Software Alternatives & Startups

Obsidian VS KeepNote

Compare Obsidian VS KeepNote 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
KeepNote

KeepNote: note-taking and organization.

Rating
0 reviews
Pricing
Open source

Which is more popular?

Based on our record, Obsidian seems to be a lot more popular than KeepNote. While we know about 1527 links to Obsidian, we've tracked only 4 mentions of KeepNote.

social mentions
1,527 vs 4
Note Taking popularity
98% vs 2%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 74

Base details

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

Obsidian
KeepNote
Website obsidian.md keepnote.org
Pricing
Open source
Company Startup from the United States —
Listed in

Features and specs

What each product offers, as listed by its team.

Obsidian 6 features
KeepNote 6 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.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    KeepNote is a cross-platform application, which means it runs on multiple operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux.
  • Rich-Text Format
    It allows the creation of notes in a rich-text format, enabling users to use different fonts, colors, and styles for better organization and readability.
  • Tree Hierarchy
    The software provides a tree structure for organizing notes, making it easy for users to categorize and navigate through their notes.
  • Search Functionality
    KeepNote includes a search feature that helps users quickly find notes or specific content within notes.
  • Backup and Restore
    The application allows users to back up their notes and restore them when necessary, providing data protection and recovery options.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, KeepNote allows developers to modify and improve the software to better suit their needs.

Possible disadvantages

  • Outdated User Interface
    The user interface feels outdated compared to modern note-taking applications, lacking a sleek and intuitive design.
  • Limited Features
    KeepNote does not have as many features as some other note-taking apps, such as integration with other software or advanced collaboration tools.
  • Lack of Cloud Sync
    KeepNote does not offer built-in cloud synchronization, which means notes cannot be automatically synced across multiple devices without third-party solutions.
  • No Mobile App
    There is no dedicated mobile application for KeepNote, limiting its usability on handheld devices like smartphones and tablets.
  • Slow Updates
    The development and updates to KeepNote are infrequent, which means new features or bug fixes may take a long time to be released.

Analysis

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

Obsidian
KeepNote

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.

No analysis of KeepNote yet.

Videos

Walkthroughs and reviews on video.

Obsidian 1 video + Add
KeepNote 2 videos + Add

OBSIDIAN: Getting Started, Facts & Pricing

keepnote | What is KeepNote | Keepnote for Kali linux | Keepnote for windows

More videos

  • - 03 03 Write Down Your Findings Using KeepNote

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
KeepNote
98% 98%
2% 2%
100% 100%
0% 0%
0% 0%
100% 100%
100% 100%
0% 0%

User comments

Share your experience with using Obsidian and KeepNote. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

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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
KeepNote no reviews yet

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We have no reviews of KeepNote yet. Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

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

Obsidian 1527 mentions
KeepNote 4 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 / 3 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 / 10 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

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  • How do you guys learn all linux commands/ programs?
    - for organized topics, for example, if I am learning something, I use keepnote (http://keepnote.org). Source: almost 4 years ago
  • What makes people hate electron ?
    There's exactly one non-webapp Electron-based application that I like and use semi-regularly -- Notable, because it has a skilled developer behind it, enough feature improvement to lure me away from KeepNote, and uses standard markdown... Source: almost 4 years ago
  • How do you take notes during online training?
    I use KeepNote. Very simple to use, Great for complex note taking. Even better when combined with GreenShot (Powerful screenshoting tool). Source: almost 5 years ago

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Alternatives to Obsidian and KeepNote

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