides strong security measures, including encryption and access controls, ensuring that notes are secure and that sensitive information is protected.
  • Note Sharing
    Users can easily share notes with others, controlling access levels to ensure that only the right people can view or edit the document.

Possible disadvantages

  • Limited Features
    Compared to other note-taking applications, Box Notes offers fewer formatting options and lacks some advanced features that power users might need.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported experiencing lags or slow performance, especially when working with larger documents or under certain network conditions.
  • Offline Access
    Box Notes is heavily reliant on an internet connection, which can make it challenging to access and edit notes without connectivity, limiting its use in offline scenarios.
  • Mobile Experience
    While Box Notes does offer mobile access, the experience and feature set can be limited compared to the desktop version, affecting usability for mobile-first users.
  • Lack of Advanced Editing Tools
    For users needing features like advanced text formatting, integration with third-party applications, or sophisticated task management tools, Box Notes may fall short.

Analysis

An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.

Obsidian
Box Notes

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.

Overall verdict

  • Box Notes is a good option for teams looking for a simple, effective way to collaborate on documents in real-time, especially if they are already using Box as their primary content management system. While it may not have all the advanced features of other standalone note-taking apps, its integration with Box's other services can offer a more streamlined workflow for its users.

Why this product is good

  • Box Notes is a collaboration tool from Box.com that offers users the ability to create, share, and collaborate in real-time on documents. It is particularly well-suited for teams that already use Box as their primary storage solution because it seamlessly integrates with other Box functionalities, providing a unified experience. The tool is simple to use and supports basic text formatting, making it easy to create notes, meeting agendas, or any collaborative document without the distraction of overly complex features. Additionally, since it's part of the Box ecosystem, it benefits from Box's robust security and compliance standards, ensuring that all notes are safely stored and managed.

Recommended for

  • Teams and organizations that are already using Box for storage and collaboration.
  • Users looking for a secure platform for sharing and managing notes and documents.
  • Collaborators who need real-time editing capabilities in a user-friendly interface.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Obsidian 1 video + Add
Box Notes 3 videos + Add

OBSIDIAN: Getting Started, Facts & Pricing

Box Notes | Early thoughts on the note-taking app! 🗒

More videos

  • - Box Notes Desktop App Review
  • - Box Notes - Real-time online note-taking for teams

Category popularity

How often each product is chosen within a category, 0–100% relative to the other.

Score bands 0–20 21–40 41–50 51–60 61–100
Obsidian
Box Notes
97% 97%
3% 3%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

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Reviews and articles

External articles and on-site reviews we used to compare the two products.

Obsidian 5.0 · 2 reviews
Box Notes no reviews yet

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Social recommendations and mentions

Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.

Obsidian 1527 mentions
Box Notes 0 mentions
  • Take Your AI's Questions Out of the Terminal
    This is a decision page. Claude Code wrote it after reading a project's notes, and it shows the detail a chat question leaves out. I answer it in Obsidian. - Source: dev.to / 5 days ago
  • How can software developers stay motivated at work?
    For note-taking, I recommend Obsidian. It's lightweight, has a large community, and offers plenty of useful plugins. I use the Timekeep plugin myself, which helps me connect tasks with the time spent on them. - Source: dev.to / 12 days ago
  • Hermes Agent Use Cases: 5 Free Things You Can Set Up Today (2026)
    The setup that makes the output noticeably sharper is a memory layer. Connecting a plain-text notes app like Obsidian (free for personal use) gives the agent durable context: what your project is about, who it is for, and what you have... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago

View more

Tracking Box Notes since Mar 2021.

Alternatives to Obsidian and Box Notes

When comparing Obsidian and Box Notes, you can also consider the following products.