Notion vs. Obsidian: Helping You Make an Informed Decision

Whether you’re a student or a business professional, note-taking is a universal task.

Gone are the days when you had to manage hoards of notebooks and pens to take notes for school, college, or work. The era of digitization has introduced us to some of the most excellent note-taking apps that do much more than just jot down pointers or ideas.

Advanced note apps, such as Notion and Obsidian, are equipped with tools that help you make and manage notes, to-do lists, important documents, calendars, and more. While there are many other options, these two have my heart because of their cutting-edge features and simple UI.

In this post, I share my experience using both apps and compare them based on common parameters. Before you shell out your hard-earned money on it, it’s best to make sure it’s a perfect fit, and this article will help you make an informed decision. Let’s dive in.

Advantages of Digital Note-taking Apps

Before we review the apps, I’d like to point out why you should be using these apps in the first place.

Digital note-taking apps are the present and the future. If you’re still using physical notebooks to make your notes, this might be the perfect time to try out the digital version.

Here’s why you need to use digital apps like Notion and Obsidian for taking notes:

➡️ Take Notes on the Go

You may not always have your physical notebook with you, but you always have your phone in your pocket. Digital apps come with desktop and mobile integration, which means you can use the app on any device.

If you got an idea for your next project while you’re on the go, you can note that down immediately on your phone’s app any time and anywhere you want.

➡️ Efficient Task Management

Note-making tools are much more than canvases for your ideas. You can use them to write your own and your entire team’s daily, weekly, and monthly to-dos and streamline all your day-to-day tasks by putting everything in one place in real time.

The sheer transparency makes it easier for business teams to collaborate since everything on the cloud is collectively editable and shareable. 

➡️ Digital Storage

One of the most notable benefits of note-taking tools is that everything you write on it is stored in the cloud, making it easier to access from any device.

The digitization of storage saves physical space, which would’ve been otherwise occupied with your notebooks. Managing physical papers, to-do lists, and notebooks can be a huge hassle, all of which is eliminated with note-making apps.

Introducing Notion

Notion is more than just a note-taking and task-management app. It’s a complete workspace where you can brainstorm, plan, write, re-write, and collaborate on projects to get things done. 

From individuals to companies, the app has features for every entity. You can create tasks, docs, quick notes, manage to-dos, make calendars, collaborate with others, and streamline your work functions as you can compile everything related to your work in just one place.

This eliminates the need to manage different paperwork or physical notebooks and to-do lists. 

The features of teams are even more extensive, as you can create separate spaces for each department where everyone can brainstorm, plan and strategize to take the company forward.

The software provides solutions for personal use, as well as enterprise, small business, startups, remote work, education, and non-profit. It also enables team function, such as design, product, managers, and engineering.

While the app is used for several functions, from CRM and database management to project management, the core USP remains note-taking.

In Notion, you can create new docs and start writing instantly. The simple interface makes adding quick notes, making lists, and tracking deadlines easy. Moreover, it integrates seamlessly with Google Drive and Evernote, so whatever you’ve jotted down can be preserved in one place for easy navigation.

Also learn: How to Use Notion on Custom Domain

Introducing Obsidian

Obsidian is a note-taking app that has made waves in digital workspaces. Its recent launch with a minimalist design makes it so much easier to navigate its features and make quick notes.

You can use the software to quickly jot down your notes, ideas, upcoming tasks, daily, weekly or monthly to-dos, and more.

While it has been a short time since its release (compared to Notion and other competitors), it has still garnered a huge user base, which explains how amazing this app is for note-taking.

You’ll love the app if you are a blogger, writer, or researcher. It won’t take long to get the hang of the whole interface since it has very specific features and is mostly centered around writing notes.

You can also collaborate on the notes you create to streamline your work functions quite easily. Since it’s powered by Artificial Intelligence, it assists you efficiently in making notes with relevant suggestions as you punch in the key points.

Take notes of an important meeting, a business plan, or ideas on the go.

Notion Vs. Obsidian

Both Notion and Obsidian are advanced note-making apps with quite a competitive edge in the market.

However, if you’re looking to invest in just one of them, here’s a head-to-head comparison. Once you know what you can expect from each app, you can make an informed decision.

Use Cases of Notion

Notion is the perfect note-taking and collaboration app for individuals and small and medium-sized businesses.

Here are some personal and business ways you can use Notion in your day-to-day life:

• Database and task management 
• Project workflow
• Create project and meeting notes 
• Manage household work 
• Create to-do lists, both personal and professional
• Journal for mindfulness 
• Brainstorm and organize ideas 

It can help you make roadmaps, workflows, docs, and notes and assist in organizing your content, ideas, work items, and database components.

Use Cases of Obsidian

Obsidian is good for quickly jotting down your notes in an app that flaunts a simple UI. You don’t feel overwhelmed when you open the app since the interface is simple, and the features are minimal, so it’s quite easy to get the hang of the app.

Here’s how you can use Obsidian in real life, both personally and professionally:

• Create projects and track your daily tasks with the linking feature 
• Use Obsidian Publish to publish your content on the internet 
• Take notes and link pages to create knowledge graphics 
• Create and manage meeting notes 
• Conduct research work for a scholarly paper

It has plenty of customization options, plugins, and the ability to connect your notes in a network-like structure.

Closing Thoughts

Both Notion and Obsidian are at the top of their game when it comes to note-making. While there are many similar apps out there, these two have managed to retain their competitive edge because they comprehend the needs of their users.

If I had to choose one, I would pick Notion because of its vast range of features, advanced collaboration capabilities, and real-time editing. 

Obsidian is an excellent pick for people who like to read individually, such as bloggers, researchers, and professional writers. They can brainstorm, create and maintain knowledge graphs, and write quick and long notes in offline mode.

However, it goes without saying that both Notion and Obsidian are two of the best note-taking apps you can choose from. The right choice boils down to your preference and requirements.

Next, you’d love to read the comparison between Confluence vs Notion.