Obsidian is a note-taking app from a Canadian company that keeps notes as plain files in a folder called a vault on your own device. People look for an Obsidian alternative when they want open source code, sync and sharing included in the price, a hosted workspace for a team, or an app that works without installing plugins.
Short answer: Trilium Notes, Joplin and Notesnook head the list of Obsidian alternatives drawn from our note-taking apps ranking. We open the ranking with smaller vendors and put the established brands from fourth place onward. Trilium Notes is the one to try if you want a hierarchical, scriptable system you host yourself. These 11 products are all in Best Note-taking Apps in 2026; the notes say how each one compares with Obsidian.
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Built for: Individuals and small teams who want notes kept as local files on disk
Not for: Teams needing shared editing in the browser with no setup
01
Why buyers look past Obsidian
01
Why do people pay extra to sync Obsidian across devices?
Obsidian Sync costs 4 US dollars per user a month billed annually, or 5 dollars billed monthly. Obsidian Publish costs 8 dollars per site a month billed annually, or 10 dollars monthly. The app itself is free, so a person who wants phone, laptop and a public site pays three separate bills.
02
Is Obsidian open source, and does that matter for note-taking apps?
Obsidian is closed source, although the notes are plain files. Readers who want to audit or fork the code, or run their own sync server, look at note-taking apps published under AGPL or GPL licences. Joplin, Notesnook, Trilium and Logseq all publish their code.
03
Do Obsidian plugins create a trust problem for work notes?
Obsidian's own plugin security page says plugins cannot be limited to specific permissions, so they inherit full access to files, the internet and installed programs. Restricted mode is on by default. A team with confidential notes must therefore vet every plugin it turns on, which some prefer to avoid.
you want an established web-clipping archive and accept a paid, capped hosted service
#12
03
What each one does differently
1
Trilium Notes
Not stated by the vendor · Published
Trilium Notes is an AGPL-3.0 project that arranges notes in a deep tree, lets a single note appear under several parents, and supports per-note encryption, scripting and a REST API. Sync needs a server you host, with a Docker image published. No company sells a plan, so you carry the operation yourself.
Switch from Obsidian if you want a hierarchical, scriptable system you host yourself.
Joplin pairs a free AGPL app with hosted plans in euros. Joplin Cloud runs from Basic at 2.99 a month to Teams at 7.99 per user, and Joplin Server Business is self-hosted from 40 euros per user a year. Basic caps notes and attachments at 10 MB, and every paid plan carries a 14-day trial.
Switch from Obsidian if you want open source notes with priced hosting or a self-hosted server for staff.
Notesnook publishes client and server code under GPLv3 and lists plans in euros: Essential at 2.15 a month, Pro at 7.56 and Believer at 9.72, with a five-year prepaid option on the top two. The free plan keeps 50 MB of storage a month and a 10 MB file ceiling. Monthly and yearly plans start with a 14-day trial.
Switch from Obsidian if you want encrypted sync with a free tier and a self-hostable server.
Standard Notes charges 90 dollars a year for Productivity and 120 for Professional, after a free plan with end-to-end encryption and device sync. Folders, spreadsheets and the web clipper sit in Productivity; 100 GB of file storage sits in Professional. Paid features have no trial, only refund windows of 14 and 90 days.
Switch from Obsidian if you prefer a short annual price list over several add-ons.
Logseq stores Markdown or Org-mode files in an outliner and publishes its code under AGPL-3.0. A database version is in beta and carries a data-loss warning, while its new sync is in alpha. Funding comes through Open Collective and GitHub Sponsors, and the site names no company behind it.
Switch from Obsidian if you think in daily outlines and accept a project still being rebuilt.
Anytype is a peer-to-peer workspace with end-to-end encryption whose desktop client is source available under its own licence. Apps cover macOS, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android, and you may run your own network without a membership. Paid memberships add remote storage; we could not read the exact tiers on its pages.
Switch from Obsidian if you want encrypted, local-first notes on every platform and might self-host.
Capacities stores each note as a typed object, such as a person, book or meeting, and links the objects together. The free Basic plan has unlimited spaces and objects, with 5 GB of media uploads and then 100 MB monthly. Pro adds tasks, whiteboards, version history, an API and an AI assistant, with a trial started inside the app.
Switch from Obsidian if you want structured, linked records instead of free-form pages.
Simplenote, run by Automattic, calls its apps, backups, syncing and sharing free. It runs on iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux and the browser, with tags, Markdown preview, version history and one-click publishing of a note. The terms advise against storing passwords or card numbers and let the operator end the service at any time.
Switch from Obsidian if you only need quick, free text notes across every device.
Bear is a Markdown notes app for Mac, iPhone and iPad from an Italian developer. Syncing through iCloud, note encryption and advanced exports to PDF, HTML, DOCX and JPG come with Pro, billed through the App Store with a 7-day trial. Windows and Android users cannot run it.
