Software · head to head
NVivo vs Obsidian
NVivo
Software
Easy-to-use, collaborative qualitative analysis software
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
Obsidian
Software
A powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Obsidian has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: NVivo student licenses are restricted to 12 months of access for one named user; Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which NVivo and Obsidian actually diverge.
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 NVivo
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.
NVivo
No use cases recorded yet. See the NVivo review.
Obsidian
- Local-first markdown note taking with no account requirednot NVivo
- Linking notes into a personal knowledge graphnot NVivo
- Syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-onnot NVivo
- Publishing a public site from a vaultnot NVivo
- Extending the editor with community pluginsnot NVivo
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
NVivo
- Student licenses are restricted to 12 months of access for one named user
- Orders of ten or more licenses are not sold online and require contacting Lumivero for a quote
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
NVivo
On requestNo published plan breakdown. See the NVivo 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 NVivo if
Nothing in the data separates NVivo from Obsidian on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.
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.
Questions people ask
- Is NVivo or Obsidian better?
- Neither clearly leads. NVivo starts at On request and Obsidian at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, NVivo or Obsidian?
- Obsidian has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for NVivo and Free for Obsidian.
- Does NVivo or Obsidian run on more platforms?
- NVivo 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. NVivo starts at On request.
- What can NVivo do that Obsidian cannot?
- 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.
SourceObsidian: 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.
SourceObsidian: 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