AFFiNE vs Obsidian
We give AFFiNE and Obsidian the same GPA: 3.4 out of 4.0. AFFiNE grades higher on ease of use. Obsidian grades higher on value for money. They get the same grade on the free plan, features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
AFFiNE
Open-source workspace that merges docs, whiteboards and databases
Obsidian
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAAFFiNEVery good | 3.4GPAObsidianVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BPro is $6.75 a month billed annually, about the $5.99 this category typically starts at, for 100 GB and 10 members a workspace. AI isn't in it: that's another $8.9 a month. The $499.99 Believer lifetime plan is for fans. | AThe app is free and Sync is $4 a month if you want it. You only pay for the extras you'll really use. |
| Free plan and trial | AUnlimited local workspaces with no account, plus a free cloud tier with 10 GB of storage and 3 members a workspace. Most people could stay here. The cloud caps are 10 MB a file, 3 login devices and 7 days of version history. | AThe whole app, free, with no account and no limits. You're even allowed to use it at work without paying. |
| Features | ABlock-based documents, the Edgeless whiteboard and databases all in one place, working fully offline on desktop. The cloud adds real-time co-editing and version history. Templates run from Cornell notes to storyboards, and you can host the whole stack yourself. | ALinked notes, a graph view, a canvas, and thousands of plugins and themes. It can become almost anything. |
| Ease of use | BWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is as high as we go. The desktop app opens without an account and works offline, and cloud sync is something you add later if you want it. Hosting it yourself means Docker. | CThis is the hard part. You start with an empty folder, and even fans say it took them a while to get comfortable. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, so every device is covered. But the listing shows no integrations and no API, so it doesn't talk to your other tools. | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus a web clipper. No web app though, and the phone app is weaker than the desktop one. |
| Best for | docs and a whiteboard in one open source workspace | notes you own as plain files |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: AFFiNE and Obsidian. How we grade
Where they differ
- AFFiNE starts at $6.75 per month, billed annually. Obsidian starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on).
- Only AFFiNE lists a web app.
- AFFiNE is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Obsidian is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- AFFiNE also covers databases.
- Obsidian also covers notes, Markdown and linked notes.
At a glance
| AFFiNE | Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $6.75 per month, billed annually | $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on) |
| Free plan | Free: unlimited local workspaces, plus AFFiNE Cloud with 10 GB of storage, 10 MB per file, up to 3 members per workspace, 3 login devices and 7 days of version history. | The app is free without limits on desktop and mobile, with no sign-up, and a commercial license is not required for work use. Sync and Publish are optional paid add-ons. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Toeverything | Dynalist Inc. |
| Price read from | affine.pro | obsidian.md |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
AFFiNE
- People who want documents and a whiteboard in the same workspace
- Users who want notes stored on their own device
- Teams looking to self-host a knowledge base
Obsidian
- People who want their notes as plain Markdown files they control
- Building a linked personal knowledge base that works offline
- Users who like to customize an app with plugins and themes
Worth knowing
AFFiNE
- The Free cloud tier is capped at 10 GB of storage, 10 MB per file, 3 members per workspace and 3 login devices.
- AFFiNE AI is a separate add-on at $8.9 a month, billed annually, rather than part of the Pro or Team feature lists.
- The self-hosted backend uses the AFFiNE Enterprise Edition license, which allows source review only without a commercial agreement.
- The Believer Plan's lifetime license is for personal use.
Obsidian
- There is no web app; Obsidian runs as desktop and mobile apps only.
- Obsidian Sync is a paid add-on, from $4 per user / month billed annually.
- Sync Standard covers 1 vault with 1 GB of storage and a 5 MB file size limit; larger limits need Sync Plus.
- Publishing notes to the web is billed separately from Sync, at $8 per site / month on annual billing.
Key features
AFFiNE
- Docs, whiteboards and databases together
- Block-based documents, the Edgeless whiteboard and databases live in one workspace, used for wikis, mood boards, storyboards, project tasks and mind maps.
- Local-first storage
- The desktop apps run documents, databases and the whiteboard locally and fully offline, with no account required. Cloud sync is optional.
