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Anytype vs Obsidian

Anytype and Obsidian are both note-taking & docs tools. Anytype is aimed at freelancers and creators, while Obsidian is aimed at freelancers and developers. Both have a free plan.

Anytype

Private, local-first Notion alternative

Obsidian

Local-first markdown knowledge base

PricingFreemium · $5Freemium · $5
Starting price$5/mo$5/mo
Free planYesYes
Free trial——
Built forFreelancers, CreatorsFreelancers, Developers, Creators
Platformsmacos, windows, linux, ios, androidmacos, windows, linux, ios, android
CountryDE · 2019CA · 2020
Rating——

Choose Anytype if

Privacy-conscious knowledge workers.

  • Privacy and ownership
  • Offline-first
  • Flexible data model

Look elsewhere if: Teams needing mature collaboration.

Choose Obsidian if

Individuals, researchers and writers who want ownership, longevity and deep customization.

  • You own your files; works offline forever
  • Free for personal and commercial use
  • Unmatched extensibility through plugins

Look elsewhere if: Teams needing shared, collaborative documents or users who want a zero-setup tool.

Anytype vs Obsidian pricing

Anytype

  • Free$0100 MB remote storage, 10 shared channels
  • Plus$5/mo$4/mo billed yearly; 1 GB storage, unlimited shared channels
  • Pro$10/mo$8/mo billed yearly; 10 GB storage, 7+ symbol ANY ID
  • Ultra$20/mo$16/mo billed yearly; 100 GB storage, 5+ symbol ANY ID

Obsidian

  • Free$0Full app, personal and commercial use
  • Sync$5/user/mo$4 billed annually; E2E encrypted sync
  • Publish$10/site/mo$8 billed annually; publish notes to web
  • Catalyst$25One-time supporter license, early access
  • Commercial$50/user/yearOptional license for organizations

Anytype · Key features

  • Object-based notes
  • Types and relations
  • Sets and collections
  • Local-first E2E encryption
  • P2P sync
  • Sharing spaces

Cons

  • Learning curve
  • Collaboration maturing
  • Smaller ecosystem

Obsidian · Key features

  • Local Markdown files with bidirectional links and backlinks panel
  • Graph view and Canvas for visual thinking
  • Bases: database-style views over notes (2025)
  • 2,000+ community plugins and themes
  • End-to-end encrypted Sync and one-click Publish
  • Daily notes, templates, search with operators, mobile apps

Cons

  • No real-time collaboration
  • Plugin quality varies; setup can rabbit-hole
  • Sync and Publish are paid add-ons

Anytype vs Obsidian: FAQ

Do Anytype and Obsidian have a free plan?

Yes, both Anytype and Obsidian have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.

Not sure yet?