Obsidian Alternatives

Obsidian is described as 'Note-taking app that lets you create a personal knowledge graph with ease. It is designed for non-linear thinking and allows you to easily link your notes together wiki-style' and is a leading Note-taking tool in the office & productivity category. There are more than 100 alternatives to Obsidian for a variety of platforms, including Mac, Windows, Web-based, Linux and Android apps. The best Obsidian alternative is Logseq, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like Obsidian are Zettlr, Joplin, sNotes – Students Notes and Anytype.

filter to find the best alternatives

Obsidian alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Todo List Managers or Task Management Tools you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Windows, Self-Hosted, Linux, Note-taking, Windows + Open Source and Task Management. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Obsidian.
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Alternatives list

  1. Google Keep icon

    Google Keep

     833 likes
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    Google Keep is a multifunctional tool that merges note-taking with browsing, allowing capture of thoughts, checklists, or voice notes, with cross-device synchronization. Features include color-coded notes, voice transcription, geo-fencing, collaboration, cloud storage, and seamless Google integration.

    105 Google Keep alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Android Wear
    Google Keep screenshot 1
    Google Keep screenshot 2
    Google Keep screenshot 3
     
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    6
    6
    Comments about Google Keep as an Alternative to Obsidian
    Top Positive Comment
    Hibiscus
    4

    Nothing in common with Obsidian.

    Top Negative Comment
    Power User
    3

    Simple note taking isn't the same as a purpose-built knowledge management tool at all. This isn't a jab at Google Keep which does an OK job for what it is, but it's not an alternative if you want what Obsidian offers.

    Gregor Zobjak
    Negative
    2

    Not an good note taking utility at all... Google Keep is only a digital version of Sticky notes but with the very big contra that Google can steal your personal information Overall you don't have any Organization... you didn't have folders or something that's similar... the only thing you have is a Taging system that is poor.

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    3 of 6 comments
    Obsidian Icon
    Google Keep icon

    • This alternative is disputed. Google Keep is a legitimate Obsidian alternative, but it might have issues that some users think are important.

    • Google Keep is Free and ProprietaryObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
  2. CherryTree icon

    CherryTree

     319 likes
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    Hierarchical note-taking software that is free, open-source, cross-platform. Features include rich text, syntax highlighting, multi-level lists, embedded files, customizable interface, code execution, PDF export, spell check, images & tables, and comprehensive project management support.

    98 CherryTree alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Flatpak
    CherryTree screenshot 1
     
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    12
    Comments about CherryTree as an Alternative to Obsidian
    student twenty
    Positive
    3

    Kind of the same thing? More of a hierarchical note taker, but it runs locally, is super stable, and keeps you organized, so if you don't need all the bells and whistles, this'll get the job done.

    Farrukh
    0

    Its not an alternate to Obsidian which is mainly giving you advanced Markdown format, while CherryTree his simply its own format.
    However, its an awesome notes taking software. I really like its Tree structured interface for arranging your notes.

    Obsidian Icon
    CherryTree icon

    • Most users think CherryTree is a great Obsidian alternative.

    • CherryTree is Free and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • CherryTree is CustomizableObsidian is not according to our users
  4. Google Docs icon

    Google Docs

     952 likes
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    Powerful online word processor with real-time collaboration, document conversion from Word, extensive formatting options, revision history, and multilingual capabilities, all integrated within the Google Drive ecosystem, accessible through any internet-connected device.

    110 Google Docs alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Google Docs screenshot 1
     
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    DEVONthink

    Organizes documents, notes, emails, PDFs, and media using AI-powered search, tagging, and OCR. Supports offline use, syncing across macOS and iOS, encryption, web clipping, automation, and customizable grouping for efficient info...

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  6. Simplenote icon

    Simplenote

     604 likes
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    Made by the company behind WordPress, Simplenote enables users to take notes, lists, and ideas. These notes are stored on the cloud and are accessible across multiple devices.

    113 Simplenote alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Simplenote screenshot 1
     
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    5
    7
    Comments about Simplenote as an Alternative to Obsidian
    Top Positive Comment
    Mayank-Arora
    -1

    Simplenote is love. You must try it once. I have SimpleNote installed on my Mac, Windows, Linux, Android and iPad. It works on all browsers and all operating systems. It is so easy to take notes and have them sync across all devices and web. It is so easy to quickly get to your notes. I can't live without simplenote as I have so much dependency on this simple tool. Simplenote really makes it simpler to organize 'note taking' task.

    Top Negative Comment
    Niminae
    3

    The most prominent feature of Obsidian is bi-directional linking between notes. Simplenote is more akin to sticky notes; they aren't really similar at all.

    Guest
    Negative
    -1

    It doesnt link notes wordpress can read your notes

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
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    3 of 5 comments
    Obsidian Icon
    Simplenote icon

    • Some users think Simplenote is a great Obsidian alternative, some don't.

