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Research · head to head

Elicit vs Obsidian

Elicit logo

Elicit

Research

The AI research assistant

From
Free
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

  • Each has a real cost: Elicit pro and Scale plans available at different monthly prices; annual billing options not specified; Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Elicit and Obsidian actually diverge.

Attributes where Elicit and Obsidian differ
AttributeElicitObsidian
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2020

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Research).

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 Elicit

Nothing recorded that Obsidian does not also cover.

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.

Elicit

  • Screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviewsnot Obsidian
  • Extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automaticallynot Obsidian
  • Querying full-text papers using AI for custom literature analysisnot Obsidian
  • Tracking new relevant research with personalized notification alertsnot Obsidian

Obsidian

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

Where each one falls short

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

Elicit

  • Pro and Scale plans available at different monthly prices; annual billing options not specified
  • Enterprise plan pricing not disclosed; requires contacting vendor

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

Elicit

Free
  • BasicFree
    • Limited usage for Research Agent and Research Reports
    • Unlimited search across 138+ million papers
    • Unlimited summaries and chat with papers
  • Pro$49/month
    • Standard usage for Research Agent, Research Reports, and Systematic Literature Reviews
    • Dedicated workflow screening up to 5,000 papers
    • Up to 20 table columns
  • Scale$169/month
    • 5x usage for Research Agent, Research Reports, and Systematic Literature Reviews
    • Figure extraction and interpretation
    • Real-time team collaboration
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Custom usage limits
    • Unlimited alerts and up to 40,000 paper screening
    • Up to 40 table columns

Obsidian

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Elicit if

  • You want to start without paying.
Elicit 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 Elicit or Obsidian better?
Neither clearly leads. Elicit starts at Free and Obsidian at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Elicit or Obsidian?
Elicit starts at Free and Obsidian at Free.
Does Elicit or Obsidian run on more platforms?
Elicit runs on Web. Obsidian runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
Can I use Elicit for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Elicit best used for?
Elicit is most often used for screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviews, extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automatically, querying full-text papers using ai for custom literature analysis, tracking new relevant research with personalized notification alerts. Of those, screening and summarizing 40,000+ academic papers in systematic reviews and extracting structured data from 200+ research sources automatically are not what Obsidian is typically brought in for.
What can Elicit do that Obsidian cannot?
Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking, Graph view visualization, Markdown support, Local file storage.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elicit: Does Elicit offer a free plan?

Yes, Elicit's Basic plan is free and includes unlimited search across 138+ million research papers, unlimited summaries, chat with papers, source viewing, and Zotero import. Limited usage is included for Research Agent and Research Reports.

Source
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
Elicit: What is the difference between Elicit's Pro and Scale plans?

Elicit's Pro plan ($49/month) includes standard usage limits, dedicated screening of up to 5,000 papers, and access to 135 data sources. The Scale plan ($169/month) offers 5x higher usage limits, screening of up to 40,000 papers, figure extraction, team collaboration, and access to 200 data sources.

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
Elicit: What security features does Elicit Enterprise offer?

Elicit's Enterprise plan includes single sign-on (SSO), SAML, two-factor authentication (2FA), PRISMA-grade screening and extraction accuracy, and a dedicated customer success team. Pricing is custom and requires contacting the vendor.

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
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