Comparison

Obsidian vs MD Flow

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Obsidian

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
Read full description

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base that works on top of a local folder of plain text Markdown files. It is a second brain, for you, forever. Now available on the go for iOS! Features include: - Customizable toolbar - Pull down quick actions - Graph view - Community plugins - Themes - Sidebar pinning for tablet - iCloud vaults

About

MD Flow

Instantly preview Markdown files with syntax-highlighted code, tables, and Mermaid diagrams. Browse folders with a fast interface and export documents to PDF. This app works directly with your existing file structure without indexing or setup.

Highlights
  • Browse folders with intuitive interface
  • Instant Markdown preview
  • Syntax-highlighted code blocks
  • Rendered Mermaid diagrams
  • Export documents to PDF
  • Search within current folder
  • Table of contents navigation
Read full description

MD Flow is a native app for browsing folders and instantly previewing Markdown — beautifully rendered, with syntax-highlighted code, tables, and Mermaid diagrams. No indexing, no workspace, no setup. Just open a folder and start reading. What you can do * Browse folders with a fast, intuitive interface * Instantly preview Markdown, with syntax-highlighted code blocks * See Mermaid diagrams rendered inline — flowcharts, sequence, Gantt, and more * Export any document as a polished PDF, then share or save it — MD Flow Pro * Search within the current folder * Reopen recent files quickly * Navigate long documents with a table of contents * Preview HTML, text, CSV, and RTF files * Works directly with your existing folder structure Built for real workflows MD Flow works with the files you already have: * Documentation folders and README-heavy projects * Technical docs with diagrams and code samples * Exported notes and personal archives * AI-generated summaries, research, and drafts * Writing libraries and file-based knowledge systems A simple, focused experience MD Flow is not a note-taking app, a PKM system, or a Markdown editor. It is a file-first app designed to help you browse and read your files faster, without friction. No import. No duplication. No lock-in. Privacy-first by design * No account required * No tracking * Works locally with your files * You stay in control of your data Pricing MD Flow includes a free core experience. MD Flow Pro is a one-time unlock — including PDF export — that works across Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Optional tips are available if you want to support ongoing development.

Screenshots

Obsidian4 screens
MD Flow4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Obsidian at 4.5 against MD Flow's 1.0. Obsidian also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 4) and ratings volume (2.8K vs 1). On price, update cadence, ads and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. MD Flow sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Obsidian asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Obsidian holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Obsidian has 2.8K ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, MD Flow every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 14, 2026 and October 4, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 6 level
Obsidian versus MD Flow: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterObsidianMD Flow
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.5 (2.8K ratings) — better1.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews62.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2.8K — better1
Update frequencyEvery 3 weeksEvery 9 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFreeFree
Best chart rank#119 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, Mac
Requires iOS15.6 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size40 MB7 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperDynalist Inc.Amilcar Zambrano Guevara

Customer experience

Obsidian

All ratings2,757 ratings
Positive85.6%
Neutral4.0%
Negative10.5%
Written reviews1,324 reviews
Positive62.0%
Neutral11.8%
Negative26.2%

MD Flow

All ratings1 ratings
Positive0.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative100.0%

Bugs and requests

Obsidian

Reported bugs

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

Requested features

5 requests
  • 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

MD Flow

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Obsidian

No in-app purchases

4 purchases

MD Flow

One-time4
  • Small Support$1.99
  • Medium Support$3.99
  • Large Support$5.99
Show 1 more
  • .MD Finder Pro$7.99

Questions

Is Obsidian free?
Obsidian is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is MD Flow free?
MD Flow is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Obsidian or MD Flow?
Obsidian is rated higher. Obsidian averages 4.5 out of 5 from 2.8K ratings, while MD Flow averages 1.0 from 1 ratings.
Do Obsidian or MD Flow have ads?
Neither Obsidian nor MD Flow shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Obsidian or MD Flow?
Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, and MD Flow every 9 days. Most recently, Obsidian was updated on October 14, 2026 and MD Flow on October 4, 2026.

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