Obsidian
Obsidian is a markdown-based knowledge management and note-taking application that stores files locally on your device. It's designed for researchers, writers, and knowledge workers who want a private, offline-first system for building interconnected notes with bidirectional linking.
Score generated by AI agents based on publicly cited evidence and reviewed by the project maintainer. Not independently validated.
Score History
Timeline events are AI-curated from public reporting. Score trajectory is derived from documented events.
Obsidian launches as a free public beta during COVID-19, built by two University of Waterloo alumni who previously created Dynalist. The app offers local-first markdown storage with bidirectional linking, graph view, and no account requirement. With no revenue model yet established, the product is entirely free with no monetization pressure.
Obsidian introduces its revenue model through Sync ($4/month early bird) and Publish ($8/month early bird) alongside the Plugin API and community plugin directory. The Catalyst license tiers ($25-$100 one-time) are introduced for voluntary support. The commercial license ($50/year) is required for workplace use. The app remains free for personal use, but the paid services and commercial requirement add minor monetization and lock-in concerns.
Obsidian exits beta with version 1.0, introducing tabs, stacked panes, and the Canvas spatial canvas feature. Early bird pricing ends, doubling Sync and Publish prices to regular rates. The plugin ecosystem grows rapidly but the proprietary license draws increasing scrutiny as the community contributes more. The app is stable and feature-rich but governance remains founder-controlled with no open-source commitment.
Under new CEO Steph Ango, Obsidian publishes its first independent security audit, open-sources the Canvas format as JSON Canvas under MIT license, and articulates the 'File over App' philosophy. Properties add structured metadata while keeping YAML storage. The Sync Standard plan halves the entry price to $4/month. These moves actively reduce lock-in and improve transparency, driving the score downward despite continued reliance on proprietary core code.
Obsidian makes the commercial license optional, introduces the Bases database plugin, passes a second Cure53 security audit, and reaches 1.5 million active users. The company actively reduces monetization pressure by eliminating the mandatory commercial license and lowering Sync pricing, while continuing to invest in open formats and proactive security. Plugin ecosystem sustainability and proprietary licensing remain the only notable concerns.
Alternatives
Free, open-source outliner-based note-taking app with bidirectional linking, local file storage in plain text, and a graph view similar to Obsidian. Moderate switch — different interface paradigm (outline-first rather than document-first). Fully open-source unlike Obsidian, which is proprietary.
Cloud-based all-in-one workspace with databases, wikis, and project management. Much more collaborative than Obsidian and easier to share with others. Free tier is generous. The significant tradeoff: your notes are stored on Notion's servers, not locally, and the platform has had enshittification concerns of its own.
Dimensional Breakdown
Summaries below were written by AI agents based on the cited evidence. They are editorial interpretations, not independent research findings.
Dimension History
Timeline (27 events)
Obsidian Public Beta Launches During COVID-19 Pandemic
Shida Li and Erica Xu, University of Waterloo alumni who previously built the outliner tool Dynalist, release the first public beta of Obsidian during COVID-19 quarantine. The app is built on Electron with local-first markdown storage and bidirectional linking, motivated by shortcomings in existing tools like MediaWiki and TiddlyWiki.
Custom CSS Themes Support Added to Core App
Obsidian adds support for custom CSS themes, allowing users to fully customize the appearance of their vault. This establishes the foundation for the community theme ecosystem that would grow to hundreds of themes.
Graph View Feature Launches for Visualizing Note Connections
Obsidian introduces the Graph View, an interactive visualization of all notes and their connections within a vault. The feature becomes one of Obsidian's most distinctive capabilities, differentiating it from traditional note-taking apps.
Obsidian Publish Launches as Paid Web Hosting Service
Obsidian releases Publish, a web hosting service that allows users to publish their notes as websites. Priced at $8/month ($96/year) with a 50% early bird discount until September 2021, it establishes one of Obsidian's two primary revenue streams alongside the free core app.
Plugin API Alpha Opens Obsidian to Community Development
Obsidian v0.9.7 introduces the Plugin API in alpha, allowing third-party developers to build community plugins. Though no app store exists yet, developers can manually install plugins. This decision to open the platform to community extensibility becomes foundational to Obsidian's growth model.
Obsidian Sync Launches with End-to-End Encryption
Obsidian Sync launches in v0.9.21, offering AES-256 end-to-end encrypted cloud synchronization across devices. Priced at $4/month with a 50% early bird discount, it becomes the company's primary revenue source. The service includes version history, selective sync, and file recovery snapshots.
Nested Tags and CSS Snippets Added to Core Features
Obsidian adds support for nested tags using #parent/child/subchild syntax and individual CSS snippets that can be toggled independently, expanding organizational and customization capabilities without requiring plugins.
Mobile App Launches on iOS and Android
Obsidian releases mobile apps for iOS and Android after a closed beta period, bringing the full note-taking experience to mobile devices. The app includes swipe gestures, customizable quick actions above the keyboard, and vault access through local storage or Obsidian Sync.
Early Bird Pricing Ends for Sync and Publish
The 50% early bird discount for Obsidian Sync and Publish expires. Sync pricing moves from $4/month to $8/month (billed monthly) and Publish from $8/month to $16/month. Users who subscribed during the early bird period retain their discounted rates.
Live Preview WYSIWYG Mode Released for Insider Testing
Obsidian v0.13.0 introduces Live Preview mode, a WYSIWYG-style editing experience that renders markdown formatting, images, and embeds inline while editing. The feature eliminates the need to switch between edit and preview modes, addressing one of the most requested features.
