Software · head to head
Obsidian vs Logseq
Obsidian
Software
A powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Obsidian sync is a paid add-on at $4 per month billed annually rather than part of the app; Logseq aGPL-3.0 licensing requires derivative works to be open-source
- They diverge on capability: Obsidian covers Graph view visualization, Logseq covers Markdown-based notes.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Obsidian and Logseq actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2020).
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 Obsidian
- Graph view visualization
- Markdown support
- Local file storage
- Plugin ecosystem
- Custom CSS themes
- Templates
- Search and tags
- Zotero
Only in Logseq
- Markdown-based notes
- Graph visualization
- Backlinks
- Tags
- Daily notes
- Journaling
- Search and filtering
Both cover
- Bidirectional linking
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Obsidian
- Local-first markdown note taking with no account requirednot Logseq
- Linking notes into a personal knowledge graphnot Logseq
- Syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-onnot Logseq
- Publishing a public site from a vaultnot Logseq
- Extending the editor with community pluginsnot Logseq
Logseq
- Privacy-first knowledge management with local data storagenot Obsidian
- Open-source alternative to proprietary note-taking platformsnot Obsidian
- Markdown and Org-mode file support with PDF annotationnot Obsidian
- Extensible through plugin ecosystem for custom workflowsnot Obsidian
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Logseq
- AGPL-3.0 licensing requires derivative works to be open-source
- Mobile apps (iOS and Android) still in alpha/beta development stage
- Self-hosted with local-first architecture, no built-in cloud sync option
- No native synchronisation between desktop and mobile versions without setup
Pricing, plan by plan
Obsidian
Free- Obsidian Sync$4/month
- Sync notes across devices
- Obsidian Publish$8/month
- Turn notes into a website
Logseq
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Logseq review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Obsidian if
- You need graph view visualization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android.
- You also want markdown support.
Choose Logseq if
- You need markdown-based notes.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on macOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android, Web.
- You also want graph visualization.
Questions people ask
- Is Obsidian or Logseq better?
- Neither clearly leads. Obsidian starts at Free and Logseq at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Obsidian or Logseq?
- Obsidian starts at Free and Logseq at Free.
- Does Obsidian or Logseq run on more platforms?
- Obsidian runs on Web, Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android. Logseq runs on macOS, Linux, Windows, iOS, Android, Web.
- Can I use Obsidian for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Obsidian best used for?
- Obsidian is most often used for local-first markdown note taking with no account required, linking notes into a personal knowledge graph, syncing a vault across devices with end-to-end encryption on the paid add-on, publishing a public site from a vault. Of those, local-first markdown note taking with no account required and linking notes into a personal knowledge graph are not what Logseq is typically brought in for.
- What can Obsidian do that Logseq cannot?
- Obsidian covers Graph view visualization, Markdown support, Local file storage, Plugin ecosystem. Logseq covers Markdown-based notes, Graph visualization, Backlinks, Tags. Both handle Bidirectional linking.
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