4.4
A free local outliner with daily notes, backlinks, and optional paid sync.
Your notes as Markdown files you own.
Best for owning notes as files that outlive the company
Reviewed 16 September 2026 · Prices checked the same day
4.8
52K reviews
Obsidian stores plain Markdown on your disk, which means the notes outlive the company. Personal use is free. Sync is $4.00 per month billed annually or $5.00 monthly. The optional Catalyst licence is $25.00 once, checked 16 September 2026.
Nothing is backed up unless you arrange it. A lost laptop can be a lost degree’s worth of notes if Sync or another backup was never set up.
Pricing
freemium
Sync $4.00/mo billed yearly; Catalyst $25 once
Free version
Nothing locally. Sync is the paid bit.
Platforms
Windows · macOS · Linux · iOS
Feels like a workshop. Students who enjoy tinkering stay for years. Students who want a notebook that just works often leave for OneNote or Goodnotes.
Checked 2026-09-16
| Model | Freemium |
|---|---|
| What free actually includes | Nothing locally. Sync is the paid bit. |
| Cheapest paid tier | Sync $4.00/mo billed yearly; Catalyst $25 once |
| Student pricing | None published |
Links from StudyApps include ref=studyapps.
Nothing locally. Sync is the paid bit. Checked 16 September 2026.
Cheapest paid plan: Sync $4.00/mo billed yearly; Catalyst $25 once. Prices checked 16 September 2026.
Owning notes as files that outlive the company
You are responsible for backup
A free local outliner with daily notes, backlinks, and optional paid sync.
Markdown notes on Apple devices with tags instead of folders.
Free handwriting and typing if campus already gave you an account.
