Obsidian vs Relanote
We give Obsidian and Relanote the same GPA: 3.4 out of 4.0. Obsidian grades higher on value for money and the free plan. Relanote grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on features.
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
Relanote
Linked note-taking in the browser with AI writing and chat tools
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAObsidianVery good | 3.4GPARelanoteVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThe app is free and Sync is $4 a month if you want it. You only pay for the extras you'll really use. | BPremium is $4.99 a month, or $49 a year if paid annually, for unlimited notes and 30,000 AI credits a month. That's about typical for a category where paid plans usually start at $5.99. The AI being included helps. The 1 GB storage cap on a paid plan doesn't. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app, free, with no account and no limits. You're even allowed to use it at work without paying. | BStarter is free for life with no card required: up to 100 notes, 100 MB of storage and 3,000 AI credits a month, with private sharing. A real plan, but tight. Keep notes on one course or one project and you'll reach 100 quickly. |
| Features | ALinked notes, a graph view, a canvas, and thousands of plugins and themes. It can become almost anything. | AFolders, two-way links you make by typing @, tags, and a graph you can filter. AI writes inside a note, builds a notebook of 50 or more notes from a short prompt, and chats over notes, PDFs, web pages and YouTube videos. Chosen notes can be encrypted on your device, and the last 10 edits of a note can be restored. |
| Ease of use | CThis is the hard part. You start with an empty folder, and even fans say it took them a while to get comfortable. | BWe have no App Store rating on record for it, so a B is our ceiling. Sign up in a browser and start. Sync between devices just happens, with no folders or services to connect first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BMac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android, plus a web clipper. No web app though, and the phone app is weaker than the desktop one. | AAny browser on a computer, plus iPhone and Android apps that sync, and an optional daily backup to Google Drive. That clears our bar for an A, if only just: Google Drive is the single integration, there's no API on the listing, and there's no desktop app. |
| Best for | notes you own as plain files | linked notes in a browser with AI help built in |
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: Obsidian and Relanote. How we grade
Where they differ
- Obsidian starts at $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on). Relanote starts at $4.99 per month, or $49 per year if paid annually.
- Only Obsidian lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- Only Obsidian lists a browser extension.
- Only Relanote lists a web app.
- Obsidian is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Obsidian also covers Markdown and whiteboard.
- Relanote also covers chat assistant.
At a glance
| Obsidian | Relanote | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $4 per user / month, billed annually (Sync Standard add-on) | $4.99 per month, or $49 per year if paid annually |
| Free plan | 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. | Starter plan, free for life with no card required: up to 100 notes, 100 MB of storage, 3,000 AI credits a month, private sharing and community support. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Browser extension | ||
| Made by | Dynalist Inc. | Ubidesk LLC |
| Price read from | obsidian.md | relanote.com |
| Checked | Oct 4, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
Relanote
- Students and researchers building a linked set of notes on a topic
- People who want Zettelkasten-style links without setting up sync
- Drafting study notes with AI and then chatting with PDFs or videos
Worth knowing
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.
Relanote
- The free Starter plan stops at 100 notes and 100 MB of storage, with 3,000 AI credits a month.
- Premium still caps storage at 1 GB and AI use at 30,000 credits a month.
- Publishing a note publicly needs Premium, and a privately shared note can only be opened by someone with a Relanote account.
- The features page lists iOS and Android apps only; on a computer Relanote runs in the browser.
Key features
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.
Relanote
- Links, folders and tags
- Folders and sub-folders sit alongside wiki-style bi-directional links. Typing @ creates a new note or links to an existing one without leaving the page, and # adds a tag.
- Graph view
- A mind map-style graph shows how notes and notebooks connect, can be filtered by notebook or tag, and opens any note with a click.
- AI notebooks and writing tools
- A few words of prompt can produce a notebook of 50 or more notes. A / shortcut inside a note opens Write with AI, auto-complete and summarizing.
- Chat and Q&A with your material
- AI chat works over notes, notebooks, PDFs, web pages and YouTube videos. The Q&A tool answers a question and lays out follow-up questions as a graph.
- Sharing and publishing
- Notes and notebooks can be shared privately on every plan with people who have a Relanote account. Publishing them at a public link needs Premium.
- Backup, history and encryption
- A daily backup to Google Drive is optional, notes export as HTML, JSON or text, the last 10 edits of a note can be restored, and chosen notes can be encrypted on the device.
Plans
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.
Relanote
Starter$0
Up to 100 notes, 100 MB of storage and 3,000 AI credits a month, with private sharing and community support.
Premium$4.99
per month, or $49 per year if paid annually
Unlimited notes and notebooks, 1 GB of storage, 30,000 AI credits a month, priority support and public sharing.
Ways to pay less
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.
Relanote
- Annual discount
About 18% less when paid annually
Premium is $4.99 a month or $49 a year if paid annually. Twelve monthly payments come to $59.88, so the annual price saves about 18%.
- Education
Discount for students and teachers
The FAQ offers students and teachers a discount on the annual plan that lasts as long as the subscription continues. It gives no figure and excludes the monthly plan.
- Nonprofit
Discount for nonprofits on request
Nonprofits can email support from their organization's address with a link to their website to receive a discount. The FAQ does not state the amount.
