# Notes vs Obsidian

The clearest difference is update cadence: Obsidian at every 3 weeks against Notes's every 9 months. Obsidian also leads on chart position (#128 vs unranked) and review sentiment (62% vs 51%). Notes's advantage is ratings volume (641K vs 2.7K) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Notes holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Notes has 641K ratings behind it against 2.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 51% of Notes's written reviews are positive against 62% of Obsidian's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

Notes ships an update every 9 months, Obsidian every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Notes | Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (641K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109/reviews)** | [4.5 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **641K** | 2.7K |
| Positive reviews | 51.2% of reviews | **62.1% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 9 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#128** |
| Size | 6 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch, Vision Pro** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Apple](https://appshunter.io/developer/284417353) | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) |

## What reviewers say

### Notes

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/notes/id1110145109)

Capture your thoughts, ideas, and important information with a versatile note-taking app. Attach various file types, scan documents, create checklists, and even sketch directly within your notes. Organize with folders, tags, and smart searches, and collaborate with others on shared notes.

**Highlights:** Add attachments (PDFs, images, links), Scan paper documents, Create checklists, Sketch with finger or stylus, Search text in notes and handwriting, Collaborate on shared notes, Quick Note feature

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 📝 Versatile note-taking app
- 🔒 Secure with password/biometric lock
- 🌐 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Quick and responsive
- 📂 Organized with folders and tags

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 🔍 Difficulty finding/retrieving notes
- 🔋 High battery drain when using Apple Pencil
- 📝 Limited formatting options (font, color, etc.)
- 🔒 Password reset issues with locked notes

**Reported bugs**

- Notes randomly disappearing or not syncing
- Cursor jumping around when editing text
- Typing lag and performance issues
- Inconsistent behavior when adding images
- Formatting problems when pasting content

**Requested features**

- Add undo/redo functionality
- Improve table formatting and calculations
- Allow custom folder colors and icons
- Implement a page view for longer notes
- Integrate with Reminders app for to-do lists


### Obsidian

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442)

**Currently charting:** #128 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Organize your thoughts and ideas with a powerful knowledge base that utilizes local Markdown files. This app acts as your personal second brain, accessible on your mobile device for seamless note-taking and idea connection.

**Highlights:** Local Markdown file storage, Customizable toolbar, Graph view for connections, Community plugins, Themes, iCloud sync

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Powerful features
- 👍 Customizable and flexible
- 🔒 Secure and private
- 💡 Innovative note-taking approach
- 🚀 Smooth mobile experience

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Sync issues and unreliable iCloud integration
- 🔋 Slow startup and performance issues on mobile
- 👎 Steep learning curve for new users
- 👎 Limited sorting and organization options
- 👎 Lack of WYSIWYG editing on mobile

**Reported bugs**

- Sync issues leading to data loss
- Freezing and crashing on mobile devices
- Editing bugs and text input issues

**Requested features**

- Improved sorting and organization options
- WYSIWYG editing on mobile
- Better integration with other cloud storage services
- More intuitive onboarding process for new users
- Native mobile widgets and share sheet integration


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Notes free?

Notes is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Obsidian free?

Obsidian is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Notes or Obsidian?

Notes is rated higher. Notes averages 4.8 out of 5 from 641K ratings, while Obsidian averages 4.5 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do Notes or Obsidian have ads?

Neither Notes nor Obsidian shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Notes or Obsidian?

Notes ships an update every 9 months, and Obsidian every 3 weeks. Most recently, Notes was updated on September 24, 2026 and Obsidian on September 24, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*