- Pick it if you are:
- Jira-based engineering teams; Enterprises with compliance needs
- Top complaint:
- Why is Confluence so slow on large pages?
- Price:
- Free plan, paid from $5.78/mo
- Pick it if you are:
- Writers, researchers, and PKM enthusiasts; Privacy-conscious users
- Top complaint:
- Steep learning curve intimidates new users
- Price:
- Free plan, paid from $4/mo
Score Comparison
Signals Comparison
Confluence
- Why is Confluence so slow on large pages?(8/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Confluence
- Confluence editor worse than the old one(7/10)
- Confluence search can't find pages that exist(8/10)
- Confluence wikis become a messy graveyard of stale pages(6/10)
Obsidian
- Plugin overload and management headaches(7/10)
- No real-time collaboration features(7/10)
- No web version - desktop app required(5/10)
- No native task management; databases only arrived with Bases(6/10)
- Plain interface lacks visual appeal(4/10)
- Search and index miss new notes in large vaults(5/10)
Confluence
- Confluence permissions are confusing and easy to get wrong(7/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Confluence
- Confluence 'Can't save changes' and sync errors while editing(8/10)
- Data Center end of life forces a second migration(8/10)
Obsidian
- Free sync alternatives have corruption issues(7/10)
- Obsidian Sync restores deleted files and creates conflict copies(8/10)
- Obsidian stuck on 'Loading cache' or slow to start on desktop(6/10)
Confluence
- Confluence Cloud prices rose again in October 2026(6/10)
- Free plan stops at 10 users and 2 GB(6/10)
Obsidian
- Obsidian Sync costs $48-60/year just to use notes on your phone(6/10)
- Sync Standard's 1 GB and 5 MB file cap push users to Sync Plus(5/10)
Confluence
- Marketplace apps add cost and break PDF export(6/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Confluence
- Migrating to Confluence Cloud loses attachments and breaks macros(8/10)
Obsidian
- Steep learning curve intimidates new users(7/10)
Confluence
- Deleted page recovery depends on Trash or a support ticket(7/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Confluence
No signals
Obsidian
- Obsidian mobile app slow to open with large vaults(6/10)
Pricing Comparison
Confluence
Users: 10 users
Storage: 2 GB
Limits: No page restrictions, 2 GB storage cap, 10 user cap, no premium admin and analytics features
Storage: 250 GB
Limits: No unlimited storage, analytics or 24/7 support
Storage: Unlimited
Limits: Costly for large wikis with mostly read-only users
Obsidian
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Unlimited (local)
Limits: No built-in sync, no web version, you manage your own backups
Users: 1 user
Storage: 1 GB total, 5 MB per file
Limits: 5 MB file cap and 1 GB total are tight for PDFs, audio and images
Users: 1 user
Storage: 10 GB (upgradable to 100 GB), 200 MB per file
Limits: Per-user pricing; no real-time co-editing
Users: 1 site
Limits: One-way publishing, not collaborative editing
Users: 1 user
Limits: Supporter license; unlocks no extra features in stable builds
Users: Per user
Limits: Optional - not required for work use
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Confluence | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Organization | ||
| Page tree and spaces Permissions inherit down the tree | ||
| Bidirectional linking Core feature | ||
| Native database views Bases core plugin (since 1.9, 2025); Dataview still more flexible | ||
| Security | ||
| Local-first storage Plain Markdown files you own | ||
| Page restrictions Not on Free | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync Obsidian Sync only (from $4/mo billed annually) | ||
| Authoring | ||
| Templates and blueprints | ||
| Real-time collaborative editing Can lag on very large pages | ||
| Visualization | ||
| Graph view Visualize note connections | ||
| Canvas/whiteboard Built-in canvas feature | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Jira integration | ||
| Marketplace apps Many paid | ||
| Customization | ||
| Community plugins Thousands available, quality varies | ||
| Custom themes Extensive theme marketplace | ||
| Deployment | ||
| Self-hosted Data Center Ends March 2029 | ||
| Publishing | ||
| Publish to web Obsidian Publish ($8/mo annual, $10 monthly) | ||
| Admin | ||
| Self-service search re-index on Cloud Only Atlassian support can re-index | ||
| Mobile | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android, basic experience | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Offline access Full offline by default | ||
| Usability | ||
| Markdown support Core format | ||
| Web version No browser access | ||
| Productivity | ||
| Templates Core and Templater plugin | ||
| Built-in task management Requires plugins | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Free personal use No feature restrictions | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time collaboration Not available | ||
| AI | ||
| AI features Requires third-party plugins | ||
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