--- description: "OneNote vs Obsidian: Which solution wins in 2026? Compare pricing, features, and analyst ratings side-by-side to find the best Note-Taking Software for your business." --- [Home](https://www.selecthub.com/) > [Project Management](https://www.selecthub.com/category/project-management/) > [Note-Taking Software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/note-taking-software/) > [OneNote](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/onenote/) > OneNote vs Obsidian # OneNote vs Obsidian Last Updated: September 28th, 2026 We compared **[OneNote](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/onenote/)** vs. **[Obsidian](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/obsidian-notes/)** to help you decide which product makes more sense for you. Our comparison of these **[Note-Taking Software](https://www.selecthub.com/c/note-taking-software/)** solutions is based on user reviews and publicly available information about each product’s features and pricing. [Overview](#product-overview) [Pricing](#product-pricing) [Our Review](#product-analyst-summary) [User Ratings](#user-sentiment-section) [Features](#product-benefits-features) [Screenshots](#product-screenshots) Remove Add to Compare [![OneNote Software Tool](https://cdn.selecthub.com/products/f811fcdc741bd7a5403aabf55e041d1e-122b32249c6b5442def353e48607966c/resources/normal/logo.png?1726634883)](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/onenote/) Remove Add to Compare [![Obsidian Software Tool](https://cdn.selecthub.com/products/c0b9b187cfd326a101efae8da2a1936e-983b082382e69b685325654575cabd8f/resources/normal/logo.png?1750166872)](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/obsidian-notes/) [![Product Awards](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/awards_badge.svg)](#awards-section) [Get Free Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=OneNote&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Ff811fcdc741bd7a5403aabf55e041d1e-122b32249c6b5442def353e48607966c%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726634883) [Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=OneNote&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Ff811fcdc741bd7a5403aabf55e041d1e-122b32249c6b5442def353e48607966c%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726634883)    [Request Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=OneNote&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Ff811fcdc741bd7a5403aabf55e041d1e-122b32249c6b5442def353e48607966c%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726634883&price=1) [Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=OneNote&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Ff811fcdc741bd7a5403aabf55e041d1e-122b32249c6b5442def353e48607966c%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1726634883&price=1) [Get Free Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=Obsidian&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fc0b9b187cfd326a101efae8da2a1936e-983b082382e69b685325654575cabd8f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1750166872) [Demo](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-demo/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=Obsidian&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fc0b9b187cfd326a101efae8da2a1936e-983b082382e69b685325654575cabd8f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1750166872)    [Request Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=Obsidian&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fc0b9b187cfd326a101efae8da2a1936e-983b082382e69b685325654575cabd8f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1750166872&price=1) [Pricing](https://pmo.selecthub.com/get-product-pricing/?category=Note-Taking+Software&product_name=Obsidian&product_logo=https%3A%2F%2Fd3uimxdj41cg3o.cloudfront.net%2Fproducts%2Fc0b9b187cfd326a101efae8da2a1936e-983b082382e69b685325654575cabd8f%2Fresources%2Fnormal%2Flogo.png%3F1750166872&price=1) ### Products Insights Product Ranking ## #2 among all Note-Taking Software ## #5 among all Note-Taking Software [Find out who the leaders are](https://pmo.selecthub.com/request-custom-scorecard?post_type=auto_vs_article&category_slug=note-taking-software&product_slug=onenote&category=Note-Taking+Software) Price Starts From $6.99 Monthly Free Trial is unavailable → $4/User, Monthly [Free Trial is available →]() Pros What we like about OneNote and Obsidian: - Notebook, section, and page hierarchy gives you granular structure for projects and ideas - Real-time co-editing lets multiple people work in the same notebook at once - Tight ties to Outlook, Teams, and the rest of Microsoft Office keep your workflow connected - Handles handwriting, audio, video, and images alongside typed text without extra tools - Local-first storage keeps your notes on your device and out of third-party servers - Bidirectional links and graph view help you map how ideas connect across notes - Large plugin ecosystem lets you shape the app around your specific workflow - Markdown formatting keeps notes portable and easy to edit with simple syntax Cons What we dislike about OneNote and Obsidian: - Users report occasional install hiccups and syncing glitches that interrupt their workflow - Recent interface changes have drawn mixed reactions from longtime users - Reliable local storage is limited to Windows, which