# Obsidian vs Gemini Notebook

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Obsidian at none against Gemini Notebook's 26. Obsidian also leads on iOS requirement (15.6 vs 17.0). Gemini Notebook's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and ratings volume (63K vs 2.8K). On price, ads and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Gemini Notebook sells 15 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month. Obsidian asks for nothing beyond the download.

Gemini Notebook holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Gemini Notebook has 63K ratings behind it against 2.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 62% of Obsidian's written reviews are positive against 79% of Gemini Notebook's.

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, Gemini Notebook weekly. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and October 14, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Obsidian | Gemini Notebook |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews) | **[4.9 (63K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gemini-notebook/id6737527615/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 2.8K | **63K** |
| Positive reviews | 62.0% of reviews | **78.8% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | **Free** | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | #121 | **#36** |
| Size | 40 MB | 211 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 17.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) |

## What reviewers say

### Obsidian

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

**Currently charting:** #121 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


### Gemini Notebook

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/gemini-notebook/id6737527615)

**Currently charting:** #36 Top Free · Productivity, #102 Top Grossing · Productivity (US App Store)

This AI-powered tool transforms complex information from various sources into clear, understandable insights. It allows users to upload documents, websites, and videos, then ask questions and receive summarized answers with inline citations. Users can also generate podcast-style audio discussions for a different learning experience.

**Highlights:** Upload PDFs, websites, and videos, AI-powered summarization, Ask questions about sources, Inline source citations, Podcast-style audio overviews, Offline access

**In-app purchases (15)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Pro (5 TB) | $19.99 | per month |
| Google AI Pro (5 TB) | $19.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 5 TB | $24.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $49.99 | per year |
| 10 TB | $49.99 | per month |
| Google AI Pro (5 TB) | $199.99 | per year |
| Google AI Pro (2 TB) | $199.99 | per year |
| Google AI Ultra (30 TB) | $249.99 | per month |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Fast and accurate audio summaries
- 👍 Useful for learning and studying
- 🚀 Convenient mobile access
- 👍 Great for on-the-go use

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Audio volume issues
- 🔍 Missing key features from web version
- 🔍 Lack of customization options
- 🔍 Inconsistent dark mode implementation

**Reported bugs**

- Audio coming through earpiece instead of speaker
- Interactive features not working properly

**Requested features**

- Ability to curate audio summaries
- Sync saved notes from web version
- Add mind maps, study guides, and other advanced features


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Obsidian free?

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

### Is Gemini Notebook free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Obsidian or Gemini Notebook?

Gemini Notebook is rated higher. Obsidian averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while Gemini Notebook averages 4.9 from 63K ratings.

### Do Obsidian or Gemini Notebook have ads?

Neither Obsidian nor Gemini Notebook shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Obsidian or Gemini Notebook?

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, and Gemini Notebook weekly. Most recently, Obsidian was updated on October 13, 2026 and Gemini Notebook on October 14, 2026.

### Which is more popular, Obsidian or Gemini Notebook?

Obsidian currently peaks at #121 in the App Store charts, and Gemini Notebook at #36. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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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.*