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All industries · head to head

Google Workspace vs Obsidian

Google Workspace logo

Google Workspace

All industries

Everything you need to get work done, all in one place

From
€3.4/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: Google Workspace starter tier storage limited to 30 GB per user, requiring upgrade to Standard or higher for adequate document storage; Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
  • They diverge on capability: Google Workspace covers Gmail business email, Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Workspace and Obsidian actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Workspace and Obsidian differ
AttributeGoogle WorkspaceObsidian
Starting price€3.4/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android
CategoryAll industriesResearch
Founded20062020

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 Google Workspace

  • Gmail business email
  • Google Drive storage
  • Google Docs, Sheets, Slides
  • Google Meet video conferencing
  • Google Chat
  • Google Forms
  • Google Sites
  • Microsoft Office

Only in Obsidian

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

Both cover

  • Google Calendar

What people use each for

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

Google Workspace

  • Business email and calendar managementnot Obsidian
  • Collaborative document editingnot Obsidian
  • Video conferencing and meetingsnot Obsidian
  • Secure document storage and sharingnot Obsidian

Obsidian

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

Where each one falls short

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

Google Workspace

  • Starter tier storage limited to 30 GB per user, requiring upgrade to Standard or higher for adequate document storage
  • Starter and Standard tiers both capped at maximum 300 users per organisation
  • Video meetings limited to 100 participants on Starter tier, 150 on Standard tier
  • Recording capabilities only available on Standard tier and above
  • eDiscovery, Vault, and advanced security features only available on Plus and Enterprise tiers

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

Google Workspace

€3.4/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Google Workspace 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 Google Workspace if

  • You need gmail business email.
  • You also want google drive storage.
Google Workspace 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 Google Workspace or Obsidian better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Workspace starts at €3.4/month and Obsidian at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Workspace or Obsidian?
Obsidian has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at €3.4/month for Google Workspace and Free for Obsidian.
Does Google Workspace or Obsidian run on more platforms?
Google Workspace runs on Web. 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. Google Workspace starts at €3.4/month.
What is Google Workspace best used for?
Google Workspace is most often used for business email and calendar management, collaborative document editing, video conferencing and meetings, secure document storage and sharing. Of those, business email and calendar management and collaborative document editing are not what Obsidian is typically brought in for.
What can Google Workspace do that Obsidian cannot?
Google Workspace covers Gmail business email, Google Drive storage, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides, Google Meet video conferencing. Obsidian covers Bidirectional linking, Graph view visualization, Markdown support, Local file storage. Both handle Google Calendar.

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
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Related pages

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