Logseq vs Obsidian
Two of the top three note-taking apps, compared rule by rule on published facts.
In short
- Logseq has 72 points and Obsidian 71, 1 apart on our note-taking apps rules.
- Logseq earns more on systems and your data; Obsidian earns more on features and price.
- Cheapest paid plan: Logseq $5/mo, Obsidian $4/mo.
- Only Logseq meets: open source and handwriting and drawing.
- Only Obsidian meets: web clipper and tables and databases.
Points by group
| Group | Logseq | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Systems of 25 | 25 | 22 |
| Your data of 30 | 30 | 24 |
| Features of 25 | 10 | 15 |
| Price of 20 | 7 | 10 |
| Total | 72 | 71 |
Rule by rule
What each vendor publishes, and the points it earns. Sources are on each product page.
| Rule (points) | Logseq | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Apps (18) | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, Web 18 | Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android 15 |
| Works offline (7) | Yes 7 | Yes 7 |
| Notes as plain files (10) | Yes 10 | 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) | Yes 6 | Not published 0 |
| Web clipper (5) | Not published 0 | Yes 5 |
| Linked notes (5) | Yes 5 | Yes 5 |
| Real-time collaboration (5) | No 0 | No 0 |
| Tables and databases (5) | No 0 | Yes 5 |
| Handwriting and drawing (5) | Yes 5 | Not published 0 |
| Free sync (10) | No 0 | No 0 |
| Cheapest paid plan (10) | $5/mo 7 | $4/mo 10 |
Logseq
Logseq suits people who want an outliner whose notes stay as Markdown files they control. It is free, open source, and shows which pages link back. The catch: its own sync costs at least $5 a month, and the new database version is in beta with a data-loss warning.
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.