User-friendly, privacy-first & highly customizable native ChatGPT app for macOS. Support OpenAI, Azure OpenAI, Anthropic Claude & OpenRouter. Google Bard/PaLM & Cohere are coming.
Notes, tasks, passwords, journal, files, calendar, contacts and bookmarks, with mood and medication tracking. Encrypted on your device. Open source, no ads, no trackers. Free forever; Pro is a one-time purchase.
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Which is more popular?
Based on our record, Obsidian
seems to be more popular. It has been mentioned
1532 times
since March 2021.
social mentions
1,532 vs 0
Note Taking popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 55
Base details
Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.
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.
User-Friendly Interface MindMac offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate user interface, making it accessible for both beginners and advanced users.
Cross-Platform Compatibility MindMac works seamlessly across various devices and operating systems, allowing users to access their mind maps from anywhere.
Collaboration Features The app provides robust collaboration tools that enable multiple users to work on the same mind map simultaneously.
Rich Customization Options MindMac allows extensive customization of mind maps, including different themes, colors, and layouts to suit individual preferences.
Cloud Integration Integration with popular cloud services ensures that users can easily save and sync their mind maps.
Possible disadvantages
Subscription Cost MindMac operates on a subscription model which might be expensive for some users compared to one-time purchase apps.
Learning Curve Despite its user-friendly interface, some features may have a steep learning curve for new users.
Limited Offline Access The app's functionality may be reduced when not connected to the internet, affecting offline productivity.
Performance Issues Occasional performance issues or slowdowns have been reported, particularly when handling very large mind maps.
Feature Overload Some users may find the plethora of features overwhelming, especially if they only need basic mind mapping capabilities.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
ObsidianMindMac
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
MindMac is a well-regarded native macOS app that provides a polished, privacy-focused interface for interacting with multiple AI models, making it a solid choice for Mac users who want flexibility and control over their AI usage.
Why this product is good
Native macOS app offering a fast, lightweight, and integrated experience
Supports multiple AI providers and models including OpenAI, Azure, Google Gemini, Anthropic Claude, and local models
Uses your own API keys, so you pay only for what you use rather than a fixed subscription
Privacy-friendly design that stores data locally on your device
Handy productivity features like custom prompts, inline chat, and system-wide access via keyboard shortcuts
One-time purchase option available, which can be more cost-effective than recurring subscriptions
Recommended for
Mac users who prefer a native app over browser-based AI tools
People who already have API keys and want to control costs by paying per usage
Privacy-conscious users who want local data storage
Power users who want access to multiple AI models in one interface
Professionals and writers seeking quick, system-wide AI assistance
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This app is the kind of thing that, if you’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...
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...
The reasons live somewhere else: in practice notes in an Obsidian vault, one note per convention, with the repos it has held in. A note starts as an idea, moves to trialing, and only becomes enforced once I've applied it again in a few...
- Source: dev.to
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2 days ago
It's the team version of the second brain you build with Obsidian and Claude.
- Source: dev.to
/
6 days ago
Mine and yours first Obsidian plugin
The first time I downloaded Obsidian was about two years ago and I really liked the concept of storing everything locally in simple markdown files without unnecessary clutter.
- Source: dev.to
/
5 days ago
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