Logseq vs Obsidian
Logseq and Obsidian are both note-taking & docs tools. Logseq is aimed at developers and creators, while Obsidian is aimed at freelancers and developers. Both have a free plan.
| Pricing | Open source | Freemium · $5 |
| Starting price | Not published | $5/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Built for | Developers, Creators | Freelancers, Developers, Creators |
| Platforms | macos, windows, linux, ios, android | macos, windows, linux, ios, android |
| Country | US · 2020 | CA · 2020 |
| Rating | — | — |
Choose Logseq if
Outliner fans and researchers.
- Free and open source
- Local files
- Great for journaling
Look elsewhere if: Team wikis.
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.
Logseq vs Obsidian pricing
Logseq
- Free$0Open-source (AGPL) desktop and web apps
- Backer$5/moOpen Collective; insider builds, DB beta and sync
- Sponsor$15/moOpen Collective; insider builds, sync access
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
Logseq · Key features
- Outliner with blocks
- Bidirectional links
- Daily journals
- Queries
- Whiteboards
- Plugins
Cons
- Sync limited
- Learning curve
- Mobile weaker
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
Logseq vs Obsidian: FAQ
Do Logseq and Obsidian have a free plan?
Yes, both Logseq and Obsidian have a free plan; paid plans add more usage and features.