Compare software

Obsidian vs Zim: catalog facts
Obsidian	Zim
Free Free for everyone, including commercial use, in the vendor’s own words. Obsidian Sync and…	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Browser extension	Windows, 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 stored as plain text files you can edit elsewhere Pages created simply by linking to them
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	Uses its own wiki markup rather than Markdown Desktop only, with no built-in sync or mobile app
Downloadable app, Browser extension	Downloadable app
Closed source	Open source
License not stated	License not stated
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.