Markor vs Obsidian
We give Markor a 3.0 GPA and Obsidian a 3.4, out of 4.0. Markor grades higher on ease of use. Obsidian grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Obsidian
Markdown note-taking app that keeps your files on your device
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAMarkorVery good | 3.4GPAObsidianVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AFree, open source under Apache 2.0, and no ads. There's no paid version to compare with the $5.99 a month that's typical for this category. | 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 | AThe whole app is free from F-Droid, GitHub or Google Play. Nothing is held back and nothing nags you to upgrade, because there's nothing to upgrade to. | AThe whole app, free, with no account and no limits. You're even allowed to use it at work without paying. |
| Features | BHighlighting and buttons for Markdown, todo.txt, Zim wiki, AsciiDoc, Org-Mode and CSV, a preview, export to HTML or PDF, and AES256 encryption for files. But there's no sync of its own, encryption skips pictures and attachments, and Org-Mode has no rendered view. | ALinked notes, a graph view, a canvas, and thousands of plugins and themes. It can become almost anything. |
| Ease of use | BNo App Store rating exists for an Android-only app, so a B is our ceiling. Install it and start typing into QuickNote. Getting the files onto another device is the fiddly bit, since that takes a separate sync app. | 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 | DAndroid only. The README calls it a text editor for Android and lists no iOS, desktop or web version. The files do open in any text editor elsewhere, if you move them yourself with Syncthing, Nextcloud or Dropbox. | 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 | plain-text notes and todo.txt on Android | 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: Markor and Obsidian. How we grade
Where they differ
- Markor is free. Obsidian starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on).
- Only Obsidian lists macOS, Windows, Linux and iOS apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Markor is open source, according to its own site.
- Obsidian is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Markor also covers tasks.
- Obsidian also covers linked notes and whiteboard.
At a glance
| Markor | Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on) |
| Free plan | The whole app is free, with no ads. The code is licensed under Apache 2.0 and the README describes it as openly developed free software. | 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 |
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Gregor Santner | Dynalist Inc. |
| Price read from | github.com | obsidian.md |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Markor
- Android users who keep notes as Markdown or plain-text files
- People who already use the todo.txt format for tasks
- Pairing with Syncthing, Nextcloud or Dropbox to reach the same files elsewhere
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
Markor
- Android only: the README describes Markor as a text editor for Android and lists no iOS, desktop or web version.
- There is no built-in sync. The README says Markor will stay an offline app and that a separate sync client has to move the files.
- Encryption covers a file's text only, not pictures or attachments, and needs Android Marshmallow or newer.
- Org-Mode support is limited to syntax highlighting and editing buttons; there is no rendered view for it.
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
Markor
- Plain-text files in many formats
- Markdown, todo.txt, Zim wiki text, AsciiDoc, Org-Mode, CSV and plain text get syntax highlighting and format-specific buttons, and the files open in any other text editor.
- Notebook, QuickNote and To-Do
- Notebook is the root folder for documents and can sit anywhere on the file system. QuickNote is a single Markdown file for fast capture and To-Do is a todo.txt file.
- todo.txt task lists
- Each line is a task, with @contexts and +projects for grouping. Finished tasks are marked with an x and can be moved to a separate done file.
- Preview and export to HTML or PDF
- Documents can be previewed, converted and shared as HTML or PDF. Markdown follows the CommonMark specification, with optional math rendering through KaTeX.
- Share Into
- Text and links shared from other apps can be appended to QuickNote, To-Do or a recent file, or saved to a new one, with URL tracking parameters removed.
- File encryption
- Text files can be encrypted with AES256 under a password set in the settings. The companion jpencconverter tool decrypts the same files on a desktop.
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
Markor
Markor$0
The full app from F-Droid, the GitHub releases page or Google Play. The project recommends F-Droid for installing and updating.
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
Markor
No public discounts listed.
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.
