Logseq suits people who think in outlines and daily notes and want a fully open source app with flashcards built in. Obsidian suits people who want a free, flexible app for linked notes in open file formats, with plugins and optional Sync and Publish. Pick Logseq for outlining and open source, Obsidian for flexibility and its plugin world.
Both apps keep your notes on your own device, which is why they're often compared. I read Logseq's site and GitHub page and Obsidian's home and plans pages, so the facts below are theirs.
Logseq and Obsidian compared
| Logseq | Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| How it describes itself | A privacy-first, open-source knowledge base | The free and flexible app for your private thoughts |
| Free plan | Yes, open source (AGPL-3.0) | Yes, free without limits, no sign-up |
| Open source | Yes | Not stated on the pages I read |
| Note style | Outlines, blocks, daily notes | Linked notes in open file formats |
| Study tools | Flashcards, queries, block references | Plugins from the community |
| Sync and publishing | Not covered on the pages I read | Optional Sync and Publish add-ons |
How Logseq works
Logseq calls itself a privacy-first, open-source knowledge base, and its code is on GitHub under the AGPL-3.0 licence. It's built around blocks and outlines: you write in bullet points, link ideas with Linked References and Block References, and pull them together with Queries and Search.
Its home page speaks to students, academics, writers, project managers and developers. The Flashcards feature helps you remember facts, which is unusual for a notes app, and its home page quotes a user who keeps daily notes and meeting notes in it for work.
How Obsidian works
Obsidian describes itself as the free and flexible app for your private thoughts. Its plans page says it's free without limits, with no sign-up required, and the notes live in open file formats so you're never locked in.
The extras are optional. Sync adds end-to-end encryption, version history and shared vaults, Publish puts notes on the web, and the plugin library and Web Clipper let you shape the app around how you work. Obsidian says it's 100% user-supported, and you don't need a commercial licence to use it for work.
Outlines versus pages
This is the difference you'll feel on day one. Logseq wants everything as a bullet in an outline, so each thought is a block you can link and reuse. Obsidian gives you a blank page for each note and lets you link pages together in whatever shape suits you.
The other quiet difference is licence. Logseq's code is open source on GitHub. Obsidian is free to use without limits, but its pages I read don't call the app open source; its promise is open file formats, so your notes stay readable outside the app.
Think about where your notes will live, too. Obsidian's pages say your notes sit in open file formats, so you can open them with other apps or move them later, and Sync is there if you want your phone and laptop to match. Logseq is built for the same privacy-first, local approach, and because its code is public on GitHub, anyone can check how it handles your data. If you work in a regulated field, or you simply don't want your private thinking on someone else's server, both give you more control than a typical cloud notes app, and that may well be why you're looking at these two.
Who each app suits
Logseq suits students and researchers who love outlines, flashcards and daily journals. Obsidian suits writers, consultants and business owners building a second brain they can shape with plugins. If that phrase is new to you, my piece on an AI second brain for small business explains it, and this second brain capture prompt pack helps you fill either app.
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My advice on Logseq or Obsidian
Take one week of real notes, meetings, ideas and to-dos, and write them in both. If you naturally write in bullet points and want to review with flashcards, Logseq will feel right. If you prefer full pages and want to add features over time, Obsidian is the better home. Both are free to start, so the only thing you're spending is a week of attention.
Do you make note-taking or knowledge tools? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place in comparisons like this one.
Frequently asked questions
Is Logseq open source?
Yes. Logseq's code is on GitHub under the AGPL-3.0 licence, and it calls itself a privacy-first, open-source knowledge base.
Is Obsidian free?
Yes. Obsidian's plans page says it's free without limits, with no sign-up required, and Sync and Publish are optional extras.
Can I use Obsidian for work?
Yes. Obsidian says you're not required to get a commercial licence for work use, though it encourages organisations to support it.
Does Logseq have flashcards?
Yes. Logseq's home page lists a Flashcards feature to help you remember facts and insights.
Does Obsidian sync between devices?
Obsidian Sync is an optional add-on with end-to-end encryption, version history and shared vaults.
