Joplin vs Obsidian: Which Privacy Tool Is Better?

Overview

In an era where digital privacy is paramount, many are seeking alternatives to proprietary, cloud-heavy services like Google Keep, Evernote, or OneNote. Joplin and Obsidian have emerged as two leading contenders in the privacy-focused note-taking space, each offering unique strengths tailored to different user workflows. Both applications emphasize local data control and robust features, but they approach note management, synchronization, and ecosystem development from distinct philosophies. This comparison aims to help you decide which tool best aligns with your needs for security, functionality, and user experience.

Joplin: Quick Look

Joplin is a free and open-source note-taking and to-do application that prides itself on privacy and flexibility. Inspired by Evernote, it offers a rich feature set including a powerful markdown editor, support for various attachments, a web clipper for saving web pages, and robust synchronization options. What sets Joplin apart, especially for privacy advocates, is its built-in client-side end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for notes and notebooks when syncing to cloud services like Dropbox, Nextcloud, OneDrive, or WebDAV. Its open-source nature means its code is transparent and auditable, fostering a strong community around its development. Joplin is an excellent choice for those seeking a highly capable, secure, and customizable note-taking app without vendor lock-in.

Obsidian: Quick Look

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files. It stands out for its unique approach to note-taking, treating each note as a node in a vast personal knowledge graph. This enables powerful features like bidirectional linking, which allows users to connect ideas seamlessly and visualize relationships between notes through its interactive Graph View. While its core application is proprietary, Obsidian’s commitment to local-first data storage (your notes are simple .md files on your device) and an incredibly rich plugin ecosystem provides immense flexibility and a strong sense of data ownership. Obsidian is favored by academics, writers, and anyone engaging in deep personal knowledge management (PKM) who values a highly interconnected and customizable workspace.

Head-to-Head Comparison

Privacy & Security

Both Joplin and Obsidian prioritize user privacy, but they do so with different methodologies.

Joplin takes a strong stance on privacy through its open-source codebase and integrated end-to-end encryption (E2EE). All your notes, notebooks, and attachments can be encrypted on your device before being sent to any synchronization target. This means that even if a cloud provider’s servers are compromised, your data remains unreadable. The open-source nature of Joplin provides transparency; anyone can inspect the code for vulnerabilities or backdoors, fostering trust within the community.

Obsidian provides privacy by design through its local-first approach. Your notes are simple Markdown files stored directly on your computer or mobile device. This means you have absolute control over your data; it never leaves your device unless you choose to sync it via a third-party service (like Dropbox, iCloud, or Google Drive) or Obsidian’s own optional, paid Obsidian Sync service. If you opt for Obsidian Sync, it offers E2EE for your synchronized vault. While Obsidian’s core application is proprietary (closed source), its reliance on local, open-format files and a privacy-friendly business model (free for personal use, paid for convenience features) resonates deeply with privacy-conscious users who want to avoid vendor lock-in. The open plugin API allows community auditing and development.

• Winner: Joplin for built-in, mandatory E2EE for its sync options across various cloud providers, coupled with its fully open-source nature. Obsidian’s local-first approach is excellent, but its E2EE for sync is an optional paid extra, and the core is proprietary.

Features & Functionality

The feature sets of Joplin and Obsidian cater to somewhat different note-taking philosophies.

Joplin offers a more traditional note-taking experience, similar to Evernote but with a markdown focus. Key features include:

• Rich Markdown Editor: Supports markdown with live preview and a rich text editor mode.
• Web Clipper: Browser extensions to save web pages (full page, simplified, or screenshot) directly into Joplin.
• Attachments: Embed images, PDFs, audio, and other files.
• To-Do List Functionality: Create and manage to-do items alongside notes.
• Tagging and Search: Robust tagging system and powerful search capabilities across all notes.
• Version History: Keep track of note changes (if supported by sync target).
• Plugins: A growing ecosystem of plugins to extend functionality.

Obsidian shines in its ability to manage and connect complex information, ideal for Personal Knowledge Management (PKM):

• Bidirectional Linking: Create links between notes and see backlinks automatically, forming a web of interconnected ideas.

• Graph View: Visually explore the relationships between your notes, revealing hidden connections.

• Markdown-Only: Focuses purely on Markdown files, ensuring future compatibility and portability.

• Daily Notes: Dedicated workspace for daily journaling or quick thoughts.

