Obsidian
Replaceable in one session with an AI coding agent.
A note-taking app over a folder of Markdown files on your own disk, with links between notes, a graph view and a large plugin ecosystem. Only sync and publishing are paid.
The app is free. Replace only the sync. BE CLEAR ABOUT WHAT IS PAID - Obsidian itself costs nothing for personal use. Sync and Publish are the subscriptions REPLACING SYNC - Syncthing between your machines: continuous, peer-to-peer, no server, no account - Or a Git repository with a commit-and-push on a timer, which gives you real history THE CONFLICT PROBLEM - Two devices editing the same note offline will conflict. Syncthing keeps both copies with a suffix; Git will ask you to merge - Decide which you prefer before you rely on it, and test it deliberately once MOBILE, WHICH IS THE HARD PART - iOS restricts background sync. Expect to open the app to trigger it - Möbius Sync runs Syncthing on iOS; on Android the official client is enough REPLACING PUBLISH - Point a static site generator at the same folder and deploy on push - Resolve wiki links to real URLs at build time Include the Syncthing setup, the conflict test and the publish build.
What you lose
- End-to-end encrypted sync with version history, which is the paid part and is genuinely fiddly to reproduce
- A plugin ecosystem that the app itself is mostly made of
- Mobile apps that handle a folder of files well, which is harder on iOS than anywhere else
If you would rather not build
- A Git repository with an auto-commit plugin
The escape hatch
open source · no votes, no paid placement
Syncthing
$0Continuous file sync between your devices with no server or account.
syncthing/syncthingfree · open source
Why this verdict
our own opinion · changed only by a person
84/100
Verdict yes at 84 with a caveat worth reading: the editor is already free, so this is only about the sync fee, and mobile sync is where the effort actually goes.
History
tracked since 10 Aug 2026 · nothing is ever overwritten
Questions about Obsidian
answered from the record above
Is Obsidian free?
No — the plan we track is $4 a month. The app is free for personal use; Sync costs around $4/month billed annually and Publish around $8.
Can you replace Obsidian by building your own?
YES. Replaceable in one session with an AI coding agent. Replacement score 84 out of 100, build time one session. Read what you lose before you decide.
How much does Obsidian cost?
$4 a month on Sync — $48 a year. Recorded 10 Aug 2026.
What do you lose by replacing Obsidian?
End-to-end encrypted sync with version history, which is the paid part and is genuinely fiddly to reproduce; A plugin ecosystem that the app itself is mostly made of; Mobile apps that handle a folder of files well, which is harder on iOS than anywhere else. If any of those carry weight for you, keep paying.
Is there an open-source alternative to Obsidian?
Yes: Syncthing, Logseq. The prompt on this page is for when you want it your way instead.
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