18 free, private, client-side text tools. Word counter, case converters, reading time, remove duplicates, Base64 encoder, and more. No signup required.
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
1533 times
since March 2021.
social mentions
1,533 vs 0
Note Taking popularity
100% vs 0%
alternatives listed
240+ vs 58
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.
All-in-one text toolkit TextUtils.app bundles a wide range of text manipulation utilities (case conversion, formatting, encoding, counting, etc.) into a single application, reducing the need to search for multiple separate tools.
Simple, focused interface The app is designed around straightforward, single-purpose utilities, making it easy for users to quickly find and use the specific text function they need without a steep learning curve.
Browser-based accessibility Being a web app, TextUtils.app can be accessed from any device with a browser without installation, making it convenient for quick tasks across different platforms.
Free to use Many of the core text utilities are available at no cost, making it accessible for casual users, students, and professionals who need quick text processing without paying for software.
Time-saving for repetitive tasks Common tasks like converting text case, trimming whitespace, or counting words/characters can be done instantly, saving time compared to manual editing or writing custom scripts.
Possible disadvantages
Limited advanced features Compared to dedicated text editors or programming-based text processing tools (e.g., regex engines, scripting), TextUtils.app may lack more advanced or customizable text manipulation options for power users.
Requires internet connection Since it's a web-based tool, users need an active internet connection to access and use the utilities, unlike offline desktop applications.
Privacy concerns with sensitive text Pasting sensitive or confidential text into a third-party web app may raise privacy or data security concerns, especially if the site's data handling policies aren't transparent.
No integration with workflows Unlike text utilities built into IDEs or command-line tools, TextUtils.app may not integrate directly into automated workflows, scripts, or larger software development pipelines.
Potential ads or upsells Free web-based utility tools often rely on advertising or premium upgrade prompts, which can clutter the user experience or limit certain features behind a paywall.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
ObsidianTextUtils.app
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...
Recommendations tracked on public social media and blogs since March 2021.
Obsidian1533 mentionsTextUtils.app0 mentions
Build your plugins
After publishing my first plugin which really helped me dive into Obsidian, I realized that the tool I'm using for note taking is missing a very simple, but handy feature - templates for base-based notes.
- Source: dev.to
/
about 18 hours ago
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
/
4 days ago
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.