Note-taking apps for Mac and iPhoneHead to head

Obsidian vs Notion

Obsidian ranks #1 and Notion ranks #3 in our guide to the best note-taking apps for Mac and iPhone. Obsidian is our pick for most people.

The Useful TechResearched and written with AI under our rulesUpdated 14 Oct 2026

Our pickObsidian app iconObsidianPick Obsidian if you want your notes as plain files you own, with links and plugins to shape your own system.Free to start#3 in the guideNotion app iconNotionPick Notion if your notes double as trackers and project boards, like a reading list or content calendar.Free to start

What decides it

  • On price: Obsidian is free. Sync is $4 a month and Publish is $8 a month, billed yearly. Notion is free for personal use. Plus is $12 a month or $120 a year per member.
  • Both run on Mac, iPhone and iPad.
  • Notion has the higher App Store rating: 4.8 from 91K ratings, against 4.5 for Obsidian.

Side by side

Prices are checked every day.

At a glanceObsidian app iconObsidianNotion app iconNotion
PriceFree. Sync is $4 a month and Publish is $8 a month, billed yearlyFree for personal use. Plus is $12 a month or $120 a year per member
How you payFree, with paid upgradesFree, with paid upgrades
3 years of useDepends on the plan$360 Yearly plan
Free trialFree to startFree to start
Runs onMac, iPhone, iPadMac, iPhone, iPad
Where to buyApp Store, DeveloperApp Store, Developer
Rating4.5 2.8K ratings4.8 91K ratings Higher
FeaturesNo account, Privacy, iCloud syncNone flagged
Made byDynalist Inc.Notion Labs, Incorporated
Last updated23 Oct 202628 Oct 2026

Who should get which

Get Obsidian if

You want to build your own notes system with plugins and keep every file on your own disk.

Get Notion if

You want to build your own trackers, like a reading list, content calendar or project board, in 1 place.

Skip Obsidian if

You want notes that work the minute you open the app, and Apple Notes does that for free.

Skip Notion if

You want notes that open instantly with no setup, which free Apple Notes gives you.

Our verdicts

Obsidian app iconObsidian

Notes locked inside an app's own format are hard to move when that app changes its prices or shuts down. Obsidian keeps every note as a plain Markdown file in a folder you own, then adds links between notes, a graph view and community plugins. It is free on Mac, iPhone and iPad with no account, but official Sync costs $4 a month, and Apple Notes is simpler if you never want to configure anything.

Notion app iconNotion

Most people end up with tasks in 1 app, notes in another and a spreadsheet for the rest, and Notion puts all 3 into pages built from 50+ kinds of blocks. Templates give you a reading list or project tracker fast, and Notion AI answers questions about your pages. It is free for 1 person but takes time to set up, and Anytype is the pick if you want your data kept on your device.

What each one helps you do

Obsidian app iconObsidian

  • Link ideas across hundreds of notes
  • Keep notes as files no company controls
  • See how your notes connect on a graph
  • Add features with community plugins

Notion app iconNotion

  • Build your own trackers from templates
  • Keep notes, tasks and docs in one place
  • Ask AI questions about your own pages
  • Share a page with family or coworkers

Where to get them

Obsidian

Free. Sync is $4 a month and Publish is $8 a month, billed yearly

  • App Store, iPhone and iPad
    Free downloadApp Store
  • From the developerStudents, faculty and nonprofit staff get 40% off Sync and Publish
    Free downloadGet it

Notion

Free for personal use. Plus is $12 a month or $120 a year per member

  • App Store, iPhone and iPadWith in-app purchases
    Free downloadApp Store
  • From the developer
    Free downloadGet it

Neither one quite right?

The other picks in our guide to the best note-taking apps for Mac and iPhone.

Read the full guideAll Obsidian alternativesAll Notion alternatives

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