Obsidian vs TiddlyWiki
Obsidian
obsidian.mdTiddlyWiki
tiddlywiki.comSide by side
| Figure | Obsidian | TiddlyWiki |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $4.17/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 6 | 1 |
| Spec score · Note-taking apps | 9.5 (#3) | 8.7 (#41) |
| Spec score · Personal Knowledge Management Software | 9.1 (#2) | 8.3 (#18) |
| Spec score · Notes apps | 9.0 (#10) | 8.3 (#35) |
| End-to-End Encryption | Obsidian Sync uses AES-256 end-to-end encryption. | For a single HTML file, TiddlyWiki supports AES 256-bit encryption in CCM mode using the Stanford JavaScript Crypto Library. |
| Founded | 2020 | 2004 |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Supported platforms | Windows,macOS,Linux,iOS,Android,Chrome extension | The official quick-start page lists desktop downloads for macOS, Windows and Linux, and its getting-started filters include Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS. |
Plans
Obsidian
- Sync Standard$5 a month
- Sync Plus$10 a month
- Publish$10 a month
- Catalyst$25, paid once
- Commercial$50 a year
- FreeFree
In their own words
Obsidian
Obsidian is a note-taking app for keeping notes and building a personal knowledge workspace. Its core app is free, has no sign-up requirement, and stores notes on the user's device so they remain available offline. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and as a Chrome extension. Canvas provides an open workspace for research, brainstorming, diagrams, and ideas; thousands of plugins and an open API allow workflow customization. Shared vaults support team work with real-time updates. Sync adds synchronization and version history: Standard costs $5 per user per month billed annually, with one vault, 1 GB of storage, a 5 MB maximum file size, and one month of history. Plus costs $10 per user per month billed annually, with 10 vaults, 10 GB, a 200 MB maximum file size, and 12 months of history. Publish is $10 per site per month billed annually and includes up to 4 GB hosting per site. It offers themes, custom domains, password protection, and SEO optimization.
TiddlyWiki
TiddlyWiki is a free, non-linear notebook and interactive wiki for organizing and sharing notes, to-do lists, projects, and websites. It stores information in small units called tiddlers, which can be linked and grouped with tags, lists, and macros. Search spans tiddlers and supports filtering system and shadow tiddlers. In its single-file form, the data and code are held in one HTML file that runs in a browser without installation or external dependencies. Users can import material from files or other TiddlyWiki windows, and extend a wiki with plugins, themes, colour palettes, widgets, and macros. It can also run as a Node.js application; that setup offers more capability but takes more technical knowledge to set up and maintain. Saving choices vary, including storage and sync options such as Google Drive, iCloud, Dropbox, and Syncthing. The built-in encryption for single-file wikis has not undergone rigorous third-party testing. TiddlyWiki is available across web, mobile, desktop, and self-hosted setups.