Comparison
Two fundamentally different philosophies. Notion is a cloud-first, all-in-one workspace. Obsidian is a local-first, privacy-focused knowledge base. The right choice depends on whether you prioritise collaboration or data ownership.
Last verified April 2026
| Feature | Notion | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Personal use | Free (limited) | Free (full features) |
| Team/Plus tier | $10/user/mo | N/A |
| Cloud sync | Included | $5/mo (Sync add-on) |
| Publishing | Included | $10/mo (Publish add-on) |
| Commercial licence | Included | $50/user/year |
| AI features | +$8/user/mo | Plugin-based (free/paid) |
Different Tools for Different Needs
These tools barely overlap. Notion is a collaborative workspace with databases, project management, and team features. Obsidian is a personal knowledge base with powerful linking and a plugin ecosystem. Many power users actually use both: Obsidian for personal notes, Notion for team work.
Yes, for personal use. Obsidian is free for personal, non-commercial use with no feature limits in the core app. Commercial use requires a licence ($50/user/year). Optional paid add-ons include Sync ($5/month) and Publish ($10/month).
Notion is significantly better for team collaboration. It has real-time editing, permissions, guest sharing, and team workspaces built in. Obsidian is primarily a personal tool — multi-user collaboration requires third-party sync solutions and lacks real-time co-editing.
Obsidian is more private by default. Your data stays in local files on your device (plain Markdown). Notion stores all data on their cloud servers. If data sovereignty or privacy is critical, Obsidian's local-first approach is the clear winner.