GitJournal vs Obsidian

GitJournal

• Developers who already keep notes in a Git repository
• People who want phone notes as plain Markdown files they control
• Pairing a phone with Obsidian or Foam on the desktop

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

GitJournal

• Tags, backlinks, Zen mode and multiple repositories need Pro, and on iOS even the Basic app is a $3.99 download.
• The store listings say encrypting notes is not supported yet.
• The site offers only Android and iOS apps; on a desktop the same files are edited with other tools such as Obsidian, Notable or Foam.
• The Google Play listing was last updated on Aug 27, 2024, and the website's copyright notice ends in 2022.

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.

GitJournal

Sync with any Git host

Notes sync over standard SSH with a Git repository on GitHub, GitLab, Gitea, Gogs or a custom or self-hosted provider. No GitJournal account is required.

Markdown files with optional YAML

Notes are standard Markdown or plaintext files, optionally with a YAML header, so they stay readable outside the app with no import or export step.

Offline first

All notes are available offline on the device, and they are organized into folders.

Wiki links and backlinks

Typing [[Name]] links one note to another, and backlinks show which notes point at the current one. Backlinks need Pro, and the graph view is experimental.

Multiple editors and views

The same Markdown notes can be edited in several editors, including a raw editor, and the note list can be displayed in different views to suit the task.

Works with desktop tools

Because the repository holds ordinary files, it also opens in Obsidian, Notable, Foam or a terminal, and can be used to manage Hugo, Jekyll or Gatsby sites.

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.

GitJournal

• Basic (Android)$0

  Basic search, dark mode, raw editor, folder support, and customizable default file names and note metadata.

• Basic (iOS)$3.99

  one-time purchase on the US App Store

  The same Basic feature set as a paid download for iPhone and iPad.

• Pro, monthly installments$1.99 - $9.99

  per month, pay what you want (US App Store)

  Tags, backlinks, custom home screen, Zen mode and multiple repos. After 12 months or the minimum yearly amount it becomes the one-time purchase.

• Pro, one-time purchase$31.99 - $54.99

  one-time, pay what you want (US App Store)

  Permanently enables every Pro feature now in GitJournal and any added in the following 12 months.

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.

GitJournal

• Lifetime license

  Pro as a one-time purchase, no subscription

  GitJournal's pricing page says there are no subscriptions: a one-time purchase permanently enables all current Pro features plus those added in the following 12 months.

• Other savings

  Reduced Pro price on request

  The pricing page invites anyone who cannot afford Pro, or finds its price too high, to email the developer to work out a plan.

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.