Switch from Obsidian if every device you use is Apple hardware and you value a quiet editor.
Craft sells designed documents for iPhone, iPad, Mac and web, with listed apps for Windows and Android too. The free Starter plan allows 1,500 blocks in total, 1 GB of storage and 7 days of history. Plus costs 6.40 euros a month, Family covers up to six accounts, and Team starts at three members.
Switch from Obsidian if you want polished shared documents and can live within a block cap or pay for Plus.
Evernote is provided by Bending Spoons and lists Free, Starter, Advanced, Flexible and Unlimited plans. Free allows 50 notes on one device, Starter 1,000 notes on three devices, and Advanced removes the cap. Prices were not shown on the plan page we read. Paid trials last 7 days.
Switch from Obsidian if you want an established web-clipping archive and accept a paid, capped hosted service.
Trilium Notes: Sync runs against a server you host, with a Docker image published, and the app is AGPL-3.0.
02
You want a self-hosted server for a small team
Joplin: Joplin Server Business starts at 40 euros per user a year, and Joplin Cloud Teams starts at 7.99 euros per user.
03
You want an encrypted free plan with a trial on paid tiers
Notesnook: Free keeps 50 MB of storage a month, and monthly or yearly paid plans start with a 14-day trial.
04
You use only Apple devices and want Markdown
Bear: Bear runs on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with iCloud sync and encryption in the Pro subscription.
05
You want structured notes as linked objects
Capacities: Free Basic has unlimited spaces and objects, and Pro adds tasks, version history and an API.
04
When Obsidian is still the right choice
Obsidian remains a sound choice when you want notes as plain files on your own disk, with no telemetry and no account needed. The app is free for personal and work use, and the commercial licence at 50 US dollars per user a year is optional. Cure53 audited the clients in 2023 and 2024, and Cure53 and Trail of Bits audited Sync. If you only need local notes and can vet your plugins, there is little reason to leave.
05
What moving off Obsidian involves
01
How do Obsidian notes move to another app?
A vault is a folder of Markdown files, so most apps import it directly or read the folder. Check wikilinks, embedded notes, and any plugin-specific syntax such as Dataview queries, because other apps will show those as plain text.
02
What happens to plugin features and Sync history on leaving?
Plugin settings and workflows do not travel with the files. List the plugins you rely on first and find the nearest equivalent. Cancel Sync only after copying the vault locally. Sync and Publish carry a full refund within 7 days of purchase, but nothing after that.
06
Questions about replacing Obsidian
6 answers
How much does Obsidian cost?
The app is free without limits, including for work. Sync costs 4 US dollars per user a month billed annually or 5 monthly, and Publish costs 8 per site a month billed annually or 10 monthly.
The optional commercial licence is 50 dollars per user a year, and Catalyst is a 25 dollar one-time payment.
Is there an open source alternative to Obsidian?
Joplin, Notesnook, Trilium and Logseq publish their code under AGPL or GPL licences. Standard Notes apps are AGPL-licensed as well. Obsidian itself is closed source, with a plugin directory for extensions.
Which Obsidian alternative has free sync?
Simplenote describes syncing as free. Joplin syncs through Dropbox or OneDrive in a free app, and Notesnook and Standard Notes include sync in their free plans. Capacities Basic also lists sync. Each has caps on files or history, so read the limits.
Can I self-host a replacement for Obsidian Sync?
Trilium syncs to a server you host, Notesnook lets you self-host its sync server, and Joplin Server Business is self-hosted from 40 euros per user a year. Anytype also allows your own network. You become responsible for updates and backups.
What is the best Obsidian alternative for teams?
Joplin Teams starts at 7.99 euros per user with a minimum of two users, and Craft Team starts at 5 dollars per user for three members. Obsidian Sync also supports shared vaults, so compare both before moving.
Which Obsidian alternative works on Windows and Android?
Joplin, Notesnook, Standard Notes, Anytype, Simplenote and Craft list Windows and Android apps or equivalents. Bear does not, being limited to Apple devices. Trilium reaches phones through a browser or community Android and iOS apps.
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Sources
Checked 3 November 2026
Obsidian pricing: Free use, Sync 4 and 5 dollars, Publish 8 and 10 dollars, Catalyst 25 dollars, commercial licence 50 dollars per user a year, 7-day refund, no telemetry.
Obsidian security: AES-256, Cure53 audits 2023 and 2024, Sync audits by Cure53 and Trail of Bits.
Founder of The Knowledge Engineers and of 2 Steps Ahead, an AI search visibility agency. Editorially responsible for every page on this site; research and drafting are AI-assisted.
Written, edited and fact-checked by Sebastiaan Smits. Last reviewed 3 November 2026. How we review.
