Anytype vs Obsidian
Two of the top three note-taking apps, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- Anytype has 76 points and Obsidian 71, 5 apart on our note-taking apps rules.
- Anytype earns more on features and price; Obsidian earns more on your data.
- Cheapest paid plan: Anytype $4/mo, Obsidian $4/mo.
- Only Anytype meets: real-time collaboration and free sync.
- Only Obsidian meets: notes as plain files.
Anytype76/100 #1 of 10
Best for: People who want Notion-style databases kept encrypted on their own devices.
Points by group
| Group | Anytype | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Systems of 25 | 22 | 22 |
| Your data of 30 | 14 | 24 |
| Features of 25 | 20 | 15 |
| Price of 20 | 20 | 10 |
| Total | 76 | 71 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | Anytype | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Apps (18) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android 15 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android 15 |
| Works offline (7) | Yes 7 | Yes 7 |
| Notes as plain files (10) | No 0 | Yes 10 |
| Export everything to Markdown or HTML (6) | Yes 6 | Yes 6 |
| End-to-end encryption (8) | Yes 8 | Yes 8 |
| Open source (6) | No 0 | Not published 0 |
| Web clipper (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Linked notes (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Real-time collaboration (5) | Yes 5 | No 0 |
| Tables and databases (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Handwriting and drawing (5) | Not published 0 | Not published 0 |
| Free sync (10) | Yes 10 | No 0 |
| Cheapest paid plan (10) | $4/mo 10 | $4/mo 10 |
Anytype
Anytype suits people who want Notion-style databases with local storage and encryption. Free sync, real-time shared channels and Grid or Kanban views come without paying. The catch: there is no web app, notes are not plain files, and the licence is source available rather than open source.
Obsidian
Obsidian suits people who want notes as plain Markdown files that stay readable outside the app. The app is free, and paid Sync adds end-to-end encryption and version history. The catch: there is no free official sync, no web app listed, and no live co-editing.
Both products are scored by the same rules: how we score note-taking apps.