Obsidian vs SilverBullet

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

SilverBullet

• People who want Markdown notes they can query and script
• Self-hosters running a personal or team wiki from one container
• Developers keeping documentation in the same git repository as their code

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.

SilverBullet

• Using the Desktop app at work requires Pro at $50 per user per year; only personal and education use is free.
• Desktop is not open source. The FAQ says only SilverBullet Server is, with the same editor and Space Lua in both.
• There is no app-store mobile app: phones open the Server in a browser and can install it as a PWA.
• The features page marks live sync, the Mention Inbox and the object graph as experimental.

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.

SilverBullet

Live Preview Markdown editor

Plain Markdown is rendered as you type, including links, tasks, tables, code and widgets. Outlining, templates, slash commands, a daily journal and an optional Vim mode are included.

Wiki links and Linked Mentions

Double-bracket links connect pages, headings or positions, every page lists where it is mentioned, and a page or section can be embedded inside another.

Live queries

Notes can be queried like a database from inside a page, for example open tasks across projects or every page with a tag, and the results update as notes change.

Space Lua scripting

A Lua dialect built into the notes adds commands, widgets and automations with no build step, and CSS written in a page restyles the interface.

Server for browsers and teams

The Server runs as one container or a single binary and is used from any browser, with accounts and roles, comments, @-mentions, single sign-on and read-only publishing.

Desktop app with sync

Desktop opens any local folder as a space, binds system-wide shortcuts to commands, and syncs both ways with your own or a hosted SilverBullet Server.

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.

SilverBullet

• Server$0

  The MIT-licensed server for any number of users, at home or at work, run on your own hardware and used from a browser.

• Desktop Personal$0

  The desktop app for personal use and education, with unlimited spaces and sync with any SilverBullet Server.

• Desktop Pro$50

  per user / year

  Needed for work use. Adds Meta Space, the Edge release channel of nightly builds, and bulk seats that can be assigned to a team.

• Cloud$2

  per month and up, billed by PikaPods

  SilverBullet Server hosted by PikaPods, an independent host, with one-click deployment and starting credit at sign-up.

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.

SilverBullet

• Education

  Desktop is free for use in education

  SilverBullet Desktop is free for personal use and for use in education. Only work use needs the Pro license at $50 per user per year.