EvernotevsObsidian
Score Comparison
Signals Comparison
Evernote
- Why is Evernote so expensive? Repeated price increases since 2023(9/10)
- Evernote free plan limited to 50 notes, 1 notebook and 1 device(9/10)
- Unauthorized charges and billing issues(8/10)
- Paying more for AI features many users don't want(5/10)
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)
Evernote
- Unresponsive customer support after layoffs(9/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Evernote
- Evernote not syncing between devices(8/10)
- Free plan device limit locks users out after downgrading(7/10)
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)
Evernote
- Slow performance and frequent crashes(8/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Evernote
- V10 redesign broke workflows and removed features(8/10)
- Aggressive upgrade pop-ups and UX traps(6/10)
- Cluttered interface and poor search functionality(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)
Evernote
- Hard to export Evernote notes (desktop only, batch limits)(9/10)
Obsidian
No signals
Evernote
No signals
Obsidian
- Steep learning curve intimidates new users(7/10)
Evernote
No signals
Obsidian
- Obsidian mobile app slow to open with large vaults(6/10)
Pricing Comparison
Evernote
Users: 1 user
Storage: 1 GB, 200 attachments
Limits: Cannot create new notes once over 50; only 2 device unsyncs per month
Users: 1 user
Storage: 5 GB, 1,000 attachments
Limits: Hard caps on notes, notebooks and devices; storage capped
Users: 1 user
Storage: Unlimited (safeguard limits apply)
Limits: Individual plan only, no team admin
Users: Per seat
Storage: From 250 MB up to unlimited
Limits: Flexible plan limits scale with seats
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 | Evernote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Capture | ||
| Web clipper Still one of the best web clippers | ||
| Document scanning Mobile app feature | ||
| Search | ||
| OCR search Text search in images and PDFs | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Cross-device sync Free: 1 device (Web counts), Starter: 3, Advanced: unlimited | ||
| Offline access Paid plans only | ||
| Visualization | ||
| Graph view Visualize note connections | ||
| Canvas/whiteboard Built-in canvas feature | ||
| Customization | ||
| Community plugins Thousands available, quality varies | ||
| Custom themes Extensive theme marketplace | ||
| AI | ||
| AI features Starter plan and above | ||
| Storage | ||
| Unlimited notes Advanced plan only ($249.99/year) | ||
| Security | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync Obsidian Sync only (from $4/mo billed annually) | ||
| Data export Desktop app only, ENEX/HTML, batch or per-notebook | ||
| Local-first storage Cloud-only, data on Evernote servers | ||
| End-to-end encryption No E2EE; only in-note text encryption on Mac/Windows | ||
| Open source Proprietary | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier Limited to 50 notes, 1 device | ||
| Free personal use No feature restrictions | ||
| Publishing | ||
| Publish to web Obsidian Publish ($8/mo annual, $10 monthly) | ||
| Usability | ||
| Note templates Available | ||
| Markdown support No native markdown | ||
| Web version No browser access | ||
| Mobile | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android, basic experience | ||
| Organization | ||
| Tags and notebooks Notebook limits on lower tiers | ||
| Bidirectional linking Not available | ||
| Native database views Bases core plugin (since 1.9, 2025); Dataview still more flexible | ||
| Productivity | ||
| Task management Basic tasks within notes | ||
| Templates Core and Templater plugin | ||
| Built-in task management Requires plugins | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Third-party integrations Google Drive, Slack, etc. | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time collaboration Not available | ||