• Templates: Create reusable note structures.

• Plugins: A vast and highly active plugin ecosystem allowing for extreme customization, from Kanban boards to Dataviews, calendar integrations, and more.

• Themes: Extensive theming capabilities to personalize the interface.

• No Web Clipper (Native): Lacks a native web clipper, but community plugins can add similar functionality.

• Winner: Obsidian for advanced knowledge management features, especially bidirectional linking and the graph view, combined with its unparalleled plugin ecosystem for customization. Joplin is excellent for general note-taking, but Obsidian is in a league of its own for complex information organization.

User Experience

The user experience in Joplin and Obsidian differs significantly due to their design philosophies.

Joplin provides a straightforward, familiar interface that most users will find intuitive. If you’ve used Evernote or similar tools, Joplin’s notebook-note structure will feel comfortable. The learning curve is relatively gentle, making it accessible for new users. Its focus is on efficient note creation, organization, and retrieval. While customizable with themes and some layout options, it maintains a consistent application feel across platforms.

Obsidian, while appearing simple at first glance with its plain Markdown files, has a steeper learning curve. Its power lies in its flexibility and the plugin ecosystem, which requires users to invest time in understanding how to leverage its features for their specific workflow. The interface can be highly customized, allowing users to create unique workspaces with multiple panes, different views, and integrated tools. For those new to PKM concepts like Zettelkasten or graph-based thinking, it might take a while to fully grasp Obsidian’s potential. However, once mastered, it offers an incredibly fluid and powerful environment for thought and knowledge organization.

• Winner: Joplin for initial ease of use and a more traditional, beginner-friendly note-taking application experience. Obsidian is more powerful but demands a greater investment in learning.

Pricing

Both applications offer generous free tiers, focusing on different monetization strategies.

Joplin is entirely free and open-source for its core application across all platforms. This means you can download, use, and self-host Joplin and all its features without paying anything. Joplin’s monetization comes from its optional Joplin Cloud service, which provides a convenient, E2EE-enabled synchronization and note-publishing solution for a monthly or annual fee. You are free to use other sync targets (Dropbox, Nextcloud, etc.) without cost.

Obsidian is also free for personal use of its core application on all platforms. This includes creating and managing local vaults, using most plugins, and customizing themes. Obsidian’s revenue comes from optional, paid services and licenses:

• Obsidian Sync: An optional E2EE cloud synchronization service for vaults (monthly/annual fee).

• Obsidian Publish: Allows you to publish selected notes or vaults as a public website (monthly/annual fee).

• Catalyst License: A one-time purchase that supports development and grants access to insider builds.

• Winner: Tie. Both applications offer robust, free-to-use core functionality for personal use, making them highly accessible. Their paid services are optional value-adds rather than mandatory subscriptions for basic usage.

Our Verdict

Choosing between Joplin and Obsidian ultimately depends on your primary needs and workflow:

Choose Joplin if:

• You prioritize an open-source solution for transparency and community trust.
• You require built-in, mandatory end-to-end encryption for syncing your notes to various cloud services (Dropbox, Nextcloud, OneDrive, etc.).
• You want a traditional, familiar note-taking experience with a rich text editor and powerful markdown support.
• A web clipper is a crucial part of your information gathering workflow.
• You need a robust tool for general note-taking, archiving, and basic task management without a steep learning curve.
• You prefer a truly free solution even for cloud sync (if using self-hosted Nextcloud or similar).

Choose Obsidian if:

• You are deeply invested in Personal Knowledge Management (PKM), Zettelkasten, or building a “second brain.”
• Bidirectional linking and a visual graph view are essential for connecting and understanding your ideas.
• You want absolute control over your data through local plain-text Markdown files.
• You value extreme customization through a vast and active plugin ecosystem.
• You are a power user willing to invest time in learning and setting up your ideal workspace.
• You primarily work with markdown and don’t require a rich text editor or a native web clipper (though plugins can mitigate this).

Both Joplin and Obsidian represent excellent choices for privacy-conscious note-takers. Joplin excels as a secure, open-source, and user-friendly alternative to Evernote, perfect for general note-taking and archiving with strong encryption. Obsidian, on the other hand, is a powerful and highly customizable tool for knowledge workers and thinkers who want to build a deeply interconnected personal knowledge base. Your best bet might even be to try both, as their free tiers allow for experimentation without commitment.