# Anytype vs Obsidian (2026)

By Noah — last updated & pricing verified October 23, 2026.

> **Verdict:** Choose Anytype if you want a Notion-style workspace of databases, kanban boards and calendars that runs local-first, with end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer sync in the free app. Choose Obsidian if you want every note kept as a plain markdown file in a normal folder, extended by 7,647 community plugins and 755 themes. The deciding factor is the data model: Anytype stores structured blocks in encrypted local storage, while Obsidian keeps ordinary files on disk and sells its own sync from $4/user/month, billed annually.

**Choose Anytype if:** You want databases, kanban boards, calendars and galleries built into the core app as composable blocks, in a Notion-like layout; You want to sync devices peer-to-peer with zero-knowledge encryption without paying $4-$8/user/month for a sync add-on; You want a client whose source code is published, under the Any Source Available License 1.0, rather than a closed-source app; You are leaving a cloud workspace like Notion and want the same block model to work fully offline on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android

**Choose Obsidian if:** You want every note to stay a plain markdown file that any text editor or backup tool can open, even if the app disappears; You want a large extension library: 7,647 community plugins and 755 themes for research, writing, task management and visualization; You need published sync prices to plan around: $4/user/month (Sync Standard) or $8/user/month (Sync Plus), billed annually; You want to turn a vault into a public website with Obsidian Publish at $8/site/month, billed annually; You think in links and want bidirectional links, an interactive graph view and the Canvas whiteboard

## At a glance

|  | Anytype | Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pricing | Free | Free tier · paid from $4/mo |
| License | Open core | Freemium |
| Best for | privacy-conscious individuals and small teams who want a Notion-style flexible workspace that works fully offline and doesn't require trusting a third party with unencrypted data | individuals building a long-lived personal knowledge base who want their notes to stay plain markdown files they can read, back up, and move without the app |
| Ratings | Product Hunt 4.9/5 (104 reviews) | Product Hunt 4.9/5 (173 reviews) · Capterra 4.8/5 (47 reviews) · Trustpilot 3.2/5 (17 reviews) |

## Feature comparison

| Feature | Anytype | Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Starting price | Yes (free plan (local-first, unlimited devices)) | Yes (free app, no sign-up required) |
| Paid options | Unknown (Any-Sync Network membership, price not published) | Yes (Sync from $4/user/mo, Publish from $8/site/mo (billed annually)) |
| Platforms | Yes (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) | Yes (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) |
| Web app | No (desktop and mobile apps only) | No (no web version) |
| License | Partial (source-available (Any Source Available License 1.0), not OSI-approved) | No (closed-source app, open markdown file format) |
| Storage model | Yes (local-first, end-to-end encrypted on-device storage) | Yes (plain markdown files in a normal local folder) |
| Built-in databases, kanban boards, calendars | Yes (composable blocks in the free app) | Unknown |
| Linking between notes | Yes (blocks link and remix across pages) | Yes (bidirectional links, graph view, Canvas whiteboard) |
| Plugins and themes | Partial (smaller plugin and integration ecosystem) | Yes (7,647 community plugins and 755 themes) |
| Cross-device sync | Yes (optional peer-to-peer sync free; paid membership adds network sync and cloud storage) | Partial (Obsidian Sync from $4/user/mo (billed annually), or DIY via iCloud, Dropbox, Git) |
| Sync encryption | Yes (end-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption) | Yes (AES-256 end-to-end encryption on Obsidian Sync) |
| Version history | Unknown | Yes (1 month (Sync Standard) or 12 months (Sync Plus)) |
| Publish notes as a website | Unknown | Yes (from $8/site/mo (Publish, billed annually)) |
| Real-time collaboration | Unknown | Partial (shared vaults on paid Obsidian Sync only) |
| Learning curve | Partial (moderate) | Partial (moderate) |
| External rating (Product Hunt) | Yes (4.9/5 from 104 reviews) | Yes (4.9/5 from 173 reviews) |
| External rating (Capterra) | Unknown | Yes (4.8/5 from 47 reviews) |

## Anytype vs Obsidian pricing: which costs less?

Anytype and Obsidian are both free to use, but only Obsidian publishes its paid prices, with Sync from $4/user/month billed annually, while Anytype's Any-Sync Network membership price is not published.

Anytype's free tier covers full offline use on unlimited devices with local encrypted storage, and core features are not paywalled; the paid Any-Sync Network membership adds expanded cloud storage and multi-device network sync. Obsidian's app is free without limits and needs no account. Obsidian's paid products are optional services: Sync Standard at $4/user/month billed annually ($5 monthly) for 1 vault and 1GB, Sync Plus at $8/user/month billed annually ($10 monthly) for 10 vaults and 10GB, and Publish at $8/site/month billed annually. Obsidian also sells a $25 one-time Catalyst license and a $50/user/year commercial license, which its FAQ says is not required for work use.

## Is Anytype more private than Obsidian?

Neither is clearly more private, because Anytype and Obsidian both keep data on your own device; Anytype adds zero-knowledge end-to-end encryption to its free peer-to-peer sync, while Obsidian states its apps collect no telemetry and encrypts paid Obsidian Sync with AES-256.

Anytype stores data in local encrypted storage and syncs it peer-to-peer, so the app does not depend on the company's cloud servers by default. Obsidian stores notes as plain markdown files in a normal folder, and Obsidian states those notes are inaccessible to the company. The practical gap is sync: Anytype's encrypted sync comes with the free app, while Obsidian's end-to-end encrypted sync is a paid service from $4/user/month billed annually, with iCloud, Dropbox or Git as do-it-yourself alternatives.

