Obsidian: What Reddit Actually Says in 2026

Obsidian built a community around a simple premise: your notes should belong to you. Every note is a plain markdown file on your device. No proprietary format, no cloud lock-in, no subscription required to access your own data. Obsidian is free for personal use, forever, with all core features included.

r/ObsidianMD became one of the largest note-taking communities on Reddit because of this. Users share vault setups, plugin combinations, and workflows in extreme detail. The community trend from 2024-2026 is increasing focus on AI plugins that bring LLM capabilities into Obsidian while keeping your data local.

The most upvoted posts on r/ObsidianMD are not tool announcements. They are workflow posts: how someone structures their research vault, how they use Dataview to build a personal dashboard, how they run a second brain system. This signals a community of serious, long-term users rather than people trying the latest app.

Reddit's 2025 plugin stack recommendations (from r/ObsidianMD top posts and comments):

Dataview - turn your vault into a queryable database. Automatically generate lists of notes by tag, date, or property. The single most recommended plugin on the subreddit.

Templater - create templates with dynamic variables, dates, and scripts. Reddit recommends this over the built-in Templates plugin for anyone who makes the same note structure repeatedly.

Tasks - full task management inside Obsidian with due dates, recurring tasks, and filters. Popular for users who want a single tool for notes and todos.

Excalidraw - infinite canvas drawing inside notes. Popular for visual thinkers and diagram makers.

Advanced New File and Calendar are quality-of-life plugins that come up in almost every "what plugins do you use" thread.

For AI specifically, the 2025 Reddit consensus on AI plugins: Smart Composer (fastest, uses free Llama 3.2) for writing assistance, Smart Connections (best semantic search and embeddings) for finding related notes, Copilot (vault-wide RAG chat) for asking questions across your entire note library.

This is the most common comparison thread on r/ObsidianMD, and the verdict is fairly consistent.

Obsidian wins for: solo knowledge work, privacy, offline use, power users, long-term note archiving, and anyone who wants notes that will still be readable in 20 years. The plain text format is considered a major advantage. A common r/ObsidianMD comment: "In 10 years Obsidian will still open every note you wrote today. Can you say the same about Notion?"

Notion wins for: team collaboration, shared wikis, project management with databases, and users who need a polished tool with minimal setup time. Reddit does not say Notion is bad. It says Notion is optimized for different use cases.

The core Reddit criticism of Notion: it encourages spending time on structure rather than actually writing. Multiple r/ObsidianMD threads describe "productivity porn" where users build elaborate Notion setups and feel productive without doing real work. Obsidian's blank slate approach forces you to start writing.

For most users asking "should I use Obsidian or Notion," Reddit asks back: do you work alone or with a team? Solo? Obsidian. Team? Notion.

Logseq comes up less often than Notion but is the preferred alternative for users who specifically want daily journaling and quick capture.

Reddit's breakdown: Logseq is faster for getting thoughts down quickly in a daily note format. Obsidian is better for building a structured, interconnected knowledge base over time. Logseq's block-based outlining means everything is broken into smaller pieces that link together. Obsidian's document-based approach means notes are more readable as standalone pieces.

The common r/ObsidianMD advice: if you want to just open the app and type, start with Logseq. If you want to build a system that grows with you for years, invest in Obsidian's learning curve. Several power users describe using both: Logseq for daily capture, Obsidian for long-form notes and reference material.

Sync is one of the most discussed topics on r/ObsidianMD because it is not included in the free tier.

Obsidian Sync costs $4/user/month (annual) and is end-to-end encrypted. Reddit calls it the most reliable option. The alternatives Reddit discusses: Git sync (free but technical, preferred by developers), iCloud (free for Apple users, occasionally buggy), and third-party sync via Syncthing (free, more setup required).

Mobile is where Obsidian gets its most consistent criticism on Reddit. The iOS and Android apps work but feel less polished than the desktop version. Image handling on mobile is frequently mentioned as the number one frustration. Several users say mobile is "functional enough" but not a joy to use. If mobile is your primary use case, Reddit often suggests Notion as a better fit.

The learning curve complaint is real but has a consistent Reddit response: do not start by migrating all your old notes, do not install 20 plugins on day one, and do not build complex templates before you have written anything. The top advice from r/ObsidianMD for new users is to start a blank vault and use it for two weeks with zero plugins.

Obsidian core is completely free for personal use. All core features, all plugins, all updates, no subscription. This is the most important fact that surprises new users.

Obsidian Sync costs $4/user/month billed annually ($5/month monthly). This adds cross-device sync with end-to-end encryption and version history. Reddit considers this fair for what it provides.

Obsidian Publish costs $8/site/month (annual). This lets you publish a website from your vault. Reddit uses this for digital gardens and personal wikis but considers it a niche feature.

Commercial license costs $50/user/year. Required if you use Obsidian for paid work. Reddit notes most solo freelancers and employees who use it personally do not need this.

The common r/ObsidianMD summary: "Obsidian is free. Sync costs $4/month if you need it. Everything else is optional."