1v1 Pricing Showdown
Obsidian vs Roam Research
Side-by-side pricing breakdown for Note-Taking Apps decision-makers
Prices in USD, verified from the United States. Regional pricing may vary.
When choosing between Obsidian and Roam Research for your note-taking apps stack, the right answer depends on three things: your budget, the specific features you actually use day-to-day, and your tolerance for renewal-price increases. Below we lay out the prices each vendor advertises today (verified against their live pricing pages), the plan limits that decide whether they'll fit your team, and the features that differ between them.
Obsidian starts at $5/mo; Roam Research starts at $15/mo. The cheaper headline price isn't always the cheaper total cost — renewal pricing, per-user fees, and overage charges can shift the math. Use the plan-by-plan tables below to model your actual spend.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | | |
|---|---|---|
| local files | Markdown files in local folders | — |
| plugins | 1600+ community plugins | — |
| themes | Unlimited | — |
| graph view | Yes | Yes |
| canvas | Yes | — |
| backlinks | Yes | — |
| e2e encryption | Sync | — |
| version history | Sync | — |
| publish to web | Publish | — |
| offline first | Yes | — |
| privacy | No data sent to vendor | — |
| bidirectional links | — | Yes |
| block references | — | Yes |
| outliner ui | — | Yes |
| daily notes | — | Yes |
| search | — | Yes |
| sparql queries | — | Yes |
| collaboration | — | Limited |
| mobile apps | — | Web + PWA |
| export | — | Markdown, JSON, EDN |
Affiliate links — you pay the same price
Dive Deeper
Roam Research
About the note-taking apps category
Note-taking app pricing in 2026 has split between 'workspace tools' (Notion, Obsidian) and 'classic note-takers' (Evernote, Bear). Notion Plus at $8/user/mo annual is the most popular — it's a notes app, a database, a wiki, and a project manager in one. Obsidian's model is radical: the core app is free forever and unlimited, you only pay for Sync ($4/mo annual) or Publish ($8/mo annual). Evernote charges $10.83/mo annual for Starter — 36% more than Notion Plus with fewer features. The category question: workspace tool or notes archive? That determines which pricing model makes sense.
How to choose between note-taking apps options
Decide your mental model first. If you want a structured workspace (databases, wikis, project management + notes): Notion is the only real answer. If you want a note archive that preserves your writing in local files forever: Obsidian. If you want a classic journaling-style note app: Evernote or Bear. For Roam Research (networked thought with [[backlinks]]): the product is powerful but expensive ($15/mo) and has been overtaken by cheaper alternatives (Obsidian with the backlinks plugin is functionally equivalent). Second: data ownership. Notion, Evernote, Roam all store your data in their cloud — if they shut down, migration is non-trivial. Obsidian stores everything in local Markdown files — true data ownership. Third: team collaboration needs. Notion wins cleanly on multi-user; Obsidian requires the $4/mo Sync add-on and isn't designed for team workflows.
Building Your Business Stack?
Decision-makers comparing tools often need more than one category. Here are related comparisons:
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Obsidian cheaper than Roam Research?
- Obsidian is cheaper starting at $5/mo. Obsidian starts at $5/mo and Roam Research at $15/mo.
- Does Obsidian or Roam Research offer a free plan?
- Obsidian offers a free plan.
- Which is better, Obsidian or Roam Research?
- Obsidian scores 9.3/10 compared to Roam Research's 6.8/10 in our analysis. Obsidian ranks higher on features and value, but Roam Research may suit specific use cases — see the feature comparison above.
- Is Obsidian cheaper than Roam Research for a team of 5?
- For a team of 5, Obsidian costs $5/mo (flat rate) and Roam Research costs $15/mo (flat rate). Obsidian is the cheaper option at this team size.
- Are there other note-taking apps alternatives besides Obsidian and Roam Research?
- Yes. Our [Note-Taking Apps pricing comparison](/pricing/note-taking/) page covers all major providers with daily-verified prices. You can also see the [cheapest note-taking apps](/pricing/note-taking/cheapest/) for budget-focused options.