Obsidian vs SiYuan: 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.
SiYuan
SiYuan is a privacy-first, open-source personal knowledge management system with offline support and end-to-end encrypted synchronization.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a free note-taking app that connects your ideas using links, creating a personal knowledge network on your device.
SiYuan
SiYuan is a privacy-first, open-source personal knowledge management system with offline support and end-to-end encrypted synchronization.
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
SiYuan
Privacy-first with complete offline use
Block-level references and bidirectional links
Markdown editor with visual formatting
End-to-end encrypted sync
Spaced repetition flashcards
Database views with relations
Self-hosted deployment option
Multiple device support
Mathematical formulas and charts
Open source and free for local use
Graph view of knowledge connections
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.
SiYuan
SiYuan offers three pricing options designed to meet different user needs. The Free version gives you lifetime access to all core features for local use, including block editing, markdown support, and offline access. This makes SiYuan perfect for individual users who want complete control without any cost.
The PRO Features package costs $64 as a one-time lifetime payment (discounted from $96) and unlocks integration with third-party services like Amazon S3 and WebDAV for sync and backup.
The Subscription plan costs $148 lifetime (discounted from $296) and includes everything in PRO plus official cloud sync with 8GB storage space, cloud inbox for collecting ideas, and automatic backup. Limited seats are available for this plan.
All features for creating and managing notes locally remain free forever, even for commercial use.