    • Simplenote is Free and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Simplenote is MinimalisticObsidian is not according to our users
  7. AFFiNE icon

    AFFiNE

     107 likes
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    Open-source, privacy-focused workspace combining note-taking, project and task management, Kanban board, interactive whiteboard, Pomodoro timer, Markdown support, offline access, real-time team collaboration with @mentions, goal tracking, subtasks, and customizable features.

    134 AFFiNE alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    AFFiNE screenshot 1
     
  8. SiYuan icon

    SiYuan

     76 likes
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    SiYuan is a desktop Markdown Block-Reference and Bidirectional-Link note-taking application. Support fine-grained block-level reference and Markdown WYSIWYG.

    73 SiYuan alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Pay once)
    • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • Microsoft Edge
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • Docker
    • Docker Hub
    • F-Droid
    SiYuan screenshot 1
     
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    4
    13
    Comments about SiYuan as an Alternative to Obsidian
    Mark
    Positive
    3

    I honestly think SiYuan is the closest to Obisdian as an alternative compared to all other apps.

    Guest
    Positive
    2

    WYSIWYG is far more important than I thought. Besides, the data in SiYuan is .json, which allows better redering-performance and Notion-like typesetting.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Randir
    Positive
    0

    WYSIWYG, better rendering performance

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    3 of 4 comments
    Obsidian Icon
    SiYuan icon

    • Almost everyone thinks SiYuan is a great Obsidian alternative.

    • SiYuan is Freemium and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • SiYuan is CustomizableObsidian is not according to our users
  10. Typora icon

    Typora

     325 likes
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    A minimalist Markdown editor offering cross-platform synchronization, live preview, and seamless export/import in various formats like PDF, DOCX, and LaTeX. Features include distraction-free Focus and Typewriter modes, file management with tree and articles panels, and content organization through an outline panel.

    177 Typora alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Pay once
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Electron
    Typora screenshot 1
     
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    5
    16
    Comments about Typora as an Alternative to Obsidian
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    12

    it complements Obsidian, but not really a replacement.

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    Top Negative Comment
    RemovedUser
    2

    Typora is only a markdown editor, Obsidian is also a markdown editor, but they're not very similar. Typora is also paid, but some months ago it was free, so there are frequent changes that aren't good for users

    Review by a new / low-activity user.
    student twenty
    4

    Typora is an excellent tool, and a beautiful one at that, but it's absolutely not an Obsidian alternative. It just doesn't do the same job at all. If you want an outstanding Markdown editor/reader, Typora is for you. But a knowledge base it ain't.

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    3 of 5 comments
    Obsidian Icon
    Typora icon

    • Most users think Typora is a great Obsidian alternative.

    • Typora is the most popular commercial alternative to Obsidian.

    • Typora is Paid and ProprietaryObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Typora is Minimalistic and CustomizableObsidian is not according to our users
  11. CryptPad icon

    CryptPad

     169 likes
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    CryptPad is a private-by-design alternative to popular office tools and cloud services. All the content stored on CryptPad is encrypted before being sent, which means nobody can access your data unless you give them the keys.

    74 CryptPad alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium (Subscription)
    • Open Source (AGPL-3.0)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Self-Hosted
    • Cloudron
    Instance homepage
     
  12. GNU Emacs icon

    GNU Emacs

     387 likes
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    GNU Emacs is an extensible, customizable text editor—and more. At its core is an interpreter for Emacs Lisp, a dialect of the Lisp programming language with extensions to support text editing. The features of GNU Emacs include:

    180 GNU Emacs alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Android
    • BSD
    • Snapcraft
    • F-Droid
    • Haiku
    • Debian
    • MacPorts
    • Homebrew
    The GNU Emacs Manual calls Emacs the extensible, customizable, self-documenting real-time display editor
     
  13. QOwnNotes icon

    QOwnNotes

     96 likes
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    Plain text notepad with markdown support and todo list manager for Linux, Mac OS X and Windows, that works together with the notes application of ownCloud.

    263 QOwnNotes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • Qt
    QOwnNotes main screen
     
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    1
    8
    Comments about QOwnNotes as an Alternative to Obsidian
    riveravaldez
    Positive
    5

    Pretty similar concept, both deal with plain .md files, both render in real time, both have automatically-generated TOCs, etc., but QOwnNotes is Free Software, no EULA non-sense, you have a tool without restrictions.

    Obsidian Icon
    QOwnNotes icon

    • Almost everyone thinks QOwnNotes is a great Obsidian alternative.

    • QOwnNotes is Free and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
  15. Dendron icon

    Dendron

     71 likes
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    Dendron is an open-source, local-first, markdown-based, note-taking tool built on top of VSCode. It supports all the usual features you would expect like tagging, backlinks, a graph view, split panes, and so forth.

    202 Dendron alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application type

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Visual Studio Code
    Dendron screenshot 1
     
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    1
    14
    Comments about Dendron as an Alternative to Obsidian
    kpathakota
    Positive
    3

    Still local notes, but way more full-featured since it uses VS Code as the editor and embraces heirarchies so your notes don't get so unwieldly.

    Obsidian Icon
    Dendron icon

    • Almost everyone thinks Dendron is a great Obsidian alternative.

    • Dendron is Free and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
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