# Obsidian vs Markdown Editor & Reader

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Obsidian at none against Markdown Editor & Reader's 1. Obsidian also leads on chart position (#131 vs unranked). Markdown Editor & Reader's advantage is update cadence (weekly vs every 3 weeks). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Markdown Editor & Reader sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Obsidian asks for nothing beyond the download.

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, Markdown Editor & Reader weekly. The most recent releases landed on September 24, 2026 and September 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Obsidian | Markdown Editor & Reader |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.5 (2.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **2.7K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 62.1% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Weekly** |
| Monetization | Free | — |
| Best chart rank | **#131** | — |
| Size | 38 MB | 18 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 16.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 9+ |
| Developer | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) | [Dang Nam Nguyen](https://appshunter.io/developer/1779685594) |

## What reviewers say

### Obsidian

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

**Currently charting:** #131 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


### Markdown Editor & Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/markdown-editor-and-reader/id6768164089)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| MD Preview Pro (Lifetime) | $3.99 | one-time |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Obsidian free?

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

### Is Markdown Editor & Reader free?

Markdown Editor & Reader is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Obsidian or Markdown Editor & Reader have ads?

Neither Obsidian nor Markdown Editor & Reader shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Obsidian or Markdown Editor & Reader?

Obsidian ships an update every 3 weeks, and Markdown Editor & Reader weekly. Most recently, Obsidian was updated on September 24, 2026 and Markdown Editor & Reader on September 5, 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.*