## Which is more open, Anytype or Obsidian?

Anytype's code is more open, because its client source is published under the Any Source Available License 1.0, but Obsidian's data is more open, because every Obsidian note is a plain markdown file any editor can read.

The Any Source Available License 1.0 makes Anytype's source visible and modifiable under Any's terms, but it is not an OSI-approved open-source license, so it lacks the fork guarantees of fully open-source projects. The Anytype desktop client repository has 8.7k GitHub stars. Obsidian's application source is not published; obsidian.md publishes open file formats and public release and plugin repositories instead. For long-term portability, Obsidian's plain files are the simpler exit path.

## Which has more plugins and integrations, Anytype or Obsidian?

Obsidian has the larger ecosystem, with 7,647 community plugins and 755 themes, while Anytype has a smaller plugin and integration ecosystem.

Obsidian's community plugins cover integrations, AI, editing, automation and visualization, so the editor can be reshaped for research, writing or task management. Anytype puts more structure in the core app instead: databases, kanban boards, calendars and galleries ship as composable blocks. Anytype is also the younger product and less mature than Notion or Obsidian. Both carry a moderate learning-curve rating.

## Strengths and weaknesses

### Anytype

- Pro: Local-first architecture means the app works fully offline with data stored on-device.
- Pro: End-to-end, zero-knowledge encryption for any data that does sync.
- Pro: Free desktop and mobile apps with no feature paywall on core offline functionality.
- Pro: Composable block system (databases, kanban, calendar) offers Notion-like flexibility.
- Con: Uses a source-available license rather than a standard OSI-approved open-source license.
- Con: Smaller plugin and third-party integration ecosystem than Notion or Obsidian.
- Con: Paid Any-Sync Network membership pricing is not clearly published, making cost planning harder.
- Con: Younger, less battle-tested product than long-established note-taking competitors.

### Obsidian

- Pro: The app is free without limits and needs no account; notes are stored locally as plain markdown files in open formats, so there is no lock-in.
- Pro: 7,647 community plugins and 755 themes let the editor be reshaped for research, writing, task management, or visualization.
- Pro: Works fully offline on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, with no server round-trip to open a note.
- Pro: Obsidian states notes stay on the device and are inaccessible to the company, its apps collect no telemetry, and Obsidian Sync is AES-256 end-to-end encrypted.
- Pro: Paid products are optional services rather than a feature wall: Sync from $4/user/month, Publish from $8/site/month, and a commercial license the FAQ says is not required.
- Con: There is no web version, so a vault is only reachable from a device where Obsidian is installed.
- Con: Cross-device sync is a paid add-on from $4/user/month, or a do-it-yourself setup on iCloud, Dropbox, or Git.
- Con: Real-time collaboration needs paid shared vaults on Obsidian Sync; there is no free multi-user editing.
- Con: Obsidian's own apps are not open source — obsidian.md publishes open file formats plus public release and plugin repositories, but not the application source.

## Which fits your use case?

| Use case | Pick | Why |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Notion user who wants the same block-and-database workspace offline | Anytype | Anytype's composable blocks cover databases, kanban boards, calendars and galleries in the free app, and the whole workspace works offline with local encrypted storage. |
| Writer or researcher building a long-lived personal knowledge base | Obsidian | Obsidian keeps every note as a plain markdown file in a normal folder, so the vault stays readable and portable even without Obsidian installed. |
| Individual who wants encrypted phone-to-laptop sync without paying | Anytype | Anytype's free app syncs peer-to-peer with zero-knowledge encryption, while Obsidian's end-to-end encrypted sync costs $4/user/month billed annually. |
| Power user who wants to customize the editor heavily | Obsidian | Obsidian offers 7,647 community plugins and 755 themes; Anytype's plugin and integration ecosystem is smaller. |
| Person who wants to publish notes as a public website | Obsidian | Obsidian Publish turns a vault into a website with themes, graph view and full-text search from $8/site/month billed annually, with no technical setup. |
| Privacy advocate who wants to read the client source code | Anytype | Anytype publishes its client source under the Any Source Available License 1.0, while Obsidian's application source is not published. |

## Migration FAQ

### Should I use Anytype or Obsidian?

Use Anytype if you want a Notion-style workspace of databases and kanban boards that stays local-first and end-to-end encrypted. Use Obsidian if you want plain markdown files and a library of 7,647 community plugins.

### Is Anytype cheaper than Obsidian?

Neither is cheaper for core note-taking, because both Anytype and Obsidian are free to use. Obsidian's optional Sync starts at $4/user/month billed annually, while Anytype's paid Any-Sync Network membership has no published price.

### Can Obsidian replace Anytype?

Yes, for personal notes and linked knowledge bases, since Obsidian is free and works offline on the same five platforms. Anytype users who rely on free end-to-end encrypted peer-to-peer sync would pay $4/user/month (billed annually) for Obsidian Sync or set up iCloud, Dropbox or Git themselves.

### Is Anytype open source?

No, Anytype uses the Any Source Available License 1.0, which publishes the client source but is not an OSI-approved open-source license. Obsidian's application source is not published at all, though Obsidian notes use the open markdown format.

### Does Obsidian have a web version?

No, Obsidian has no web version, so a vault is only reachable on a device where the app is installed. Anytype is also limited to apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android.

## Neither a match?

- 3 alternatives to Anytype: https://findalternative.to/anytype
- 9 alternatives to Obsidian: https://findalternative.to/obsidian

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