# Drafts vs Obsidian

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Obsidian at none against Drafts's 3. Obsidian also leads on chart position (#128 vs unranked). Drafts's advantage is update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On price, review sentiment, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Drafts sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Obsidian asks for nothing beyond the download.

Drafts holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11K and 2.7K respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 70% of Drafts's written reviews are positive against 62% of Obsidian's.

Drafts ships an update every 4 days, Obsidian every 3 weeks. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Drafts | Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (11K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drafts/id1236254471/reviews)** | [4.5 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **11K** | 2.7K |
| Positive reviews | **69.9% of reviews** | 62.1% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Every 4 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#128** |
| Size | 82 MB | 38 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Agile Tortoise](https://appshunter.io/developer/331942785) | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) |

## What reviewers say

### Drafts

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drafts/id1236254471)

Quickly capture text and send it to other apps with this versatile writing tool. It functions as a notebook, editor, and automation tool, allowing for seamless integration with various services and AI LLMs. Organize, customize, and process your text efficiently across all your Apple devices.

**Highlights:** Quick text capture, Send text to other apps, Writing automation tool, Cross-device sync, Text manipulation actions, Customizable interface, AI LLM integration

**Features:** Family Sharing, Siri integration, Apple Watch app, iMessage stickers, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Drafts Pro - Monthly  i | $1.99 | per month |
| Drafts Pro - Annual  i | $19.99 | per year |
| Drafts Pro - Patron  i | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Extremely useful app
- 👍 Powerful and flexible
- 💡 Great for productivity and note-taking
- 👍 Seamless sync across devices
- 🚀 Streamlines workflows

**What reviewers complain about**

- 💰 Subscription model is too expensive
- 🤔 Subscription required for advanced features
- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🤔 Confusing UI changes in newer version
- 💰 Dislike the move to a subscription

**Reported bugs**

- Paste function not working properly
- Syncing issues between devices

**Requested features**

- Dark mode option
- Improved integration with other apps
- Ability to edit custom actions without subscription
- One-time purchase option instead of subscription


### 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 Drafts free?

Drafts is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Obsidian free?

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

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

Drafts is rated higher. Drafts averages 4.8 out of 5 from 11K ratings, while Obsidian averages 4.5 from 2.7K ratings.

### Do Drafts or Obsidian have ads?

Neither Drafts nor Obsidian shows ads.

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

Drafts ships an update every 4 days, and Obsidian every 3 weeks. Most recently, Drafts was updated on September 24, 2026 and Obsidian on September 24, 2026.

---

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