Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Brain.fm vs Obsidian

Brain.fm logo

Brain.fm

Productivity

Scientifically-designed music to enhance focus and productivity

From
$14.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Obsidian logo

Obsidian

Research

A powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Obsidian has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Brain.fm monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent); Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • They diverge on capability: Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music, Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Brain.fm and Obsidian actually diverge.

Attributes where Brain.fm and Obsidian differ
AttributeBrain.fmObsidian
Starting price$14.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
CategoryProductivityResearch
Founded20152020

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Brain.fm

  • Neuroscience-designed music
  • Focus tracks
  • Relaxation tracks
  • Sleep tracks
  • Offline mode
  • Multiple genres
  • Cross-platform access
  • Ad-free experience

Only in Obsidian

  • Bidirectional linking
  • Graph view visualization
  • Markdown support
  • Local file storage
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • Custom CSS themes
  • Templates
  • Search and tags

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Brain.fm

  • Knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocksnot Obsidian
  • ADHD individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentrationnot Obsidian
  • Students preparing for exams with learning and meditation supportnot Obsidian

Obsidian

  • Local-first markdown note taking with no account requirednot Brain.fm
  • Linking notes into a personal knowledge graphnot Brain.fm
  • Syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-onnot Brain.fm
  • Publishing a public site from a vaultnot Brain.fm
  • Extending the editor with community pluginsnot Brain.fm

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Brain.fm

  • Monthly plan at $14.99/month significantly more expensive per unit than annual plan ($8.33/month equivalent)
  • ADHD mode available only with active subscription; no trial access to specialised features
  • No offline mode documented; requires internet connectivity for audio delivery
  • Content library composition not published (proprietary vs. licensed music distinction unclear)

Obsidian

  • Sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • Publishing to the web is a further $8 per month per site
  • Commercial use asks for a $50 per user per year licence, though the vendor states it is not required
  • Collaboration is limited compared with a hosted notes tool, since the vault is local files first

Pricing, plan by plan

Brain.fm

$14.99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Brain.fm review.

Obsidian

Free
  • Obsidian Sync$4/month
    • Sync notes across devices
  • Obsidian Publish$8/month
    • Turn notes into a website

Which should you pick?

Choose Brain.fm if

  • You need neuroscience-designed music.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want focus tracks.
Brain.fm review

Choose Obsidian if

  • You need bidirectional linking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
  • You also want graph view visualization.
Obsidian review

Questions people ask

Is Brain.fm or Obsidian better?
Neither clearly leads. Brain.fm starts at $14.99/month and Obsidian at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Brain.fm or Obsidian?
Obsidian has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $14.99/month for Brain.fm and Free for Obsidian.
Does Brain.fm or Obsidian run on more platforms?
Brain.fm runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Obsidian runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use Obsidian for free?
Yes. Obsidian has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Brain.fm starts at $14.99/month.
What is Brain.fm best used for?
Brain.fm is most often used for knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocks, adhd individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentration, students preparing for exams with learning and meditation support. Of those, knowledge workers requiring focus audio for deep work blocks and adhd individuals seeking neurologically-optimised audio for concentration are not what Obsidian is typically brought in for.
What can Brain.fm do that Obsidian cannot?
Brain.fm covers Neuroscience-designed music, Focus tracks, Relaxation tracks, Sleep tracks. Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking, Graph view visualization, Markdown support, Local file storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Obsidian: Is Obsidian free?

Yes. The core Obsidian application is 100% free for personal and commercial use with no limitations. You can use unlimited vaults and every core feature without payment.

Source
Obsidian: What file format does Obsidian use?

Obsidian stores every note as a plain Markdown file. Because it uses standard Markdown instead of a proprietary format, your notes remain portable and can be edited with many other Markdown editors.

Source
Obsidian: Can I collaborate with others in Obsidian?

The core application does not include built-in team collaboration features. However, Obsidian offers optional add-ons and can be used with version control systems or cloud storage for collaboration.

Source
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Brain.fm

More on Obsidian

Keep looking

Other head to heads