Shared Vaults Collaboration Added to Obsidian Sync
Obsidian v0.15.0 introduces the ability to add collaborators to a synced vault, enabling basic team collaboration. Up to 20 users can share a vault with bidirectional synchronization, though real-time co-editing of the same file is not yet supported.
Obsidian 1.0 Officially Releases with Tab Interface
After two and a half years of public beta, Obsidian reaches version 1.0 with a redesigned tab interface, stacked tabs (absorbing the popular Sliding Panes community plugin into core), and numerous stability improvements. The release signals maturity and production readiness.
Canvas Core Plugin Launches with Open .canvas Format
Obsidian v1.1 introduces Canvas, an infinite spatial canvas for laying out notes, images, and media in a non-linear workspace. The feature uses a new .canvas file format based on JSON, which Obsidian open-sources under MIT license. Canvas absorbs visual thinking workflows that previously required third-party tools.
Steph Ango Joins as CEO from Community Contributor
Steph Ango, previously the creator of Obsidian's popular Minimal theme and contributor to version 1.0, becomes CEO. A former co-founder of packaging startup Lumi (acquired by Narvar in 2021), Ango was recruited by founders Shida Li and Erica Xu after demonstrating deep product understanding through community involvement.
Bookmarks Core Plugin Replaces Starred with Enhanced Organization
Obsidian v1.2 replaces the limited Starred plugin with the more capable Bookmarks plugin, supporting bookmarking of files, folders, graphs, searches, headings, and blocks with drag-and-drop organization and collapsible groups. Users' starred items are automatically migrated.
CEO Publishes 'File Over App' Philosophy Essay
Steph Ango publishes 'File over App,' an essay articulating Obsidian's core philosophy that durable files in open formats matter more than the applications that create them. The essay argues apps are ephemeral but files can last decades, and appeals to software makers to prioritize user data ownership over proprietary lock-in.
Properties Core Feature Adds Typed Metadata to Notes
Obsidian v1.4 introduces Properties, a native UI for editing YAML frontmatter with autocomplete, typed fields (text, list, date, number, checkbox), and internal links. The feature makes structured metadata accessible to non-technical users while keeping data stored as standard YAML in markdown files.
Fast Company Profiles Obsidian's 'Cult' Following at 1M Users
Fast Company publishes 'The cult of Obsidian: Why people are obsessed with the note-taking app,' reporting Obsidian has reached approximately 1 million users with a 110,000-member Discord community. The article highlights Obsidian's grassroots growth without venture capital or traditional marketing.
First Cure53 Security Audit Published with All Issues Fixed
Obsidian publishes results of its first independent security audit by Berlin-based firm Cure53. The audit identified four vulnerabilities including a CORS bypass and path traversal issue, all of which were fixed in Obsidian 1.5.3 released December 26, 2023. Cure53 confirmed all recommendations were properly followed.
Canvas Format Open-Sourced as JSON Canvas Under MIT License
Obsidian formally releases the Canvas file format as 'JSON Canvas' with its own specification site at jsoncanvas.org and open-source resources under MIT license. The format can be freely implemented by any application as an import, export, or storage format, reducing vendor lock-in for spatial canvas data.
Sync Standard Plan Lowers Entry Price to $4/Month
Obsidian introduces a new Sync Standard plan at $4/month (billed annually), reducing the entry price for cloud sync by 50%. The Standard plan includes 1 vault and 1 GB storage. The existing plan is renamed Sync Plus at $8/month with 10 vaults and 10 GB storage. Existing subscribers retain their current pricing.
Official Web Clipper Browser Extension Released
Obsidian releases an official Web Clipper browser extension for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge that saves web pages as markdown files in a user's vault. The extension is open source and supports customizable templates with auto-apply rules. It evolved from a bookmarklet Steph Ango created in 2021.
Second Cure53 Audit Confirms Improved Security Posture
Obsidian publishes results of a second independent Cure53 security audit. The assessment found no new vulnerabilities in public versions and identified six issues primarily in the unreleased Web viewer plugin. Cure53 confirmed security had improved since the first audit, praising the team's 'swift response' to concerns. Fixes were incorporated into Obsidian 1.8.0.
Commercial License Made Optional for All Users
Obsidian makes the commercial license entirely optional, allowing anyone to use Obsidian for work for free. Previously, employees at companies with two or more workers were required to purchase the $50/year license. The change removes a revenue stream in favor of simplicity and accessibility, with the company stating: 'No account required, no ads, no tracking, no strings attached.'
Community Plugin Ecosystem Reaches 1,000 Plugins
Obsidian's community plugin directory reaches the 1,000-plugin milestone when Pieces becomes the 1,000th listed plugin. The ecosystem has grown entirely through volunteer contributions with no developer fees or commissions, though sustainability concerns about abandoned plugins persist.
Bases Core Plugin Adds Database Functionality
Obsidian v1.9 introduces Bases, a core plugin that turns any set of notes into a database with filtering, formulas, and custom views. Data is backed by local markdown files and YAML properties, maintaining Obsidian's file-first philosophy. The feature introduces the .base file format alongside property format changes from singular to plural forms.
Plugin Security Model Faces Community Scrutiny
Community discussions highlight concerns about Obsidian's plugin security model: plugins inherit Obsidian's full access levels, initial code reviews are not repeated for updates, and compromised developer credentials could push malicious updates. The low barrier to entry and lack of follow-up security review for plugin updates are identified as structural risks.