Introduction
Choosing between Notion and Obsidian is one of the most common dilemmas for productivity enthusiasts in 2024. Both tools promise to be your "second brain" but take fundamentally different approaches.
What is Notion?
Notion is an all-in-one workspace that combines notes, databases, wikis, and project management. It's cloud-based and highly collaborative.
Key Features
- Databases with multiple views
- Real-time collaboration
- Templates marketplace
- API and integrations
What is Obsidian?
Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on local Markdown files. It emphasizes linking your thinking and creating a personal wiki.
Key Features
- Local-first storage
- Bidirectional linking
- Graph view
- Community plugins
Head-to-Head Comparison
Pricing
- Notion: Free tier available, Plus at $10/month
- Obsidian: Free for personal use, $50/year for commercial
Offline Access
- Notion: Limited offline, requires sync
- Obsidian: Full offline, your files are yours
Collaboration
- Notion: Excellent real-time collaboration
- Obsidian: Limited, requires Obsidian Sync
Our Verdict
Choose Notion if you need collaboration and an all-in-one workspace. Choose Obsidian if you value privacy, offline access, and interconnected notes.
