# RealVNC Viewer vs Obsidian

The clearest difference is rating: RealVNC Viewer at 4.8 against Obsidian's 4.5. RealVNC Viewer also leads on review sentiment (72% vs 62%) and ratings volume (15K vs 2.8K). Obsidian's advantage is update cadence (every 3 weeks vs every 2 months) and chart position (#111 vs unranked). 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.

RealVNC Viewer holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: RealVNC Viewer has 15K ratings behind it against 2.8K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 72% of RealVNC Viewer's written reviews are positive against 62% of Obsidian's.

RealVNC Viewer ships an update every 2 months, Obsidian every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 2, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | RealVNC Viewer | Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.8 (15K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realvnc-viewer-remote-desktop/id352019548/reviews)** | [4.5 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | **15K** | 2.8K |
| Positive reviews | **72.3% of reviews** | 62.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | **Every 3 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | — | **#111** |
| Size | 9 MB | 39 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [RealVNC](https://appshunter.io/developer/352019552) | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) |

## What reviewers say

### RealVNC Viewer

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/realvnc-viewer-remote-desktop/id352019548)

Access and control your Mac, Windows, or Linux computers remotely from any device. View your desktop, use your keyboard and mouse, and manage files securely with end-to-end encryption. Sync connections across all your devices for seamless access.

**Highlights:** Instant remote access to computers, Control mouse and keyboard remotely, End-to-end session encryption, Cloud service for easy connection, Backup and sync connections, Virtual keyboard with advanced keys, Bluetooth keyboard support

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Smooth and responsive
- 🔒 Secure remote access
- 👍 Intuitive user interface
- 💡 Useful for remote work and support
- 🚀 Fast and reliable connection

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and connection issues
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data harvesting
- 💰 Paid subscription required for full functionality
- 🔍 Lack of mouse/trackpad support
- 🔍 Inconsistent performance on different devices

**Reported bugs**

- Cursor and screen synchronization issues
- Incompatibility with certain macOS and iOS versions
- Frequent disconnections and login problems
- Keyboard input not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add support for audio streaming
- Improve clipboard and file transfer functionality
- Provide better multi-monitor support
- Allow customization of keyboard and mouse controls
- Implement a true touch-based interface


### Obsidian

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

**Currently charting:** #111 Top Free · Productivity (US App Store)

Organize your thoughts and ideas with a powerful knowledge base that stores your notes as plain text Markdown files. Access your personal second brain on any device, with extensive customization options and community-driven plugins.

**Highlights:** Local Markdown file storage, Customizable toolbar, Graph view, Community plugins, Themes, Sidebar pinning, iCloud vaults

**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 RealVNC Viewer free?

RealVNC Viewer 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, RealVNC Viewer or Obsidian?

RealVNC Viewer is rated higher. RealVNC Viewer averages 4.8 out of 5 from 15K ratings, while Obsidian averages 4.5 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do RealVNC Viewer or Obsidian have ads?

Neither RealVNC Viewer nor Obsidian shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, RealVNC Viewer or Obsidian?

RealVNC Viewer ships an update every 2 months, and Obsidian every 3 weeks. Most recently, RealVNC Viewer was updated on November 2, 2026 and Obsidian on November 3, 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.*