Note-taking apps have become increasingly popular over the past few years. With more features and integrations added all the time, it can be tough to decide which platform works best for your needs. Two of the most popular options right now are Obsidian and Notion. But what exactly sets them apart? This article will compare Obsidian vs Notion to help you determine the best fit.

Overview of Obsidian and Notion

Obsidian is an open-source, markdown-based note-taking app that emphasizes local storage and linking between notes. It has built up a strong following among knowledge workers and "digital gardeners" who use these connections between notes to visualize and build a "second brain."

The notion takes more of an all-in-one workspace approach, allowing you to write notes but also manage databases, kanban boards, wikis and documents. It stores notes on the cloud but offers offline access and syncing across devices. Notion appeals to a wide audience seeking an everyday productivity system.

Key Feature Comparison

While the core purpose of note-taking unites them, Obsidian and Notion have key differences in features and functionality:

• Linking: Obsidian enables you to easily link between notes bidirectionally, allowing you to visualize connections and associations. Notion allows internal links but they only work one way.

• Offline Access: Obsidian offers full offline access and synchronizes changes when back online. Offline access in Notion is limited.

• Customization: Obsidian offers more personalization options with CSS snippets.

• has some templates but less fine-grained control.

• Multimedia: Notion smoothly incorporates multimedia attachments and embeds. Obsidian support is currently limited.

• Collaboration: Notion enables real-time collaboration on notes. Obsidian's collaboration requires merging changes from multiple local copies.

• Platforms: Obsidian is desktop-first while Notion originated as web-based, but both now have web, mobile, and desktop apps.

Core Use Cases

Based on their features and interfaces, Obsidian and Notion excel in slightly different use cases:

Obsidian is ideal for:

• Personal note-taking with embedded backlinks

• Building a second brain to visualize connections between ideas

• Long-form writing and content creation

• Managing a digital garden of evolving ideas

Notion shines for:

• All-in-one workspace for notes, tasks, docs and data

• Shared team knowledge base and wiki

• Tracking projects and tasks

• Recording meeting and class notes

Which is Better in 2024?

So when considering Obsidian vs Notion in 2024, which note-taking platform comes out on top?

For those focused specifically on personal notes and deep thinking, Obsidian has the edge. Its backlinks and graph view better capture the associative nature of ideas. Offline access also appeals to individual users.

However, for most business collaboration scenarios, Notion’s real-time, multi-user editing makes it easier to use for teams. The wide range of templates and easy multimedia embeds also give Notion a broader appeal.

Conclusion

In summary, while Obsidian outshines personal note networks and second brain-style systems, Notion still comes out ahead as the more flexible and user-friendly option for most people. Notion caters better to a wider audience with its templates and emphasis on collaboration.

However an individual knowledge worker who wants to geek out on interconnected ideas and work more independently might have good reasons for choosing Obsidian as their main note-taking app in 2024. Consider your specific needs and priorities to decide if Obsidian or Notion better fits your workflow.