You have 43 tabs open. Three different note apps. Random thoughts scattered across Evernote, Apple Notes, and a bunch of untitled Text documents.
I migrated my entire knowledge system twice—first from Notion to Obsidian, then back to Notion. Here’s which tool wins for different types of knowledge workers.
## Why Note-Taking Apps Actually Matter
You generate ideas all day. Client calls. Article research. Meeting notes. Random shower thoughts at 11 PM.
Without a system? Those ideas disappear. With the right tool? They compound into a second brain.
**What knowledge workers actually need:**
– Capture ideas fast (no friction when inspiration hits)
– Connect related notes (your brain works by association, your tool should too)
– Find anything in under 10 seconds
– Works offline (airports, coffee shops, trains)
Notion and Obsidian both promise this. Only one delivers without forcing you to become a power user.
## Notion: The All-in-One Workspace
Notion isn’t just notes. It’s databases, wikis, project management, docs, and note-taking wrapped in one clean interface.
### What Notion Nails
**Everything in One Place:**
Notes. Tasks. Projects. Client databases. Meeting agendas. Content calendar. All in Notion.
My entire business runs in Notion: 3 active clients, 47 article ideas, financial tracking, daily logs. One tool.
**Collaborative by Default:**
Share a page. Add collaborators. Everyone edits in real-time. No email attachments. No version conflicts.
Our 4-person team shares a Notion workspace. Client docs, project timelines, meeting notes. Always synchronized.
**Beautiful Templates:**
Don’t start from blank pages. Notion has 5,000+ templates. Daily journals, CRM systems, content calendars, project trackers.
I use a template for client meetings (pre-filled agenda, action items auto-populate). Saves 10 minutes per meeting.
**Databases Change Everything:**
Tables that work like spreadsheets but with rich content. Filter, sort, group, relate records.
My article database: 127 ideas, filtered by status (Published, In Progress, Ideas), sorted by priority. Click any row, see full outline.
### Where Notion Frustrates
**Offline is Terrible:**
No internet? Notion barely works. Pages load slowly. Can’t create new pages. You’re stuck.
I learned this on a 6-hour flight. Opened Notion to write. Got “Offline mode limited” message. Rage-closed my laptop.
**Slow with Large Workspaces:**
500+ pages? Notion starts lagging. Search takes 3-4 seconds. Page loads feel sluggish.
**No True Markdown:**
Notion uses markdown-like syntax but doesn’t save as .md files. Your notes are locked in Notion’s ecosystem.
Export? Possible, but painful. Not portable like plain text.
**Expensive for Teams:**
$10/month per person. 10-person team? $100/month. Small businesses feel this.
## Obsidian: The Power User’s Paradise
Obsidian is plain markdown files. Local-first. Link notes together into a knowledge graph. Think Wikipedia, but private.
### What Obsidian Dominates
**Markdown Files = Freedom:**
Every note is a `.md` file on your computer. Sync with Dropbox, iCloud, Git. Never locked in.
Can’t afford Obsidian sync? Use Dropbox. Want version history? Use Git. Your files, your rules.
**Offline-First Design:**
No internet required. Ever. Notes live on your machine. Open Obsidian in airplane mode. Works perfectly.
I’ve used Obsidian completely offline for weeks during travel. Never noticed.
**Bidirectional Links:**
Link notes together. `[[Project Alpha]]` creates a link. Click, jump to that note. Obsidian tracks all connections.
Graph view shows your knowledge web. 237 notes, 681 connections in my system. Discover forgotten ideas by browsing connections.
**Plugins for Everything:**
1,000+ community plugins. Calendar view. Task management. Spaced repetition. PDF annotations. Canvas boards.
I use Daily Notes plugin (auto-creates today’s note), Dataview (query notes like databases), and Templater (advanced templates).
**Completely Free:**
$0 for local use. $10/month for official sync (optional). $8/month for publish (also optional).
Most users pay nothing. Sync via Dropbox/iCloud, publish via GitHub Pages.
### Where Obsidian Disappoints
**Learning Curve is Real:**
Obsidian assumes you know markdown. And file organization. And how backlinks work.
Took me 2 weeks to feel productive. Notion? Productive in 2 hours.
**No Real Databases:**
Obsidian has Dataview plugin (query notes like databases) but it’s not the same. Can’t drag/drop to rearrange. No relation fields.
My client database in Notion is 10x easier than trying to replicate it in Obsidian.
