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
1529 times
since March 2021.
social mentions
1,529 vs 0
Note Taking popularity
97% vs 3%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 113
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.
Handwriting Experience Squid Notes offers a natural handwriting experience, allowing users to write or draw with a stylus as if on paper.
Versatile Input Options Supports a variety of input methods including stylus, finger, or keyboard, making it versatile for different user preferences.
PDF Import and Annotation Provides the ability to import PDFs and annotate them directly in the app, which is useful for editing or marking up documents.
Customizable Organization Notes can be organized into notebooks and pages, and users have the ability to customize the structure to suit their style.
Infinite Canvas Features an infinite canvas, which allows users to write or draw without being constrained by page limits.
Possible disadvantages
Platform Limitation Primarily designed for Android devices, limiting its availability and native experience on other platforms like iOS.
Limited Cloud Integration Offers limited cloud service integrations compared to some competitors, potentially complicating sync and backup needs.
Paid Features Some advanced features require a subscription, which might not be ideal for users seeking a completely free tool.
Learning Curve Users new to digital handwriting apps might experience a learning curve when adapting to Squid’s interface and features.
Text Conversion Lacks robust handwriting-to-text conversion capabilities, which can be a downside for users needing this functionality.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
ObsidianSquid 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.
One thing to note: Notion bills itself as an Evernote competitor for personal users. It can be—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...
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...
Whether you are writing a to-do list, meeting notes, journal entries, study notes, or project plans, SquidNotes makes your note-taking experience pleasurable and efficient. SquidNotes renders the notes you make in...
Social recommendations and mentions
Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.
The agents remember with Engram, but I need to remember too. Obsidian is my second brain: ideas, projects, and resources in one place.
- Source: dev.to
/
4 days ago
Notion vs Obsidian for Solo Work (2026): Cloud Workspace or Local Markdown?
Obsidian, homepage (local plain-text Markdown storage, offline access, links/graph, featured community plugins).
- Source: dev.to
/
4 days ago
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
/
22 days ago
Bring your life's work together in one digital workspace. Evernote is the place to collect inspirational ideas, write meaningful words, and move your important projects forward.
Get the OneNote app for free on your tablet, phone, and computer, so you can capture your ideas and to-do lists in one place wherever you are. Or try OneNote with Office for free.
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.
Combine handwriting, photos and typing in a single note to bring your projects to life. Use a wide range of note-taking and sketching tools to capture every detail. You can even add and annotate PDFs in Notability.
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