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Obsidian vs Org mode: catalog facts
Obsidian	Org mode
Free Free for everyone, including commercial use, in the vendor’s own words. Obsidian Sync and…	Free Free and open source, with optional support through Liberapay.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Browser extension	Windows, macOS, Linux
Notes are plain Markdown files in a folder you control, readable without the app Linking, backlinks, tags, graph view and fast search across the vault	Notes, tasks, agenda and documents in one plain text format Files are easy to sync and version control
The application is not open source, only the plugin ecosystem and the releases repository Syncing between devices means paying for Obsidian Sync or wiring up your own sync tool	Requires GNU Emacs for the full feature set Steep learning curve for people new to Emacs
Downloadable app, Browser extension	Downloadable app
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License: GPL-3.0
No account needed	No account needed
Works offline	Works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 20, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked September 23, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.