Notion vs Obsidian

Compare Notion and Obsidian pricing, features, pros and cons. Updated for 2026.

Notion Docs, wiki, and lightweight project tracking in one workspace vs Obsidian Local-first markdown notes with a powerful linking model

Pricing

Tier Notion Obsidian
Free tier Free (Unlimited) Free (Personal use)
Starter $10 / user/month (Plus) —
Business / Pro $18 / user/month (Business) $50 / user/year (Commercial)
Enterprise Enterprise (custom) —

Feature matrix

Feature Notion Obsidian
Task management ✓ Via plugins
Gantt / timeline ✗ ✗
Time tracking ✗ ✗
Automations Business plan+ Via plugins
Guest users ✓ ✗
API access ✓ Local API/plugins
Single sign-on (SSO) Enterprise plan+ ✗
Mobile app ✓ ✓
Offline mode Limited ✓
Integrations 80 Plugin ecosystem

Pros & cons

Notion

Pros

  • Best-in-class blocks-and-databases model
  • Excellent for wikis and knowledge bases
  • Notion AI add-on is genuinely useful
  • Free tier is generous for individuals

Cons

  • Not built for heavy project portfolios
  • Offline mode is unreliable
  • Search can be slow on big workspaces

Obsidian

Pros

  • Files stay on your device as plain markdown
  • Huge community plugin library
  • Excellent backlinks and graph view
  • No vendor lock-in

Cons

  • Real-time collaboration is paid (Sync) and limited
  • Steeper setup than cloud tools
  • No native team workspaces

Best for

Notion

Teams who want a single source of truth for docs and light projects

Obsidian

Individual knowledge workers who want local-first, future-proof notes

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, Notion or Obsidian?

Both Notion and Obsidian offer a free tier, so the cheaper option depends on which paid features you need. Compare the paid tiers in the table above.

Is Notion better than Obsidian?

It depends on what you're optimizing for. Notion is best for teams who want a single source of truth for docs and light projects, while Obsidian is best for individual knowledge workers who want local-first, future-proof notes. If your priorities map to the first, pick Notion; if they map to the second, pick Obsidian.

Which is better for small teams?

Both are workable for small teams. Notion suits teams who want a single source of truth for docs and light projects; Obsidian suits individual knowledge workers who want local-first, future-proof notes.

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