Obsidian vs Joplin: Features, Pricing and User Reviews 2026
Compare features, pricing, reviews, and more to make an informed decision
Obsidian
Obsidian is a free note-taking app that connects your ideas using links, creating a personal knowledge network on your device.
Joplin
Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking app with end-to-end encryption that syncs across all your devices securely.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a free note-taking app that connects your ideas using links, creating a personal knowledge network on your device.
Joplin
Joplin is a free, open-source note-taking app with end-to-end encryption that syncs across all your devices securely.
Obsidian
Stores notes locally on your device with full privacy
Links notes together to build knowledge networks
Visual graph shows connections between ideas
Canvas for unlimited brainstorming space
Thousands of free community plugins available
Works offline without internet connection
Plain text files you own forever
Mobile apps for phones and tablets
Supports basic text formatting
Free to use with optional paid services
Joplin
Free and open-source with no tracking or ads
End-to-end encryption for complete privacy
Sync across unlimited devices
Markdown and rich text editing
Web clipper for Chrome and Firefox
Import notes from Evernote
Create to-do lists with reminders
Search inside PDFs and images
Offline-first design
Community plugins and themes available
Obsidian
Obsidian is completely free for personal use with all core features included. You get unlimited notes, full plugin access, and complete control over your data at no cost.
For users who want to sync notes across devices, Obsidian Sync offers two plans. The Standard plan costs $4 per month when paid yearly (or $5 monthly) and includes one synced vault with 1GB storage. The Plus plan costs $8 per month yearly (or $10 monthly) with 10GB storage and unlimited vaults.
Obsidian Publish lets you share notes on the web for $8 per month yearly (or $10 monthly) per site, with custom themes and no technical knowledge needed.
The optional Commercial License costs $50 per user yearly for business use, though it became optional in 2025. For one-time supporters, the Catalyst license at $25 gives early access to beta versions and community perks.
Joplin
Joplin offers flexible pricing to suit different needs. The core desktop and mobile apps are completely free to download and use without limits. You only pay if you want cloud syncing through Joplin's hosted service.
The Basic plan costs €2.99 per month (€2.40 monthly when paid yearly) and includes 2 GB storage with 10 MB per note limit. You can sync unlimited devices and collaborate with others.
The Pro plan costs €5.99 per month (€4.79 monthly when paid yearly) with 30 GB storage and 200 MB per note. It includes all Basic features plus priority support.
The Teams plan costs €7.99 per month (€6.69 monthly when paid yearly) per user with a minimum of 2 users. You get 50 GB storage, team management tools, and consolidated billing.
For businesses wanting full control, Joplin Server Business lets you host everything on your own infrastructure with custom pricing available.
