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Most buyers should pick Obsidian.
Choose Obsidian for a free, local-first Markdown vault and linked-note workflows; its core app is free, with Sync from $4 per user monthly on annual billing. Choose Evernote if you want notes, tasks, calendar links, web clipping, and team features in one workspace. Its free plan is limited to 50 notes, one notebook, and one device; paid Starter begins at $8.25 per month billed annually. For basic notes, Obsidian offers more room before you pay.
01Side by side
| Obsidian | Evernote | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free; Sync from $4/user/month, billed annually | Free; Starter from $8.25/month, billed annually |
| Free plan | Free without limits for personal note-taking; no sign-up | 50 notes, 1 notebook, 1 device |
| Best for | Personal knowledge management, research, and projects | Notes, tasks, schedules, and team projects |
| Core strength | Local Markdown files, links, and graph view | Notes, tasks, calendar links, and web clipping |
| Learning curve | Not published; plugins and themes allow customization | Not published; combines notes, tasks, and calendar |
| Integrations and data | On-device Markdown files; plugins and open API | Web Clipper; calendar links and team collaboration |
| Team and seat costs | Commercial support: $50/user/year; not a comparable team plan | Flexible from $10/seat/month; Enterprise pricing is custom |
| Support | Priority support on Sync and Publish | Dedicated Customer Success Manager on Enterprise |
Obsidian Choose Obsidian if
- Choose Obsidian if you want free, local Markdown notes.
- Choose Obsidian if you connect ideas with note links and graphs.
- Choose Obsidian if you want plugins, themes, and workspace control.
Evernote Choose Evernote if
- Choose Evernote if you want notes, tasks, and schedules together.
- Choose Evernote if you save web content with a browser extension.
- Choose Evernote if your team needs collaboration and task assignment.
02Pricing compared
Obsidian’s core app is free without limits or a sign-up. Its paid Sync add-on costs $4 per user per month with annual billing or $5 month to month. Publish costs $8 per site per month annually or $10 monthly. Catalyst is a $25 one-time payment; Commercial is $50 per user per year.
Evernote’s free plan has hard caps: 50 notes, one notebook, one device, and 1 GB of monthly uploads. Starter costs $8.25 per month when billed annually ($99 per year); its monthly rate is not published. Advanced is $20.83 per month billed annually ($249.99 per year). Flexible team plans start at $10 per seat per month. Evernote offers a seven-day free trial. For basic personal notes, Obsidian gives you more room before you pay.
03Features and depth
Obsidian is built around local Markdown files: notes stay on your device and remain accessible offline. You can link notes and view their relationships in Graph view, or use Canvas to arrange ideas for research, brainstorming, and diagrams. Plugins, themes, and an open API let you customize the workspace. Sync is optional and adds end-to-end encryption, version history, and shared-vault collaboration.
Evernote brings notes and notebooks together with tasks, calendar links, web clipping, search, and team collaboration. Teams can edit in real time, comment, and assign tasks. Its product description also lists AI features, but the published details do not specify which AI tools are included on each plan.
The practical divide is control versus consolidation. Obsidian centers on connected, customizable notes; Evernote combines notes with task, schedule, capture, and collaboration features. Check Evernote’s caps before switching: Starter lists 1,000 notes and three devices, while Advanced lists unlimited notes and synced devices.
04Ease of use and learning curve
Evernote is the more direct fit if you want notes, tasks, calendar links, and web clipping together, without building a system from separate components. Its Free plan is easy to try, but its limits—50 notes, one notebook, and one device—may constrain regular use.
Obsidian’s free app avoids those caps, but its Markdown files, note links, plugins, and graph-based approach leave more choices to make. You can start with plain notes, then add customization as needed; Sync is a separate paid add-on if you want notes across devices. Choose based on whether you want a flexible note workspace or a bundled digital notebook.
Questions people ask
Is Obsidian free to use?
Yes. Obsidian’s core app is free without limits or a sign-up, according to the published pricing details. Sync and Publish are paid add-ons: Sync starts at $4 per user per month with annual billing, while Publish starts at $8 per site per month with annual billing.
Is Evernote free plan enough for basic note-taking?
It may be enough for light use, but the free plan is capped at 50 notes, one notebook, one device, and 1 GB of monthly uploads. If you need more notes or synced devices, Starter costs $8.25 per month billed annually; the monthly rate is not published.
Can I use Obsidian across devices without paying?
Obsidian stores notes as local Markdown files, so you can use them offline on your device. Its listed cross-device Sync service is optional and costs $4 per user per month with annual billing or $5 month to month. The published details do not specify other sync methods.
Which is better for teams, Obsidian or Evernote?
Evernote lists team collaboration features including real-time editing, comments, and task assignment, with Flexible plans starting at $10 per seat per month. Obsidian Sync supports collaboration on shared vaults, but the published pricing details do not list a dedicated team plan or team-specific price.