Joplin
Joplin is a secure, open-source note-taking and to-do application that allows you to capture your thoughts and access them safely from any device through end-to-end encryption.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a powerful private knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files to help you build a personal digital garden.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Joplin | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Website | joplinapp.org | obsidian.md |
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Starting Price | Free | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✘ No free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✓ Has free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✘ No product demo | ✘ No product demo |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2017 | 2020 |
| Headquarters | London, UK | Toronto, Canada |
Overview
Joplin
Joplin is an open-source note-taking application designed to give you full control over your data. You can create formatted notes using Markdown, attach files, and organize everything into notebooks and tags. It serves as a private alternative to mainstream tools, ensuring your information remains yours. You can solve the problem of fragmented information by centralizing your web clippings, meeting notes, and daily to-do lists in one searchable location.
The software is built for privacy-conscious individuals, researchers, and developers who need a reliable way to sync notes across multiple devices. Because it uses end-to-end encryption, you can sync your data through services like Dropbox, OneDrive, or Joplin Cloud without worrying about unauthorized access. It is completely free to use as a local application, with optional paid cloud services for enhanced syncing and sharing capabilities.
Obsidian
Obsidian is a flexible note-taking and knowledge management application that lives on your local device rather than in the cloud. You can create a complex web of interconnected ideas using plain text Markdown files, ensuring your data remains portable and future-proof. Because it stores everything locally, you maintain full ownership of your information and can access your notes even without an internet connection.
You can transform your notes into a visual knowledge graph to see how different concepts relate to one another. The software adapts to your specific needs through a massive library of community plugins and themes, allowing you to build anything from a simple daily journal to a comprehensive research database. It is free for personal use, making it an accessible starting point for students, researchers, and knowledge workers.
Overview
Joplin Features
- Markdown Support Write and format your notes easily using Markdown and view them instantly with the built-in previewer.
- End-to-End Encryption Secure your notes with high-level encryption so only you can access your data during synchronization.
- Web Clipper Save web pages as notes directly from your browser to keep important online research in one place.
- Multi-Device Sync Access your notes anywhere by syncing through Joplin Cloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, or your own server.
- Offline Access View and edit your entire note library without an internet connection, ensuring you stay productive everywhere.
- Note History Keep track of changes and restore previous versions of your notes if you make a mistake.
Obsidian Features
- Backlinks and Outgoing Links. Create a web of knowledge by linking notes together and seeing exactly which pages reference your current thought.
- Graph View. Visualize your entire knowledge base in an interactive map to identify clusters of related ideas and hidden connections.
- Canvas. Organize your ideas visually on an infinite whiteboard where you can lay out notes, images, and PDF documents.
- Local-First Storage. Keep your data private and secure by storing all your notes as plain text files directly on your hard drive.
- Community Plugins. Extend your workspace with over 1,000 community-made plugins that add calendars, task boards, and advanced formatting tools.
- Markdown Support. Write in a standardized format that ensures you can open and read your notes in any text editor forever.
Pricing Comparison
Joplin Pricing
- Full note-taking features
- Markdown editing
- End-to-end encryption
- Sync via 3rd party (Dropbox/OneDrive)
- Browser Web Clipper
- Everything in Free, plus:
- 2GB Cloud storage
- Sync multiple devices
- Publish notes to the web
- Access to Web Clipper
- Email notes to your account
Obsidian Pricing
- 100% free for personal use
- No account or registration required
- Full access to plugins and API
- Community support access
- Local file storage
- Everything in Personal, plus:
- Commercial use license
- Priority support access
- Required for work-related use
- Annual billing only
Pros & Cons
Joplin
Pros
- Complete ownership of your data through encryption
- Extensive plugin library for custom functionality
- Excellent Markdown support for technical writing
- No cost for the core application
Cons
- Interface feels less polished than commercial rivals
- Sync setup can be technical for beginners
- Mobile app lacks some advanced desktop features
Obsidian
Pros
- Complete ownership of your data via local files
- Extremely fast performance even with thousands of notes
- Highly customizable through themes and community plugins
- Free for personal use with no feature gates
- Strong privacy as data stays off third-party servers
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Mobile sync requires a paid subscription or workaround
- No built-in collaboration features for teams
- Requires manual backup management for your files