Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Obsidian VS Standard Notes

Compare Obsidian VS Standard Notes and see what are their differences

Obsidian logo Obsidian

GraphQL caching tool for the Deno runtime environment

Standard Notes logo Standard Notes

A safe place for your notes, thoughts, and life's work
  • Obsidian Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-04-26
  • Standard Notes Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21

Obsidian features and specs

  • Customizability
    Obsidian offers a high level of customizability, allowing users to personalize their workspace with plugins, themes, and settings to suit their workflow preferences.
  • Markdown Support
    It uses Markdown for writing and formatting, enabling users to create and manage plaintext notes that are easy to export and compatible with other Markdown-supporting applications.
  • Local Storage
    Obsidian stores notes locally on your device, providing greater privacy and control over data without relying on cloud services for storage.
  • Linking and Backlinking
    The software excels in creating connections between notes through bidirectional linking, helping users to build a network of related ideas and facilitating complex knowledge management.
  • Community and Extensions
    A vibrant community offers numerous third-party plugins and extensions, enhancing the basic functionality of Obsidian and helping users to expand its capabilities to meet diverse needs.

Possible disadvantages of Obsidian

  • Learning Curve
    Due to its extensive features and customizability, new users might face a steep learning curve when beginning to use Obsidian effectively.
  • Lack of Native Mobile App
    While Obsidian has mobile apps, some users feel they lack the full functionality and smooth experience of the desktop version, which can hinder productivity on the go.
  • No Built-in Cloud Sync
    Obsidian does not offer an integrated cloud syncing solution, requiring users to set up third-party cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive for cross-device access.
  • Resource Intensive with Large Vaults
    Handling very large vaults with numerous notes and extensive linking can become resource-intensive, potentially slowing down performance on less powerful devices.
  • Limited Task Management Features
    Obsidian is primarily a note-taking tool, and its built-in task management features are limited compared to dedicated task management applications.

Standard Notes features and specs

  • End-to-End Encryption
    Standard Notes ensures that all your data is encrypted before it leaves your device. This means only you have access to your notes, offering a high level of security and privacy.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    Standard Notes is available on multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. This ensures that you can access your notes from virtually any device.
  • Open Source
    The source code for Standard Notes is publicly available, which means it can be audited by anyone for security and reliability. This transparency builds trust within the community.
  • Extended Features via Subscription
    While the basic version is free, subscribing to Standard Notes unlocks extended features such as editors, encrypted file storage, and automatic backups.

Possible disadvantages of Standard Notes

  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Standard Notes is quite basic, offering only plain text notes. Advanced features like rich text editors, themes, and file attachments require a subscription.
  • Subscription Costs
    To access the extended features, users need to commit to a subscription plan, which may not be affordable or worthwhile for everyone.
  • Advanced Configuration Required
    While the app is designed to be simple, making full use of its advanced features can require a bit of a learning curve, especially for users who aren't tech-savvy.
  • Limited Built-In Collaboration Features
    Unlike some other note-taking apps, Standard Notes does not support real-time collaboration or sharing, which can be a downside for users looking to collaborate easily with others.

Obsidian videos

I Tried Obsidian Note Taking for a Week... (MD App Review, Tips, Features, Guide, and Setup)

More videos:

  • Review - OBSIDIAN: Getting Started, Facts & Pricing
  • Review - Obsidian: The Most Secure Notion Alternative (not sponsored)

Standard Notes videos

Standard Notes: Full Review, Pricing & Thoughts

More videos:

  • Review - Standard Notes: Premium Review

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Obsidian and Standard Notes)
Note Taking
4 4%
96% 96
Notes
3 3%
97% 97
Todos
6 6%
94% 94
Personal Notes
5 5%
95% 95

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 and Standard Notes

Obsidian Reviews

We have no reviews of Obsidian yet.
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Standard Notes Reviews

11 Best Google Keeps Alternatives for 2024
As you can see, Standard Notes features a straightforward design, unlike many Google Keep alternatives. This makes it exceptionally user-friendly, even for novices.
Source: upbase.io
8 Best Free Google Keep Notes Alternatives for Easy Note-Taking
Standard Notes is a no-frills note-taking app that focuses on simplicity. It doesn't require registration, making it easy to start taking notes right away. While it lacks advanced features like notebooks or checkboxes, it offers end-to-end encryption for added security. Standard Notes is free to use and supports all major browsers.
5 Best Open Source Alternatives to Notion
In conclusion, these are some of the best open source alternatives to Notion that offer different approaches to note-taking, task management, and project collaboration. Whether you're looking for a flexible, all-in-one productivity tool like AFFiNE or a minimalist, secure note-taking app like Standard Notes, there's an option out there that can suit your needs.
Source: affine.pro
10 Best Open Source Note-Taking Apps for Linux
Standard Notes enables you to capture actions with note types (markdown test, plain text, tasks, to-dos, code, spreadsheets, and more). It also features smart views, nested folders, an authenticator, password protection, passcode, face ID, and fingerprint locking. It also supports data import and export and comes standard with sync to all devices and end-to-end encryption.
Source: www.tecmint.com
The best encrypted note taking apps
Standard Notes: Standard Notes is a well-featured note-taking app that provides cross platform apps as well as end-to-end encrypted storage. Standard Notes offers marketing materials emphasizing how encryption, security, and privacy yield critical benefits for collaboration and creativity. Standard Notesโ€™ source code is open-source and links to information about...
Source: www.skiff.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Standard Notes seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 130 times since March 2021. 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 mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Obsidian yet. Tracking of Obsidian recommendations started around Apr 2022.

Standard Notes mentions (130)

View more

What are some alternatives?

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

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.

Google Keep - Capture notes, share them with others, and access them from your computer, phone or tablet. Free with a Google account.

OneNote - 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.

TypingDNA Authenticator - 2FA codes in your browser, secured by the way you type

Evernote - 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.

Teuxdeux - TeuxDeux / What deux yeux have teux deux teuxday?