frustrates offline users on other platforms - Navigating long, deeply nested notebooks can feel clunky compared to leaner rivals - New users face a steep learning curve before they get productive with the app - The plugin and settings sprawl can overwhelm anyone wanting a simple out-of-the-box tool - No built-in cloud sync means you handle device syncing yourself or pay for an add-on - Built-in collaboration is thin compared to options like Roam Research or Notion ### Our Review **Bottom line:** OneNote and Obsidian Notes solve note-taking from opposite ends. Pick OneNote if you live in Microsoft 365 and want a free, easy tool your whole team can edit together. Pick Obsidian if you care about local data, deep linking, and building a personal knowledge base you fully control. OneNote fits students, project managers, and anyone already using Outlook, Teams, or Word. You get notebooks, sections, and pages that mirror a physical binder, plus handwriting, audio, and video in the same canvas. Real-time co-editing makes group work simple, so you don't bounce drafts around in email. Obsidian fits writers, researchers, and tech-leaning users who want their notes to live as plain markdown on disk. Bidirectional links and the graph view turn a pile of notes into a network you can actually explore. The plugin library lets you bolt on task management, dataview tables, or custom themes, but you'll spend time tuning it. On price, OneNote starts at $6.99 per month through Microsoft 365 plans, while Obsidian starts at $4 per user per month for Sync. Obsidian's free tier already covers core note-taking, so you only pay when you need cross-device sync or publishing. Go with OneNote when collaboration, multimedia capture, and Microsoft integration matter more than tinkering. Go with Obsidian when privacy, markdown portability, and a custom workflow are worth the setup time. If you want polish without the learning curve, OneNote wins. If you want a tool you can shape around how you think, Obsidian does. ### User Sentiment Summary OneNote has a user sentiment rating of 89 based on 4694 reviews. Obsidian has a user sentiment rating of 97 based on 59 reviews. ![Great User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/great.svg) 4694 reviews ![Excellent User Sentiment](https://www.selecthub.com/display/images/scores/excellent.svg) 59 reviews Synopsis Evaluating all review platforms, our market analysts have compiled the following user sentiment data. 89% *of users recommend this product* OneNote has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 89% when considering 4694 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites. 97% *of users recommend this product* Obsidian has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 97% when considering 59 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites. User Review Scores**G2.com, Inc** **4.5** (1842) n/a **Software Advice, Inc** **4.6** (1912) n/a **Capterra Inc** n/a **4.8** (43) **Gartner, Inc** n/a **4.9** (16) **TrustRadius** **4.1** (940) n/a ### Awards SelectHub awards earned by these products based on a comprehensive analysis by our research analysts. No awards. Obsidian stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite. ![User Favorite Award]( "User Favorite Award") ### Product Assistance Training Resources Documentation In Person Live Online Videos Webinars Documentation In Person Live Online Videos Webinars Support Email Phone Chat FAQ Forum Help Desk Knowledge Base Tickets Training 24/7 Live Support Email Phone Chat FAQ Forum Help Desk Knowledge Base Tickets Training 24/7 Live Support ### Product Basics Company Size i Small Medium Large Small Medium Large Platforms Supported Windows Mac Linux Android Chromebook Windows Mac Linux Android Chromebook Deployment Supported Cloud On-Premise Mobile Cloud On-Premise Mobile Comparison of Top Alternatives [OneNote Alternatives](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote/alternatives/) [Obsidian Alternatives](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/obsidian-notes/alternatives/) ### Screenshots ![Screenshots]() ![Screenshots]()![Screenshots]() ### Key Features - **Notebook hierarchy** – Organizes notes into notebooks, sections, and pages so you can group projects without manual file management. - **Microsoft 365 integration** – Connects directly with Outlook, Teams, and Word so tasks, emails, and meeting notes flow between apps. - **Multimedia capture** – Embeds images, audio recordings, video, and handwritten ink directly in a page alongside typed text. - **Real-time collaboration** – Lets multiple people edit the same notebook at once, which suits group projects better than Obsidian's local-first setup. - **Handwriting recognition** – Converts pen input and ink strokes into searchable, editable typed text for stylus users. - **Folder-based vault** – Stores every note as a markdown file in a local folder, giving you direct file access instead of a proprietary notebook structure. - **Community plugins** – Adds task boards, dataview queries, and custom themes through a community plugin library, going further than OneNote's fixed feature set. - **Rich media embeds** – Lets you drop images, audio, and video into markdown notes for mixed-format documentation. - **Bidirectional linking** – Builds two-way links between notes and surfaces backlinks automatically, helping you trace