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Zettlr vs Obsidian: catalog facts
ZettlrObsidian
Free

The open-source software is available without a license fee. Hosting, hardware and…

Free

Free for everyone, including commercial use, in the vendor’s own words. Obsidian Sync and…

Windows, macOS, Linux Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS, Browser extension
  • Combines document navigation with flexible export workflows.
  • 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
  • Some publication formats require additional export dependencies.
  • 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
Downloadable app Downloadable app, Browser extension
Open source Closed source
License: GPL-3.0 License not stated
Not stated if an account is needed No account needed
Not stated if it works offline Works offline

Checked September 22, 2026

Checked September 20, 2026

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