# TatePad vs Obsidian

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Obsidian at none against TatePad's 1. Obsidian also leads on ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (2.8K vs 33). TatePad's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 4.5) and update cadence (every 5 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

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

TatePad holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Obsidian has 2.8K ratings behind it against 33, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 80% of TatePad's written reviews are positive against 62% of Obsidian's.

TatePad ships an update every 5 days, Obsidian every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 26, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | TatePad | Obsidian |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.9 (33 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tatepad-vertical-writing/id969847298/reviews)** | [4.5 (2.8K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/obsidian-connected-notes/id1557175442/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 33 | **2.8K** |
| Positive reviews | **79.6% of reviews** | 61.9% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 5 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Free** |
| Best chart rank | — | **#121** |
| Size | 18 MB | 40 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod, Mac** | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [DRIP PRODUCTS LIMITED LIABILITY CO.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1111280189) | [Dynalist Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1195392807) |

## What reviewers say

### TatePad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tatepad-vertical-writing/id969847298)

This is a straightforward text editor designed for vertical writing. It offers a clean interface for composing notes and documents in a unique orientation.

**Highlights:** Vertical writing support, Simple text editor, Clean interface, Note composition

**Features:** Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| TatePad プレミアム | $4.99 | one-time |


### 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


## Frequently asked questions

### Is TatePad free?

TatePad 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, TatePad or Obsidian?

TatePad is rated higher. TatePad averages 4.9 out of 5 from 33 ratings, while Obsidian averages 4.5 from 2.8K ratings.

### Do TatePad or Obsidian have ads?

TatePad shows ads; Obsidian does not.

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

TatePad ships an update every 5 days, and Obsidian every 3 weeks. Most recently, TatePad was updated on October 26, 2026 and Obsidian on October 27, 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.*