Obsidian
Scrivener
No signals
Obsidian
Scrivener
Obsidian
Scrivener
No signals
Obsidian
Scrivener
Obsidian
Scrivener
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
Limits: Trial counts usage days not calendar days, expires after 30 days of use
Users: 1 user
Limits: Single platform only, no cross-platform license
Users: 1 user
Limits: iOS not included
Users: 1 user
Limits: Requires desktop version for full workflow, sync can be finicky
Users: 1 user
Limits: Must prove student/academic status
Users: 1 user
Limits: Requires existing license
| Feature | Obsidian | Scrivener |
|---|---|---|
| Security | ||
| Local-first storage Plain Markdown files you own | ||
| End-to-end encrypted sync Obsidian Sync only ($4/mo) | ||
| Organization | ||
| Binder organization system Hierarchical document structure | ||
| Bidirectional linking Core feature | ||
| Corkboard view Index card visualization | ||
| Outliner view Spreadsheet-style overview | ||
| Research folder Store PDFs, images, web pages | ||
| Character/Setting templates Built-in templates | ||
| Custom metadata User-defined fields | ||
| Collections Virtual groupings | ||
| Native database views Requires Dataview plugin | ||
| Visualization | ||
| Graph view Visualize note connections | ||
| Canvas/whiteboard Built-in canvas feature | ||
| Customization | ||
| Community plugins 1000+ available, quality varies | ||
| Custom themes Extensive theme marketplace | ||
| Export | ||
| Compile/Export Powerful but complex to learn | ||
| Screenplay formatting Industry-standard scripts | ||
| Backup | ||
| Snapshots (version history) Manual version snapshots | ||
| Publishing | ||
| Publish to web Obsidian Publish ($8/mo) | ||
| Editing | ||
| Split editor View two documents simultaneously | ||
| Table support Buggy implementation | ||
| Mobile | ||
| Mobile apps iOS and Android, basic experience | ||
| Writing | ||
| Writing statistics Word counts, targets, progress | ||
| Full-screen composition mode Distraction-free writing | ||
| 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 | ||
| Sync | ||
| Cloud sync Local only, Dropbox workaround | ||
| Platform | ||
| Android app iOS only for mobile | ||
| AI | ||
| AI features Requires third-party plugins | ||
