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Obsidian vs Roam Research: catalog facts
Obsidian	Roam Research
Free Free for everyone, including commercial use, in the vendor’s own words. Obsidian Sync and…	Paid Paid subscription; current plans are listed on the Roam Research site.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Browser extension	Web
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	Linked notes for building a graph of ideas Outline-style writing that feels like a bulleted list
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	Little detail is published on the homepage Proprietary with no open-source version
Downloadable app, Browser extension	Web application, Hosted service
Closed source	Closed source
License not stated	License not stated
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Works offline	Not stated if it 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.