In this Obsidian vs Anytype comparison, I will show you the key differences between these two note-taking apps. I will compare Obsidian to Anytype based on features, pricing, user interfaces, and pros and cons. I spent numerous hours with both note-taking apps, and I am here to share the benefits and limitations of each tool to ensure you make the right choice.
These are the key points that I explored during the Obsidian vs Anytype clash:
- Obsidian and Anytype are two similar note-taking apps.
- Both note-taking apps are complex and have a long learning curve.
- Both Obsidian and Anytype are highly secured note-taking apps.
- Obsidian offers more integrations and customization options than Anytype.
- Anytype is better suited for teams thanks to the shared workspaces and pricing.
Now, let’s dive into the side-by-side comparison of Obsidian vs Anytype!
Key differences between Obsidian and Anytype
Here is a short overview of the key differences I found in the Obsidian vs Anytype showdown:
| Anytype | Obsidian | |
| Best for | Individuals | Individuals |
| Features | Object-based note-taking & templates, Shared workspaces, Mindmap, Widgets, Offline access | Note-taking, Graph view and internal links, Plugins, Canvas view |
| User interface | Visually appealing, but complex, and has a long learning curve | Old-fashioned, and complex, and has a long learning curve |
| Integrations | No integrations | Limited integrations |
| Pricing | Free plan: Available Builder plan: $99 per year Co-Creator plan: $299 for 3 years Business plan: Upon request | Free plan: Available Commercial use license: $50 per year Obsidian Sync add-on: $4 per month Obsidian Publish add-on: $8 per month Catalyst: $25+ one-time payment |
| Mobile app | Available | Available |
| Offline version | Yes | Yes |
| Product Hunt ratings | 4.8 | 4.9 |
Comparison: Obsidian vs Anytype
First, I will show you both note-taking apps’ features one by one. Second, I will guide you through their user interfaces, integration options, and pricing. Lastly, I will show you the pros and cons of Obsidian and Anytype and their alternatives and reveal my pick.
Key features
Obsidian’s features
Let’s start with Obsidian’s features!
Obsidian Vault
The Obsidian Vault is a folder that contains your notes, attachments, and data. When creating a vault, you can choose end-to-end encryption that offers the strongest security. However, if you choose end-to-end encryption for your vault, safely store your encryption password, as you cannot enter your vault without it.
You can create more vaults and customize them with different themes. If you go to appearances, there are over 160 themes created by the community that you can install and use right away.
It is great that Obsidian offers these customization options so you can personalize your vaults.
Note-taking app
As mentioned before, Obsidian uses markdown language when writing your notes. To create paragraphs, just insert a blank line to separate your paragraphs. If you press Enter, it will create a new line in your note, and it will be treated as a continuation of the same paragraph in the rendered output.
Also, you can change the size of your fonts under the Appearance option in settings even if you use Obsidian on mobile devices.
You can create tags, which help you organize and find your notes more easily. Just enter a hash symbol (#), and you can choose from your tags.
When taking notes, Obsidian allows you to use attachments, such as images, audio files, or PDFs. You can access these files using your files system. Moreover, you can embed web pages as well. To embed a web page, you have to use the iframe.
Ultimately, you can create notes easily with Obsidian, and the way they work makes them ideal for creating your personal knowledge management center or second brain.
Bidirectional links
The internal links are one of the best features I discovered during my Obsidian review. Using this feature, you can link notes to each other and connect ideas through your vault.
To link notes, just type “[[” in Obsidian and then choose the file to which you want to create a link. Another way to add a link is to select the Command palette and then choose the option of “add an internal link.”
So, it is quite simple to connect your notes. And the real power of the internal links comes with the graph view.
Graph view
The graph view is perfect for visualizing the relations between your data. Using the graph view makes it easy to create your personal knowledge base, as you can see how your ideas are connected to each other.
You can easily zoom in and out using the scroll wheel on your mouse. What is especially valuable are the filter options. Obsidian’s graph view allows you to filter your notes based on search terms.
Overall, it works like a knowledge graph view, and you can see how your notes are connected.
Canvas view
One of the features I recommend you to try is the canvas view. It offers an excellent tool for visual note-taking.
This function lets you choose from visual aspects, such as size and position, to make sense of your notes. With the canvas, you can connect notes with lines and group multiple notes together to better understand their relationship.
Plugins
With the plugins, you can customize your vault and access many advanced features. There are two types of plugins.
The Obsidian core plugins switch on and off features you do and do not like. For instance, you can switch off the graph view if you do not use it.
When it comes to the community plugins, you can choose from more than 2,000 plugins. The community plugins allow you to access more features like creating Excel-like tables or even a language translator.
