Web-based Obsidian AlternativesFiltered by 'Support for MarkDown'

Obsidian is not available as a web app but there are plenty of alternatives that runs in the browser with similar functionality. The best Online alternative is Joplin, which is both free and Open Source. If that doesn't suit you, our users have ranked more than 100 alternatives to Obsidian and loads of them are available as a web app so hopefully you can find a suitable replacement. Other interesting Online alternatives to Obsidian are Notesnook, Notion, Standard Notes and Simplenote.

filter to find the best alternatives

Obsidian alternatives are mainly Note-taking Tools, but if you're looking for Team Collaboration Tools or Todo List Managers you can filter on that. Other popular filters include Open Source, Self-Hosted, Free + Ad-free + No Tracking + Privacy focused, Android + Open Source, Windows, Linux + Open Source and Free. These are just examples - use the filter bar below to find more specific alternatives to Obsidian.
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Alternatives list

  1. Joplin icon

    Joplin

     941 likes

    Open source app for managing notes and to-dos with Markdown support. Syncs seamlessly across devices using services like Dropbox and OneDrive. Offers end-to-end encrypted synchronicity, offline access, rich import/export options, and a Web Clipper for browsers.

    208 Joplin alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Open Source

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • AppImageHub
    • Snapcraft
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • PortableApps.com
    • F-Droid
    • Cloudron
    • Homebrew
    • Chocolatey
    • Termux
    • Mozilla Firefox
    Joplin screenshot 1
     
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    13
    Joplin vs Obsidian Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Guest
    1

    It's open source, allows crypto your md notes on some cloud storage

    Top Negative Comment
    andgregorik
    24

    Joplin has a fracture of the features of Obsidian which is no wonder since Obsidian aims to become a powerful desktop knowledge base, unlike Joplin. For one thing, Joplin focuses on mobile<->desktop syncing and not on effective internal linking. They're similar at first glance only.

    Guest
    Positive
    1

    embedded synchronization, clipper, encryption. No useless for personal notes graphs

    3 of 13 comments
    • Joplin is Freemium and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Joplin is Lightweight, Minimalistic and DecentralizedObsidian is not according to our users
  2. Notesnook icon

    Notesnook

     214 likes

    Offers open-source, end-to-end encrypted notes with device-based privacy, cross-platform support, private vault, secure sync, offline access, markdown editor, exports to multiple formats, automatic backups, organizational tools, and strong encryption.

    386 Notesnook alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Google Chrome
    • Flathub
    • F-Droid
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    • Flatpak
    • Self-Hosted
    Notesnook screenshot 1
     
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    5
    Notesnook vs Obsidian Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    jchalifour
    2

    Notesnook respects its users by providing the software as open source, Obsidian does not.

    edwardixon
    Positive
    0

    Cheapest sync! Greatest mobile apps! App notes you actually want to use Easy text formatting. Simple to use. Simple, good notes experience

    Soup
    Positive
    0

    It's very good for taking notes, however there's no "graph" layout like obsidian does. Maybe in the future it will get that feature.

    3 of 5 comments
    • Notesnook is Freemium and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Notesnook is LightweightObsidian is not according to our users
  4. Notion icon

    Notion

     678 likes

    Enhance team collaboration and content organization with Notion. Experience real-time access, intuitive drag-and-drop functionalities, and visually simple interfaces designed for productivity in managing tasks, notes, and databases effectively. Ideal for teams of every size.

    389 Notion alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Software as a Service (SaaS)
    Notion screenshot 1
     
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    8
    Notion vs Obsidian Comments
    Top Positive Comment
    Gregor Zobjak
    2

    Notion is online only so I don't can access my note when I'm offline + very closed system with a proprietary file format

    Top Negative Comment
    passawitkaovilai
    25

    Because Notion is online only, it can have high latency when pulling databases of pages which Obsidian have no issues with.

    begorim451
    Negative
    0

    notion requires account registrating, requires internet connection, not as much customizable as obsidian. however notion is easier to use and looks aesthetic

    3 of 8 comments
    • Notion is Freemium and ProprietaryObsidian is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Notion is CustomizableObsidian is not according to our users
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    HyNote icon
    HyNote

    Summarizes PDFs, transcribes lectures and videos in real-time, creates flashcards, quizzes, and study plans, supports audio, text, image, and web input, offers advanced note organization, and allows interactive querying to stream...

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  6. Standard Notes icon

    Standard Notes

     708 likes

    Secure note-taking app with end-to-end encryption, unlimited syncing across all platforms, offline access, detailed organization through tags, strong passcode and biometric protections, and premium features like encrypted files, themes, web clipper, super note types, and hardware key support.

    210 Standard Notes alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Self-Hosted
    • F-Droid
    Plain text note on free version.
     
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    3
    Standard Notes vs Obsidian Comments
    Aaron
    Negative
    9

    Note-linking is a subscription only feature

    hex111
    Positive
    4

    i feel better paying for open source user friendlier projects, wysiwyg is just necessary for people to reasonably shift from the data robbery monopolies.

