NotePlus vs Obsidian

NotePlus

• People who want Markdown notes as plain files in their own cloud folder
• Mac, Windows and iPhone users who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
• Developers who want messages from scripts and CI jobs delivered next to their notes

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

NotePlus

• No Android, Linux or web version: the site lists macOS 12, iOS 15 and Windows 10 (64-bit) or later.
• A license includes 1 year of updates. The app keeps working after that, but moving to newer versions needs a renewal at $19 per seat.
• There is no sync service of its own: notes reach other devices through the cloud folder they are stored in.
• AI chat needs your own API key from a provider, and the site describes themes for Mac, iPhone and iPad only.

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.

NotePlus

WYSIWYG Markdown editor

Markdown is formatted in place as you type, with no separate preview pane. Headings, checklists, tables, code blocks and images are covered, and the file stays plain Markdown.

Files in your own cloud folder

Notes are kept in iCloud Drive, Google Drive, Dropbox or any folder that syncs, and that service does the syncing. No NotePlus account is involved.

Linked notes and secret notes

Typing two brackets and a name links to another note. A note can be locked with a password, which encrypts it in its file, and unlocked with Touch ID or Face ID.

Kanban boards

Boards with columns, cards and colors are saved in the same folder as the notes, and a card is dragged to another column as the work moves along.

AI chat with your own API key

A chat window and a sidebar assistant work with OpenAI, Anthropic, Gemini, DeepSeek, Ollama and others. Chats are saved as files, and the assistant can read and update NotePlus items.

Hub

Works like an incoming webhook: a script, CI job or service posts text to a hook URL and it arrives in NotePlus with a notification on Mac and iPhone. Hub needs a license.

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.

NotePlus

• Free download$0

  The app without a license. The vendor calls this a free trial and says it has no limits at present, though some functions will be limited in future releases.

• Basic$29

  per license, one-time purchase

  For individuals: 1 Mac or Windows PC plus 2 iPhones or iPads, all premium features including Hub, and 1 year of updates and support.

• Pro$39

  per license, one-time purchase

  2 Macs or Windows PCs plus 4 iPhones or iPads, with the same premium features and 1 year of updates and support.

• Custom$29

  per seat, one-time purchase, from 3 seats

  For teams and companies. Each seat covers 1 Mac or Windows PC plus 2 iPhones or iPads, with 1 year of updates and support.

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.

NotePlus

• Other savings

  Pro license covers two computers for $39

  The pricing page marks the Pro license "Save 35%": it covers 2 Macs or Windows PCs and 4 iPhones or iPads for $39, where a Basic license for one computer costs $29.

• Education

  50% education discount on request

  The site's Education link goes to the TablePlus team's education plan, which gives students and teachers 50% off on request by email with proof of status. That page was written for TablePlus.

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.