To access the community plugins, open settings, select the turn on community plugins, and install the ones you like.
Anytype’s features
Let’s check Anytype’s features!
Object-based note-taking & templates
Anytype’s note-taking system is built upon objects. Whenever you add a new note, it will qualify as an object, and Anytype will use the template related to that specific object.
In the word of Anytype, everything you see and interact with is an object. Whether you add a page, image, text, file, or task, they are all objects in this note-taking app. Similarly to Notion, you can quickly add an object if you press the “slash” button.
The templates are saved content structures for specific object types. So, if you want to add a new object, Anytype will always use the related template, which significantly speeds up the process. You can also create templates for your objects.
Shared workspaces
The Spaces you create or share will be stored in your vault. The space is the place where you find your notes and databases. You can create separate Spaces, a maximum of 10. On the left side of the screen, you can access your Spaces or create new ones.
The shared workspaces work great when it comes to team collaboration. It allows you to work together in real-time with your team members.
The shared workspaces offer a place to build a project with your team.
Mindmaps
The mind mapping shows the big picture in type. Using the relations and links, Anytype can visualize the connections between your databases. It is among the most useful features for overviewing how your notes connect.
Thanks to the graphs view and the way you can connect ideas with relations, Anytype offers a fantastic solution for personal knowledge management.
Widgets
Your sidebar includes customizable widgets that allow you to preview and navigate your objects. You can edit your widgets if you click on the “Edit widgets” button at the bottom of your sidebar. When you click on it, Anytype will show you the options to add or remove widgets from your sidebar.
With the widgets, you can quickly access and manage your favorite objects.
Offline access and data ownership
It is an offline first note-taking app that stores your data locally. After, Anytype uses a Peer-To-Peer file system that facilitates decentralized data storage across devices. So, you can access your database from your mobile as well, without an internet connection. It works on both IOS and Android.
Anytype offers maximum data privacy. It has local, on-device encryption, and you are the only one with the key to the notes. So, there is no chance that anyone would access your data.
Integrations
Obsidian’s integrations
Using the plugins, you can integrate Obsidian with other third-party apps like Todoist, Trello, or Toggl Track. The number of integrations is quite limited, but at least some popular tools are among them. You can see the full list of integrations here.
Anytype’s integrations
Anytype does not support any integrations right now.
User interface
Now, let’s take a look at both note-taking apps’ user interfaces!
Obsidian’s user interface
Let’s say that Obsidian’s user interface is not pretty. It is similar to Apple Notes’ user interface, but somehow, I feel like Obsidian’s UI is a little bit clunky. If you do not like its user interface, try the dark theme, as it seems better.
You can also choose different themes from the community plugins. Many users recommended the Minimal theme, so you can give it a try.
Anytype’s user interface
While the way Anytype works might seem complex, it has a simple and intuitive user interface. On the left side, you can access everything you need, from spaces, widgets, libraries, and bins. Anytype’s user interface is optimized for mobile users as well.
Pricing
Here, I will show you both note-taking apps’ pricing models to see which one is better in the Obsidian vs Anytype comparison.
Obsidian’s pricing
One of the best things I found during my Obsidian review is the pricing. If you use Obsidian for personal use, it is 100% free.
The free version for personal use includes all the features, themes, plugins, APIs, and community support. The free version is quite generous, as there are no limitations on which features you can use.
However, if you want Obsidian for commercial use, you need to buy the commercial use license, which is $50 per year. Commercial purposes mean using Obsidian for revenue-generating or work-related activities within a for‑profit organization with two or more employees. However, before deciding to purchase Obsidian, you have 14 days of free trial.
To upgrade your Obsidian experience and security, you can buy add-ons. You need to purchase the add-on services separately for commercial and free users.
The Obsidian Sync add-on allows you to synchronize your notes across multiple devices and offers end-to-end encryption, version history options, and priority email support. It is $4 per user per month.
The Obsidian Publish add-on is $8 per month per site. With this add-on, you can publish notes to the web, and it offers graph view and priority email support.
Finally, you can access the beta versions of Obsidian and VIP badges for a one-time payment of over $25. With this, you can support Obsidian and get early access to the beta versions.
Anytype’s pricing
Anytpe offers four plans.
The free plan includes 1 GB of network space, 3 shared spaces, and 3 space members per shared space. Using the free plan, you can sync your devices, get backup storage, and even collaborate in small groups. During my Anytype review, I also used the free plan, and I think it is ideal for your personal notes.
The builder plan is $99 per year and provides a unique name for you. It also includes 128 GB of network space, 3 shared spaces, 10 Editors per shared space, unlimited viewers per shared space, and priority support. This plan works great for small teams.
