Our verdict: Obsidian is a strong choice for building a personal knowledge base that you fully own. Notes are plain Markdown files in a folder, so you are never locked in. The app itself is closed source, and syncing between devices through Obsidian costs extra.
About Obsidian
Obsidian is made by Dynalist Inc. Since February 2025 it is free for all purposes, including commercial use in companies, without an account. The optional Commercial license ($50 per user per year) and Catalyst license (one-time $25) only support development; Catalyst adds early access to beta versions.
A vault is just a folder of Markdown files on your disk. You connect notes with [[links]], see backlinks and a graph of how notes relate, and lay out ideas on an infinite Canvas. Obsidian does not collect telemetry, according to its pricing page. Paid add-ons are Sync ($4 per month, end-to-end encrypted) and Publish ($8 per site per month).
What it does well
- Local Markdown files. Every note is a .md file in a normal folder that any text editor can open.
- Links and graph view. Links between notes, backlinks and an interactive graph show how ideas connect.
- Canvas. An infinite board for brainstorming, diagramming and laying out notes side by side.
- Plugins and themes. Thousands of community plugins and themes add features such as tasks, calendars or new file types.
- Optional Sync. Paid Obsidian Sync keeps vaults in step across devices with end-to-end encryption and version history.
Who it is for
Good fit
Writers, students and researchers who want linked notes stored as plain files they control.
Look elsewhere
People who want open-source software or free built-in sync between their devices.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Notes stay as plain Markdown files
- Free for personal and commercial use
- Large plugin and theme ecosystem
- No account or telemetry
Cons
- Closed source
- Official sync and publishing are paid subscriptions
How to install Obsidian
Download the Windows installer from obsidian.md and run it; no account is needed. On first launch, create a new vault or open an existing folder of Markdown files as a vault. To sync for free, put the vault folder in a cloud drive or Git repository you already use; official Sync is a paid add-on.
Questions about Obsidian
Is Obsidian free for work use?
Yes. Since February 2025 Obsidian is free for commercial use. The Commercial license is optional and only supports development.
Where does Obsidian store my notes?
In a vault, which is an ordinary folder of Markdown files on your computer. Nothing is uploaded unless you use Sync or Publish.
Is Obsidian open source?
No. The app is proprietary freeware, but your notes use the open Markdown format, so you can switch apps at any time.
