Obsidian vs Anytype
Obsidian: Local-first notes in a folder of Markdown files, with optional paid sync and publishing. Anytype: Local-first, peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted knowledge workspace.
| Obsidian | Anytype | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free for personal use | See vendor pricing page |
| Free option | Free without limits for personal use, no sign-up required | See vendor pricing page |
| License | Proprietary, free for personal use | Any Source Available License 1.0 (source available, not an OSI open source license) |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android | Windows, macOS, Linux |
| Notes stored as | Plain Markdown files on your device | Offline-first local storage with optional peer-to-peer sync |
Choose Obsidian if
- you want your notes to stay as plain Markdown files you control
- you like extending your editor with community plugins
- you work alone or share notes by file rather than by live workspace
Strengths
- Your notes are ordinary Markdown files in a folder, so any other editor can open them
- Large plugin and theme ecosystem
- Backlinks and graph view for linked notes
- End-to-end encrypted sync (AES-256) if you pay for it
Limits
- The app itself is not open source
- Sync and Publish are paid add-ons
- No real-time multi-user editing like a shared workspace tool
Pricing details
- Sync: $4 per user per month billed annually, or $5 billed monthly
- Publish: $8 per site per month billed annually, or $10 billed monthly
- Commercial license: $50 per user per year, optional (the vendor says commercial use does not require it)
- Catalyst: $25 one-time optional license
Choose Anytype if
- you privacy and offline use matter more than real-time team editing
- you like modelling notes as typed objects with relations
- you want end-to-end encrypted sync
Strengths
- Local-first with zero-knowledge encryption (per the client README)
- Objects and relations instead of a single page tree
- Desktop builds for all three major systems
Limits
- The client README lists macOS, Windows and Linux; check the vendor site for mobile availability
- The license restricts reuse, so it is not open source in the usual sense
- The repository does not mention Markdown export, so verify export before migrating
Pricing details
- Prices were not readable from the vendor site when checked, so none are listed here
Obsidian
Local-first notes in a folder of Markdown files, with optional paid sync and publishing.
Proprietary
- Price: Free for personal use
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
- Storage: Plain Markdown files on your device
Anytype
Local-first, peer-to-peer and end-to-end encrypted knowledge workspace.
Proprietary
- Price: See vendor pricing page
- Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Storage: Offline-first local storage with optional peer-to-peer sync
Details come from each vendor's own website and were checked on 2026-10-18. Confirm current prices on the vendor page.