6 Best Obsidian Alternatives in 2026
Not satisfied with Obsidian? Discover the best alternatives with similar features, better pricing, or different approaches to note-taking apps.
Why Consider Obsidian Alternatives?
Steeper learning curve
Sync requires paid add-on
No built-in collaboration
Can be complex for simple notes
Quick Comparison
| Alternative | Rating | Free Tier | Starting Price | Best For | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Current | 9/10 | ✓ | $8/mo | developers, researchers | |
| Notion | 9.2/10 | ✓ | $10/mo | freelancers, teams | View |
| Roam Research | 8/10 | ✗ | $15/mo | researchers, academics | View |
| Logseq | 8.4/10 | ✓ | $5/mo | developers, privacy-conscious | View |
| Bear | 8.4/10 | ✓ | $3/mo | apple-users, note-takers | View |
| Tana | 8.3/10 | ✓ | $10/mo | power-users, researchers | View |
| Capacities | 8.2/10 | ✓ | $10/mo | creatives, researchers | View |
Detailed Obsidian Alternatives
Notion is a powerful all-in-one workspace that combines notes, databases, wikis, and project management. Its flexible block-based editor lets you create anything from simple notes to complex project dashboards. With templates, collaboration features, and powerful integrations, Notion has become the go-to productivity tool for individuals and teams alike.
Compared to Obsidian:
- Extremely flexible and customizable
- Great for both personal and team use
- Higher rating (9.2 vs 9)
- Different pricing
Roam Research pioneered the modern concept of bidirectional linking in note-taking. Built for researchers and thinkers, it excels at connecting ideas through a unique outliner interface with block-level references and queries.
Compared to Obsidian:
- Revolutionary linking system
- Powerful for research
- Lower rating (8 vs 9)
- Different pricing
Logseq is an open-source alternative to Roam Research. With local-first storage, bidirectional linking, and an outliner interface, it is perfect for privacy-conscious knowledge workers.
Compared to Obsidian:
- Free and open source
- Local-first
- Lower rating (8.4 vs 9)
- More affordable
Bear bridges the gap between note-taking and writing with a beautiful interface, markdown support, and excellent organization. Perfect for those who need more than notes but less than a full writing suite.
Compared to Obsidian:
- Beautiful design
- Great tag system
- Lower rating (8.4 vs 9)
- More affordable
Tana combines the best of Roam, Notion, and Airtable into a supertag system. Create structured data from unstructured notes and build powerful workflows.
Compared to Obsidian:
- Powerful supertag system
- Great for structured data
- Lower rating (8.3 vs 9)
- Different pricing
Capacities reimagines note-taking with object-based organization. Instead of pages and folders, create objects (books, people, projects) and connect them in meaningful ways.
Compared to Obsidian:
- Unique object approach
- Clean design
- Lower rating (8.2 vs 9)
- Different pricing
All Obsidian Alternatives
All-in-one workspace for notes, docs, and databases
A note-taking tool for networked thought
Open-source knowledge management
Beautiful, flexible writing for notes
A superpower for your mind
A studio for your mind
Not Sure Which to Choose?
Try our detailed head-to-head comparisons to make the right decision.