Obsidian and Noteplan are both Markdown-based note apps, but that’s where the comparison ends. Obsidian is a knowledge network for those who like to tinker with plugins and workflows. Noteplan combines notes, tasks and calendar in one app for Apple users. Which one fits your way of working?
Obsidian in brief
Obsidian is an offline-first note app that revolves around building a personal knowledge network. You work with Markdown files that are stored locally on your device. The power lies in bi-directional links between notes and a visual graph view of your knowledge structure. With more than a thousand community plugins you can customize Obsidian exactly to your liking. The basic version is free for personal use. Obsidian works on all platforms: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS and Android.
Noteplan in brief
Noteplan is a productivity tool that combines notes, tasks, and calendar based on the Bullet Journal method. The app integrates directly with Apple Calendar and Reminders, allowing your schedule and tasks to sync automatically. Timeblocking is central: you drag tasks to time blocks in your day. Noteplan also uses Markdown and stores everything locally, but with a built-in structure around daily notes. The app is natively available for Mac and iOS, with a web version for other platforms.
Obsidian vs Noteplan: the differences
The biggest difference lies in the philosophy. Obsidian gives you a blank canvas and says: build your own system. Noteplan gives you a ready-made framework for daily planning. Where Obsidian excels at connecting ideas over time, Noteplan focuses on what you need to do today.
Platform support differs significantly. Obsidian works natively on Windows, Linux, and Android. Noteplan only has native apps for Apple devices. Want to use Noteplan on Windows? Then you’ll have to settle for the web version, which offers less functionality than the Mac app. For teams with mixed devices, that’s a dealbreaker.
The calendar integration shows the difference in approach. Noteplan automatically syncs with Apple Calendar and Google Calendar. You see your appointments directly in your daily note. Timeblocking works out-of-the-box: drag a task to a time slot and it appears in your calendar. In Obsidian, you need to install plugins for calendar view. The Calendar plugin does show your daily notes, but no external calendar items. For true calendar integration, you need additional plugins that you must configure yourself.
The plugin ecosystem is unequal. Obsidian has more than a thousand community plugins. Dataview lets you query notes like a database. Canvas gives you an infinite whiteboard. Templater automates complex workflows. Noteplan also has plugins, but the library is much smaller. The difference: Obsidian users build their workflow with plugins, Noteplan users get the workflow by default.
The mobile experience differs. Noteplan’s iOS app is fast and feels native. Swipe actions, widgets, quick access to today. Obsidian’s mobile app can start up slowly with large vaults and feels less polished. Recent updates have improved performance, but users still report that large vaults load slower than in Noteplan.
The learning curve differs per background. Do you already know Markdown? Then you’ll feel at home in both apps. New to Markdown? Noteplan’s structure helps you get started: a new note every day, tasks with square brackets, events from your calendar. Obsidian requires more prior knowledge: how do you organize your vault? Which plugins do you install? How do you link notes effectively? For power users, that freedom is a blessing. For beginners, a challenge.
Prices compared
Obsidian is free for personal use. You can create unlimited notes, use plugins, and sync your vault locally via iCloud or Dropbox. Want Obsidian’s own sync? Then the Standard subscription costs € 4 per month with annual payment. This plan recently increased the vault limit and was made cheaper. Obsidian Publish, which lets you publish notes online, costs € 8 per month with annual payment.
Noteplan has no free plan. You get seven days to try the app, after which you switch to read-only mode. The annual subscription costs € 8,33 per month, the monthly subscription € 9,99 per month. That’s about € 100 per year. Noteplan is also included in Setapp, a subscription service for Mac apps. Already have Setapp? Then Noteplan is included.
For those who only want to take notes without cloud sync, Obsidian is clearly cheaper: free versus € 100 per year. As soon as you need synchronization, you pay at least € 48 per year with Obsidian. Noteplan’s € 100 per year includes synchronization, calendar integration, and all features. The question is: do you use that calendar integration enough to justify the price difference?
Conclusion
Obsidian wins on flexibility, platform support, and price. The free plan is fully usable, the plugin library is huge, and you can work on any device. Noteplan wins on ease of use for Apple users, especially if you want to combine calendar and tasks without configuring plugins. The price difference is significant: Obsidian can be free, Noteplan costs at least € 100 per year. For most users, Obsidian is the better choice due to the free plan and cross-platform support. Noteplan is the better choice if you’re an Apple user who wants a ready-made system for daily planning and are willing to pay for it.
