Anytype vs Obsidian

Anytype

• People who want encrypted notes that keep working without an internet connection
• Users who want the option to self-host sync or keep data on one device
• Small groups sharing a private, encrypted workspace with built-in chat

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

Anytype

• There is no browser version; Anytype runs only as desktop and mobile apps.
• The free tier includes 100 MB of remote storage; more requires a paid membership.
• Everyone in a shared space can see everything in it; per-object permissions are not supported.
• In September 2026 the team announced a rebuilt successor, Anytwo, and said development of the current app will slow down.

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.

Anytype

Objects, types and properties

Every item is an object with a type, such as Note, Task, Person or Book, and properties like due date or priority that describe objects and link them together.

Calendar, gallery and kanban views

Groups of objects can be laid out as a calendar, a gallery or a kanban board, then filtered and grouped by their properties.

Local-first encrypted sync

Content is stored on your device and encrypted before it syncs, so the app keeps working without a connection. Sync can also run peer-to-peer over a local network.

Self-hosting and local-only mode

Instead of Anytype's network you can sync through your own infrastructure, or turn sync off so data stays on one device.

Shared channels and chats

Invite people as viewers, editors or admins. Changes appear instantly when members are online, and channels include encrypted chat threads.

Web publishing and Local API

Any object can be published as a public static web page. A Local API, an MCP server and a CLI tool let other applications work with your data.

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.

Anytype

• Free$0

  Unlimited private spaces, 100 MB of remote storage and up to 10 shared channels.

• Plus$4

  per month, billed yearly ($5 billed monthly)

  1 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 9 or more characters.

• Pro$8

  per month, billed yearly ($10 billed monthly)

  10 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 7 or more characters.

• Ultra$16

  per month, billed yearly ($20 billed monthly)

  100 GB of remote storage, unlimited shared channels and a custom ANY ID of 5 or more characters.

• Anytype for Business€20

  per editor / month

  Cloud-hosted team workspace with one admin panel for every space and org-level permissions. Viewers are free; only editors are billed.

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.

Anytype

• Education

  50% off memberships for students and faculty

  Students, researchers and educators with an institutional email can claim a code for 50% off for 12 months, and request a new code once a year.

• Other savings

  50% off for active contributors

  Active contributors to Anytype's codebase, gallery, tutorials and community can ask the association for a 50% discount on memberships.

• Annual discount

  Save 20% on Anytype for Business with annual billing

  The Anytype for Business page lists a 20% saving on the per-editor price when billed annually instead of monthly.

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.