    Sam Lander
    0

    Standard Notes is not really an alternative to Obsidian. Standard Notes is open-source, more secure/private, and more simple.

    Standard Notes can be used across multiple devices and syncs.

    Obsidian telephones home constantly, even if you turn off updates and community plugins. But Obsidian is a very beautiful markdown app, that does more than just note-taking or to-do lists like Standard Notes.

    • Standard Notes is Freemium and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Standard Notes is Minimalistic, Security-focused and CustomizableObsidian is not according to our users
  8. Simplenote icon

    Simplenote

     611 likes

    Cloud-based, open-source note-taking app supporting plain text notes, lists, and ideas with real-time sync, multi-device support, version history, markdown, tagging, collaborative editing, no ads, and free registration required for all cloud features.

    186 Simplenote alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Alerts

    • Discontinued

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Simplenote screenshot 1
     
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    6
    Simplenote vs Obsidian Comments
    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
    0

    Its too simple and is focused on simplicity unlike obsiidian

    3 of 6 comments
    • Simplenote is Free and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • Simplenote is Lightweight and MinimalisticObsidian is not according to our users
  9. AFFiNE icon

    AFFiNE

     125 likes

    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.

    206 AFFiNE alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Self-Hosted
    AFFiNE screenshot 1
     
  10. Bear icon

    Bear

     102 likes

    Flexible note-taking and writing tool featuring advanced markdown with in-line images, cross-note links, live preview, hashtags, Focus Mode, plain text storage, iCloud sync, one-tap formatting, smart data recognition, and multiple export formats for portability.

    300 Bear alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Online
    • iPhone
    • iPad
    Bear screenshot 1
     
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    4
    Bear vs Obsidian Comments
    ChrisWayg
    Positive
    2

    I have over 5,000 notes in Bear which were easy to export to Obsidian (except for creation date order). Bear is still easier to use for non-technical users and has a WYSIWYG editing experience, which is lacking in Obsidian. I am currently testing Obsidian, as it is cross platform, has more features and free sync options.

    sCojQE5
    Positive
    1

    Bi-directional linking and tags might be the only thing that relate these two, but it's more relation that every other entry on this list.

    Power User
    Negative
    0

    A note taking application isn't the same as a knowledge management application, even if both allow you to take notes. Bear works great as an editor, but it's not an Obsidian alternative.

    3 of 4 comments
    • Bear is Freemium and ProprietaryObsidian is also Freemium and Proprietary
    • Bear is LightweightObsidian is not according to our users
  11. La Suite Docs icon

    La Suite Docs

     26 likes

    Collaborative platform for real-time note-taking, documentation, and wikis, featuring offline editing, granular permissions, AI-assisted writing, multiple export formats, user-friendly formatting, scalable team support, customizable templates, and open-source licensing.

    113 La Suite Docs alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source (MIT)

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    • Python
    • Typescript
    • JavaScript
    • React
    • Django
    • Next.js
    La Suite Docs screenshot 1
     
  12. Capacities icon

    Capacities

     46 likes

    Capacities offers a revolutionary note-taking experience by utilizing a network-based structure for knowledge capture and organization. Users create unique entities like ideas and questions in a graph view, fostering personalized and interconnected know-how beyond traditional folders.

    132 Capacities alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • Linux
    • iPad
    Capacities screenshot 1
     
  13. Nuclino icon

    Nuclino

     138 likes

    Nuclino is a unified workspace where teams can bring all their knowledge, docs, and projects together in one place. It’s a modern, simple, and blazingly fast way to collaborate, without the chaos of files and folders, context switching, or silos.

    374 Nuclino alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Chrome OS
    • iPad
    Nuclino screenshot 1
     
  14. Roam Research icon

    Roam Research

     61 likes

    As easy to use as a word document or bulleted list, and as powerful for finding, collecting, and connecting related ideas as a graph database. Collaborate with others in real time, or store all your data locally.

    201 Roam Research alternatives

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    Roam Research screenshot 1
     
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    3
    Roam Research vs Obsidian Comments
    DarkRedman
    Positive
    2

    They're very similar because of the "second brain" method, backlinking, Zettelkasten support

    Guest
    Negative
    1

    Web-based vs local file storage

    Guest
    Positive
    -3

    Cleaner interface, less bloated

    • Roam Research is Paid and ProprietaryObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
  15. XWiki icon

    XWiki

     103 likes

    XWiki is the ultimate open-source structured wiki designed to enhance business collaboration and efficiency. Tailored for tech-savvy professionals, XWiki’s extensibility, customization, and flexibility make it indispensable for managing large projects and datasets, while...

    146 XWiki alternatives

    Cost / License

    Application types

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    • Docker
    XWiki screenshot 1
     
    |
    1
    XWiki vs Obsidian Comments
    Sam Lander
    0

    Obsidian is more of a personal knowledge-management tool, while XWiki is a more robust collaborative knowledge base useful for teams.

    • XWiki is Free and Open SourceObsidian is Freemium and Proprietary
    • XWiki is a Team Collaboration Obsidian is a Note-taking Tool
12 of 76 Obsidian alternatives