- Cloud collaboration
- AFFiNE Cloud adds real-time co-editing of documents and whiteboards, a notification center and version history: 7 days on Free, 30 days on Pro.
- AFFiNE AI
- A paid add-on that drafts and rewrites text, translates, fixes grammar, finds action items and turns outlines into mind maps or presentations (beta).
- Self-hosting
- The full stack can run on your own servers with Docker. Self-hosting is free for up to 10 seats per workspace, and a Team license adds more.
- Templates
- Ready-made templates include a digital planner, storyboard, Cornell notes, one-pager, checklist and vision board.
Obsidian
- Local Markdown files
- Notes are saved on your device as plain-text Markdown files, so they stay readable in other editors and available offline.
- Links and graph view
- Notes link to one another, and a graph view draws the relationships between them so related ideas are easier to find.
- Canvas
- An infinite board for laying out notes, diagrams and research side by side while brainstorming.
- Plugins and themes
- Thousands of community plugins and themes, built on an open API, change how the app looks and behaves.
- Sync (paid add-on)
- End-to-end encrypted sync across devices with version history and shared vaults that update in real time for a team.
- Publish and Web Clipper
- Publish turns notes into a hosted site, priced per site. The Web Clipper extension saves web pages from Chrome, Safari, Firefox and Edge.
Plans
AFFiNE
Free$0
Listed as Local FOSS + Cloud Basic: unlimited local workspaces and editing, with 10 GB of cloud storage and up to 3 members per workspace.
Pro$6.75
per month, billed annually
100 GB of cloud storage, 100 MB per file, up to 10 members per workspace and 30 days of version history.
AFFiNE AI$8.9
per month, billed annually
Add-on that brings AI writing, rewriting, translation, mind maps and presentations into docs and whiteboards.
Team$10
per seat / month, billed annually; $12 billed monthly
100 GB of storage plus 20 GB per seat, 500 MB per file, multiple admin roles and priority support. Also sold for self-hosted use.
Believer Plan$499.99
one-time purchase
Lifetime personal use of everything in Pro, with 1 TB of cloud storage.
EnterpriseCustom
For 100+ seats and regulated industries: custom contract, dedicated contact, source code review and hybrid self-host and cloud options.
Obsidian
Obsidian app$0
The full app with local Markdown notes, links, graph, canvas, plugins and themes. No account needed.
Sync Standard$4
per user / month, billed annually ($5 billed monthly)
Encrypted sync for 1 vault with 1 GB of storage, a 5 MB maximum file size and 1 month of version history.
Sync Plus$8
per user / month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
Sync for 10 vaults with 10 GB of storage (upgradable to 100 GB), 200 MB maximum file size and 12 months of version history.
Publish$8
per site / month, billed annually ($10 billed monthly)
Publishes selected notes as a website with a custom domain, password protection, graph view and full-text search.
Catalyst$25
one-time payment
Optional supporter license with early access to beta versions, community badges and exclusive channels.
Commercial$50
per user / year
Optional license for organizations that want to support development. It is not required to use Obsidian at work.
Ways to pay less
AFFiNE
- Annual discount
Save 15% with annual billing
The pricing page states a 15% saving on annual billing. Team is $10 per seat a month billed annually or $12 billed monthly, and the App Store lists Pro at $7.99 monthly or $81 yearly.
- Lifetime license
Believer Plan lifetime license
A single $499.99 payment gives lifetime personal use of AFFiNE Pro with 1 TB of cloud storage and no subscription.
Obsidian
- Annual discount
20% lower price with annual billing
Sync is $4 per user / month billed annually versus $5 billed monthly, and Publish is $8 per site versus $10: a 20% saving on each.
- Education
40% off Sync and Publish for students and faculty
Students and faculty members of schools and universities can apply for 40% off Obsidian Sync and Publish from their account dashboard, using a school email.
- Nonprofit
40% off Sync and Publish for nonprofits
People who run or work at a nonprofit organization can apply for 40% off Obsidian Sync and Publish, using their organization email.