The co-creator plan is quite similar to the builder plan. However, this plan is $299 and offers 256 GB of network space and a shorter unique name. This plan is ideal for teams.
Lastly, Anytype offers business plans upon request, where you have the option to determine the size of the network space, number of editors, or shared spaces, and gives unlimited Viewers per shared space. This plan could be fit for bigger teams.
Obsidian’s pros and cons
Now, let’s take a look at Obsidian’s pros and cons!
Obsidian’s pros
First, I discovered during my Obsidian vs Anytype review that Obsidian is a safe note-taking app that allows you to store sensitive data thanks to its high-security standards. This is particularly true if you purchase the Obsidian sync add-on, so you can protect your data with end-to-end encryption.
Furthermore, Obsidian’s free version is excellent. It includes all the features you need to manage and organize your notes effectively.
In addition, there are regular updates, so I expect more features and plugins in the future.
Moreover, I enjoyed using the graph view and bidirectional links to visualize the relations between my notes.
Finally, utilizing markdown files is practical if you want to switch to other note-taking apps eventually.
Obsidian’s cons
When it comes to the cons of Obsidian, it is easy to see that it is quite a complex app with a huge learning curve. So, it will take time to learn how to use Obsidian.
Another problem for me is the lack of collaboration features. Basically, you can use this note-taking app only for personal knowledge management. Therefore, I do not see it as a best fit note-taking app for teams.
Lastly, while it is safer to store your data locally, some people just want to use a web version. However, you can not make such a decision in the case of Obsidian, as you are forced to download it to your devices.
Anytype’s pros and cons
Considering all the factors, let’s summarize Anytype’s pros and cons!
Anytype’s pros
During my Obsidian vs Anytype review, I found that Anytype also stands out from a privacy perspective in the note-taking space. It is a local first note-taking app that has end-to-end encryption with high-security standards. This note-taking app offers full data ownership for the users even without an internet connection.
It provides many possibilities to organize ideas and visualize your data in a single place.
The free plan is generous. It allows 3 space members per shared space, so you can work on your projects with others.
Anytype’s cons
Honestly, it is a complex app that can be overwhelming at first. It takes time and patience to learn and understand how this note-taking app works.
Also, it is quite new in the note-taking space, and there are still features that are under development.
Alternatives to Obsidian and Anytype
Here are some alternatives to Obsidian and Anytype:
- Xtiles: An easy-to-use note-taking app with visual boards.
- Notion: An all-in-one app for data, task, project management, and note-taking.
- Evernote: A popular note-taking app.
- Taskade: A simple but effective note-taking app ideal for more complex project management.
- NotebookLM: A note-taking and research app with a fantastic podcast feature.
Related articles:
- Anytype Review: The Best Note-Taking App In 2025?
- Obsidian Review: What Nobody Tells You About This App (2025)
- Xtiles Vs Notion: All Features Compared (2025)
- Notion Vs Obsidian: Side-by-Side Comparison (2025)
- Anytype Vs Notion: Side-by-Side Comparison (2025)
Wrap-up: Obsidian vs Anytype
Obsidian and Anytype are the most complex note-taking apps I tried, and they have many similarities. They are among the most secure note-taking apps; both have an impressive graph view and are great for creating your second brain. You will find very similar functionalities in Anytype if you have already used Obsidian.
One of the major differences between them is the plugins. While you can customize Obsidian and access advanced features with the plugins, Anytype has all its features built-in.
Also, Anytype is better suited for teams, as you can create shared workspaces. I would not say Anytype is the best collaboration tool, but they tried, at least. On the other hand, Obsidian is only ideal for individuals.
Overall, both note-taking apps are great and have similar functionality. Besides the plugins and the collaboration features, there are minor differences. Therefore, if you still have questions about which one to use, I recommend trying both, as you can access many features with the free plans.
Frequently asked questions
What is better than Obsidian?
Obsidian is an excellent note-taking app, but if you are looking for another tool to manage your notes, try these apps:
- Xtiles: An easy-to-use note-taking app with visual boards.
- Notion: An all-in-one app for data, task, project management, and note-taking.
- Evernote: A popular note-taking app.
- Taskade: A simple but effective note-taking app ideal for more complex project management.
- NotebookLM: A note-taking and research app with a fantastic podcast feature.
Is Anytype like Notion?
Anytype is the mix of Notion and Obsidian. There are similarities if we compare Anytype to Notion. However, Anytype is a more robust and complex note-taking app.
Is Obsidian available in offline mode?
You can access Obsidian in offline mode. This note-taking app was designed to work even without an internet connection.
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