**Collaboration is Painful:**
Share individual notes? Sure, export to PDF. Share your entire vault with a team? Nightmare.
Obsidian is built for solo knowledge workers, not teams.
**Mobile Apps are Clunky:**
Notion’s mobile app is polished. Obsidian’s feels like an afterthought. Editing on phone is frustrating.
## Head-to-Head Comparison
### Pricing
**Notion:**
– Free: 1 person, limited features
– Plus: $10/month (personal use)
– Business: $15/month per user
– Enterprise: Custom
**Obsidian:**
– Personal use: FREE
– Commercial use: $50/year
– Sync: $10/month (optional)
– Publish: $8/month (optional)
**Winner:** Obsidian (free for most users)
### Features Scorecard
| Feature | Notion | Obsidian |
|———|——–|———-|
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Offline Access | ⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Collaboration | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Databases | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐ |
| Markdown | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Mobile App | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ |
| Customization | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Speed | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
### Real Use Case: My 6-Month Test
**Month 1-3: Notion**
– Used for client work, article ideas, project tracking
– Loved databases, collaboration
– Frustrated by offline limitations, slow search
**Month 4-6: Obsidian**
– Migrated everything to markdown
– Loved offline-first, speed, control
– Missed databases, team sharing
**Result:** Now using both (specialized roles)
## Choose Notion If:
**You work with a team:**
Notion’s collaboration is unbeatable. Share workspaces, edit together, comment on pages.
**You need databases:**
Track clients, projects, content, tasks. Notion’s database views (table, board, calendar, gallery) can’t be replicated in Obsidian.
**You want simplicity:**
Start using Notion productively in 1 hour. No learning curve.
**Internet is always available:**
Work from co-working spaces, offices, home with reliable WiFi? Offline doesn’t matter.
## Choose Obsidian If:
**You travel frequently:**
Planes, trains, spotty WiFi. Obsidian works perfectly offline.
**You want full control:**
Your notes = your files. Sync however you want. Never locked in.
**You’re technical:**
Comfortable with markdown, file systems, plugins. Obsidian rewards power users.
**Budget is tight:**
$0/month beats $10/month, especially long-term.
## Real Knowledge Workers
### Freelance Writer (me, 3 years Notion → 1 year Obsidian)
**Uses:** Obsidian for article research and drafts (offline-first)
**Uses:** Notion for client management and project tracking (databases)
Best of both worlds.
### Startup Founder (8-person team)
**Uses:** Notion exclusively
Why? Team needs to share everything. Docs, roadmaps, customer feedback. Notion’s collaboration wins.
### PhD Student (5 years of research notes)
**Uses:** Obsidian exclusively
Why? 2,400 research notes, all interconnected. Obsidian’s graph view reveals connections between papers. Notion would be too slow.
### Software Developer (personal knowledge base)
**Uses:** Obsidian
Why? Code snippets in markdown. Git version control. Works in terminal. Technical fit.
## Migration Guide
**Notion → Obsidian:**
1. Export Notion workspace (Settings → Export → Markdown & CSV)
2. Import into Obsidian vault
3. Clean up formatting (Notion’s export is messy)
4. Rebuild internal links
Time: 4-6 hours for 200+ notes
**Obsidian → Notion:**
1. Import markdown files into Notion
2. Recreate any database structures
3. Set up templates
Time: 2-3 hours for 200+ notes
## My Setup (Hybrid System)
**Obsidian for:**
– Article drafts (offline writing)
– Research notes (link ideas together)
– Daily journal (personal, private)
**Notion for:**
– Client database (contact info, project status, invoices)
– Content calendar (publish dates, topics, distribution)
– Team docs (shared with clients/contractors)
Total cost: $10/month (Notion Plus) + $0 (Obsidian local)
## The Verdict
**For most knowledge workers: Start with Notion.**
Why? Lower barrier to entry. You’ll be productive immediately. Collaboration works. Databases handle real work.
**Obsidian is for specialists:** Power users who need offline-first, full control, or manage 1,000+ interconnected notes.
Don’t overthink it. Try Notion for 30 days. If you hit its limits (offline, slow search, want markdown), switch to Obsidian.
## Next Steps
**Want more productivity tool comparisons?**
– [Best Project Management Tools for Small Teams](#)
– [Notion Alternatives for 2026](#)
– [Markdown Editors Compared](#)
**Ready to try?**
– Notion: Free plan available
– Obsidian: Free forever (personal use)
Pick the tool that fits your workflow, not your wish list. Simple beats powerful when you’re building a second brain.