Obsidian
Roam Research
Obsidian
Roam Research
Obsidian
Roam Research
Obsidian
Roam Research
Obsidian
Roam Research
Obsidian
No signals
Roam Research
Obsidian
No signals
Roam Research
Obsidian
No signals
Roam Research
Users: Unlimited
Storage: Unlimited (local)
Limits: No built-in sync, No web access to publish, Must self-manage backups
Users: 1 user
Storage: 10GB total, 200MB per file
Limits: Per-vault pricing, Cannot share with others
Users: 1 site
Storage: 4GB
Limits: One-way sharing only, Not collaborative editing
Users: 1 user
Storage: N/A
Limits: Not required for any features, Purely supporter benefit
Users: 1 user
Storage: Not specified
Limits: No collaboration, Limited mobile experience
Users: 1 user
Storage: Not specified
Limits: No collaboration, Limited mobile experience
Users: 1 user
Storage: Not specified
Limits: Locked in for 5 years with no refund if product declines
| Feature | Obsidian | Roam Research |
|---|---|---|
| Security | ||
| Local-first storage Plain Markdown files you own | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync Obsidian Sync only ($4/mo) | ||
| Local storage Cloud-only storage | ||
| Organization | ||
| Bidirectional linking Core feature | ||
| Block references Reference individual blocks anywhere | ||
| Native database views Requires Dataview plugin | ||
| Visualization | ||
| Graph view Visualize note connections | ||
| Canvas/whiteboard Built-in canvas feature | ||
| Productivity | ||
| Daily notes Core workflow feature | ||
| Templates Core and Templater plugin | ||
| Built-in task management Requires plugins | ||
| Customization | ||
| Community plugins 1000+ available, quality varies | ||
| Custom themes Extensive theme marketplace | ||
| Usability | ||
| Outliner-based Everything is nested blocks | ||
| Desktop apps Web-based with offline mode | ||
| Search Fast and accurate | ||
| Markdown support Core format | ||
| Web version No browser access | ||
| Integrations | ||
| API access Available for developers | ||
| Publishing | ||
| Publish to web Obsidian Publish ($8/mo) | ||
| Mobile | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android, basic experience | ||
| Reliability | ||
| Offline access Full offline by default | ||
| Offline-first Cloud-based with offline cache | ||
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier No free plan available | ||
| Free personal use No feature restrictions | ||
| Portability | ||
| Markdown files Proprietary format | ||
| Collaboration | ||
| Real-time collaboration Not available | ||
| AI | ||
| AI features Requires third-party plugins | ||
