Notivo is a private, per-person notebook for managers. Capture feedback, commitments, and 1:1 context as it happens — from web, iOS, WhatsApp, email, ChatGPT, or Claude — then get it back later, organized by person.
sponsored
Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.
Which is more popular?
Based on our record, Obsidian
seems to be a lot more popular than Substack.
While we know about 1527 links to Obsidian,
we've tracked only 111 mentions of Substack.
social mentions
111 vs 1,527
Blogging popularity
100% vs 0%
Base details
Website, pricing, platforms and company facts side by side.
Ease of Use Substack offers a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for writers to publish and monetize their newsletters.
Built-in Monetization Writers can easily charge readers for subscriptions, allowing for straightforward monetization.
Direct Audience Connection Substack allows writers to build a direct relationship with their audience via email, which can lead to a more engaged readership.
Discovery and Community Features like staff picks and recommendations help writers get discovered by new readers.
No Upfront Costs Substack does not charge upfront fees; instead, it takes a percentage of subscription revenues, making it easier to start.
Content Ownership Writers retain full ownership of their content, giving them more control over their work.
Possible disadvantages
Revenue Share Substack takes a 10% cut of subscription revenues, which can add up for writers with a large subscriber base.
Limited Customization The platform has limited customization options compared to building a custom website or using more flexible CMS options.
Dependency on Platform Relying on Substack means depending on its policies and infrastructure, which could pose risks if the platform changes its terms or features.
Competition As more writers join Substack, it can become challenging to stand out amidst the growing competition.
Email Deliverability Writers may face issues with email deliverability, as some newsletters may end up in spam folders.
Payment Processing Fees Besides Substack's fee, payment processors like Stripe also take a percentage, further reducing net earnings for writers.
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.
Analysis
An editorial look at what each product does well and who it suits.
SubstackObsidian
Overall verdict
Substack is a good choice for writers seeking autonomy and a straightforward way to monetize their content. However, it may not be the best fit for those who prefer working within the framework of a larger publication or those unfamiliar with the challenges of building and maintaining a subscriber base.
Why this product is good
Substack is a platform that allows writers, journalists, and content creators to publish and monetize their newsletters. It is praised for its ease of use, built-in subscription system, and direct-to-consumer model which enables writers to retain control over their audience and content. The platform has attracted both independent writers and established journalists seeking the freedom to monetize their work without traditional media constraints.
Recommended for
Independent writers and journalists
Content creators looking to monetize their work
Individuals seeking a direct relationship with their audience
Those who appreciate simplicity in publishing
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.
Substack offers writers of all experience levels the ability to write an email newsletter that’s profitable through subscriptions. Substack provides purpose-built web and newsletter publishing tools to enable writers...
What sеts Substack apart is its sеamlеss intеgration of contеnt crеation and subscription-basеd monеtization. Substack’s usеr-friеndly intеrfacе, distribution tools, and support for various contеnt formats make it a...
Substack and Medium differ primarily in their monetization methods. Medium pays creators based on reader engagement, while Substack enables writers to monetize directly through paid subscriptions to their newsletters....
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.
Substack111 mentionsObsidian1527 mentions
UK Defence Startups Are Being Denied Banking Services Under ESG Rules
Books have already been written on this, some as early as 1945 (That Hideous Strength, C.S. Lewis). Otherwise I can recommend basically everything by Curtis Yarvin and Kevin Dolan (https://substack.com/@exitgroup,...
- Source: Hacker News
/
11 days ago
Show HN: Sphinx – a hook that quizzes you on your AI agent's code before push
We built something quite similar 6 months ago called PEAK (Proof of Effort And Knowledge). Blog post and YT video here: https://substack.com/@jeffksmithjr/p-195763168 Our version has its own TUI and was intended for semi-adversarial...
- Source: Hacker News
/
13 days ago
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
/
16 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
/
24 days ago
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
/
2 months ago
Ghost is a fully open source, adaptable platform for building and running a modern online publication. We power blogs, magazines and journalists from Zappos to Sky News.
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.