Obsidian vs Microsoft OneNote

Struggling to choose between Obsidian and Microsoft OneNote? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Obsidian is a Office & Productivity solution with tags like knowledge-management, note-taking, markdown.

It boasts features such as Local-first design, Markdown notes, Graph view, Backlinks, Plugins, Mobile apps and pros including Free and open source, Very customizable, Great for building a personal knowledge base, Strong community support.

On the other hand, Microsoft OneNote is a Office & Productivity product tagged with notetaking, organization, collaboration, cloud-sync.

Its standout features include Note taking, Document organization, Collaboration, Cross-device syncing, Multimedia embedding, Searchable notes, Templates, Version history, and it shines with pros like Free and included with Microsoft 365, Intuitive interface, Powerful organization features, Real-time collaboration, Available across devices, Integrates with other Microsoft products.

Feature	Obsidian	Microsoft OneNote
Overall Score	3	2
Primary Category	Office & Productivity	Office & Productivity

Product Overview

Obsidian

Description: Obsidian, a powerful note-taking and knowledge management tool. Forge connections between ideas, create a personal knowledge base, and enhance productivity with this markdown-based, local-first application.

Microsoft OneNote

Description: Note-taking made seamless with Microsoft OneNote. Organize your thoughts, ideas, and tasks in a digital notebook that syncs across devices. Collaborate in real-time, capture multimedia notes, and stay productive wherever you go.

Key Features Comparison

Obsidian Features

• Local-first design
• Markdown notes
• Graph view
• Backlinks
• Plugins
• Mobile apps

Microsoft OneNote Features

• Note taking
• Document organization
• Collaboration
• Cross-device syncing
• Multimedia embedding
• Searchable notes
• Templates
• Version history

Pros & Cons Analysis

Obsidian

Pros

• Free and open source
• Very customizable
• Great for building a personal knowledge base
• Strong community support

Cons

• Can feel overwhelming at first
• Mobile apps cost extra
• No collaboration features

Microsoft OneNote

Pros

• Free and included with Microsoft 365
• Intuitive interface
• Powerful organization features
• Real-time collaboration
• Available across devices
• Integrates with other Microsoft products

Cons

• Formatting options limited compared to Word
• No offline access without Microsoft 365 subscription
• Limited customization options
• Can be slow with large notebooks
• No Linux version

Pricing Comparison

Obsidian

• Freemium

Microsoft OneNote

• Freemium
• Subscription-Based