how ideas connect. - **Graph view** – Shows your full vault as an interactive graph so you can spot clusters, gaps, and connections at a glance. ### Top Alternatives in Note-Taking Software [![Apple Notes Software Tool]()--- Apple Notes](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/apple-notes/) [![Bear Software Tool]()--- Bear](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/bear-app/) [![Craft Software Tool]()--- Craft](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/craft-docs/) [![Evernote Software Tool]()--- Evernote](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/evernote/) [![Genio Software Tool]()--- Genio](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/genio/) [![Google Keep Software Tool]()--- Google Keep](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/google-keep/) [![Joplin Software Tool]()--- Joplin](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/joplin-notes/) [![Notability Software Tool]()--- Notability](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/notability/) [![Obsidian Software Tool]()--- Obsidian](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/obsidian-notes/) [![Penbook Software Tool]()--- Penbook](https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/penbook/) ### Head-to-Head Comparison ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Apple Notes Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Apple Notes](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-apple-notes/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Bear Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Bear](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-bear-app/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Evernote Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Evernote](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-evernote/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Genio Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Genio](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-genio/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Google Keep Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Google Keep](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/google-keep-vs-onenote/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Joplin Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Joplin](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-joplin-notes/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Notability Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Notability](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-notability/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Obsidian Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Obsidian](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-obsidian-notes/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Roam Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Roam](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-roam-research/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Simplenote Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Simplenote](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-simplenote/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![UpNote Software Tool]() [OneNote VS UpNote](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-upnote/) ![OneNote Software Tool]() ![Zoho Notebook Software Tool]() [OneNote VS Zoho Notebook](https://www.selecthub.com/note-taking-software/onenote-vs-zoho-notebook/) **About SelectHub (and our data)** We’re the employee-owned Austin-based startup democratizing software data so you can make your decisions in an influence-free zone. Our market data is crowdsourced from our user-base of 100,000+ companies. WE DISTILL IT INTO REAL REQUIREMENTS, COMPARISON REPORTS, PRICE GUIDES and more... ![SelectHub Products Reporting and Analytics]() ![SelectHub Products Cost and Pricing Guide]() **Tier 1:** Fully/moderately supported out-of-the-box allowing for quick and easy deployment. Fully or moderately supported out-of-the-box with industry-leading capabilities and is immediately available after installation without needing any add-ons, integrations, or custom development. **Tier 2:** Supported with workarounds or add-ons that may require additional costs. Not directly available in the software, but can be accomplished using other built-in features, workarounds, or add-ons/products from the vendor with or without any additional cost. **Tier 3:** Requires partner integrations or custom development that is often at an additional cost. Requires additional integrations, plugins, marketplace applications from a third-party vendor, or custom development using the APIs, libraries, extensions, and development framework supported by the software, with or without any additional cost. Close ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://www.selecthub.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Project Management", "item": "https://www.selecthub.com/category/project-management/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Note-Taking Software", "item": "https://www.selecthub.com/c/note-taking-software/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "OneNote", "item": "https://www.selecthub.com/p/note-taking-software/onenote/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "name": "OneNote Vs Obsidian" } ] } ```