Obsidian
by Obsidian MD · Productivity · Note Taking
A powerful knowledge base that works on local Markdown files with bidirectional linking.
Quick Answer: Obsidian has a verified Real Score of 4.5/5 based on 18,000 verified reviews, compared to its App Store rating of 4.7/5. Highly recommended by verified users.
Real Score vs App Store Rating
App Store Rating
Includes unverified reviews
Verified Real Score
Based on 18,000 verified reviews
Gap Alert: Obsidian's App Store rating is 0.2 points higher than its verified Real Score. This suggests that some store reviews may be inflated by fake or incentivized ratings.
Pros & Cons
What Users Love
- Files stored locally as Markdown
- Incredible plugin ecosystem
- Bidirectional linking
- Free for personal use
Common Complaints
- Steep learning curve
- Mobile app less polished
- Sync costs extra
- Can be overwhelming to set up
Verified Reviews (20)
My second brain
Obsidian with its graph view and backlinks has completely changed how I think about knowledge management. Seeing connections between notes I never expected is like having a second brain. Game changing.
Your notes, your files, your control
Unlike every other note app, Obsidian stores everything as plain Markdown files on your computer. No vendor lock-in, no cloud dependency, no "what if they shut down" fears. Freedom.
Plugin ecosystem is incredible
Dataview, Calendar, Kanban, Templater, Excalidraw - the community plugins turn Obsidian into anything you want. It's like VS Code for notes. The downside is you can spend forever customizing.
Not for everyone
If you just want to jot down notes, Obsidian is overkill. The whole Zettelkasten / linking / graph thing is powerful but unnecessary if you're not a knowledge worker or researcher.
Migrated from Notion, never looked back
Was nervous about losing Notion's databases but Obsidian's Dataview plugin replicates most of that functionality. Plus my notes load instantly since they're local files. Speed difference is massive.
Sync is good but pricey
Obsidian Sync at $10/month works flawlessly with end-to-end encryption. But $10/month for sync when iCloud is free feels steep. I ended up using iCloud Drive and it works fine for my needs.
Perfect for academic research
As a PhD student, linking research papers, literature notes, and ideas together creates a web of knowledge that helps me find connections and develop arguments. Invaluable for thesis writing.
Graph view is beautiful but impractical
The graph view showing all your linked notes looks amazing. But honestly, I rarely use it for actual work. It's more of a wow factor. The real power is in backlinks and search.
Canvas feature is excellent
The Canvas feature lets you create visual boards with notes, images, and connections. Perfect for brainstorming and spatial thinking. Like having a whiteboard linked to your notes.
Mobile app is just okay
The desktop experience is outstanding. The mobile app works but feels like a compressed version. Editing is clunkier, navigation is less intuitive, and some plugins don't work on mobile.
Templater plugin changed my workflow
Creating templates with dynamic variables (dates, prompts, file info) through Templater saves me so much time. Daily notes, meeting notes, project kickoffs - all automated with templates.
Learning curve is real
Spent a good month setting up my vault and learning Markdown, linking, and plugins. Now it's effortless, but that initial investment isn't trivial. Not a pick-up-and-go app.
Future-proof note taking
Even if Obsidian disappears tomorrow, my notes are just Markdown files that any text editor can open. That permanence and portability is something no other note app offers.
Community is amazing
The Obsidian community on Discord and Reddit is one of the most helpful tech communities I've been part of. Always willing to help with setups, recommend plugins, and share workflows.
Daily notes transformed my journaling
The daily notes feature with templates gives me a fresh page every day with my standard prompts. Combined with backlinks, I can trace threads of thought across weeks and months.
Dataview is like SQL for notes
The Dataview plugin lets you query your notes like a database. Show all notes tagged "project" modified this week sorted by priority. Incredibly powerful for people who think in structured ways.
Not great for rich content
Markdown is great for text but tables, embedded media, and complex formatting are awkward. If your notes are heavily visual or media-rich, Notion might be a better choice.
Replaced Roam Research for me
Roam Research costs $15/month and locks you in. Obsidian is free, your files are local, and the community plugins replicate every Roam feature. Easy decision.
Version history via Git is powerful
Since notes are files, I version control my vault with Git. Full history of every change, ability to revert, and free backup on GitHub. No other note app gives you this level of control.
Custom CSS makes it yours
The ability to customize the look with CSS themes means Obsidian can look however you want. Minimal, colorful, dark, light - the theming options are endless. My vault looks exactly how I like it.
Showing 1-20 of 12,847 reviews
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Last updated: April 2026