What AI says about Obsidian
Data as of Oct 22, 2026Based on 39,707 AI responses
Reviewed by Dimitry Apollonsky
AI summary
Obsidian is a private, local-first note-taking application that stores notes as plain Markdown files on the user's device and links ideas through bidirectional connections and visual graph views. It is among the brands most often named when users look for personal knowledge management systems, Markdown tools that avoid proprietary databases, or plain text note-taking apps.
Mentioned in
3%
of AI answers about Obsidian and its rivals · since Jul 5
The market map
Note-Taking Apps & WikisMentioned in
- 1ObsidianMentioned in 73%Avg. position 3.1
- 2JoplinMentioned in 38%Avg. position 4.8
- 2NotionMentioned in 35%Avg. position 3.6
- 2LogseqMentioned in 34%Avg. position 3.6
- 5Microsoft OneNoteMentioned in 26%Avg. position 3.3
- 6Google KeepMentioned in 16%Avg. position 5.2
- 6Apple NotesMentioned in 14%Avg. position 4.5
- 6ZettlrMentioned in 13%Avg. position 4.8
- 9HedgeDocMentioned in 10%Avg. position 2.3
- 9GollumMentioned in 9%Avg. position 2.9
- 9EvernoteMentioned in 8%Avg. position 6.6
- 9GoodnotesMentioned in 8%Avg. position 6.6
- 15LeafWikiMentioned in 7%Avg. position 3.6
- 15HackMDMentioned in 5%Avg. position 3.5
Where Obsidian ranks in AI
MarketRank · Mentioned in
- Note-Taking Apps & Wikis#1 · 73%
- Journals and Journaling Apps#5 · 17%
- To-Do List Apps#13 · 6%
- Creative Media Production Software#13 · 2%
- AI Meeting Assistant & Transcription Tools#14 · 6%
- Collaborative Diagramming and Journey Mapping Software#14 · 8%
- Productivity and Time Management Programs#14
- Writing Instruments and Stationery#16 · 2%
- Grammar and Writing Checker Tools#21 · 1%
- Digital Productivity Devices and Platforms#26 · 2%
- Writing, Editing & Plagiarism Software#32 · 1%
- User Research Repository Software#42 · 1%
Topics where AI mentions Obsidian
TopicMentioned in · on this topicRank
- Markdown note-taking app with bi-directional linkingNote-Taking Apps & Wikis100%Rank #1
- Personal knowledge management systemNote-Taking Apps & Wikis100%Rank #1
- Plain-text Markdown note appsNote-Taking Apps & Wikis99%Rank #1
- Mentioned in
- I need a note-taking app that uses plain text files and does not lock my data into a proprietary format.on this question96%
Excerpts where Obsidian appeared in the AI's answer
Google AI ModeSep 28, 2026, Google AI Mode Obsidian uses local folder structures with standard Markdown (.md) files, meaning your notes remain completely yours on your hard drive without proprietary lock-in.
ChatGPT SearchSep 20, 2026, ChatGPT Search Obsidian — stores notes as ordinary Markdown (.md) files in a folder you control, making them easy to back up, edit elsewhere, or migrate.
- Collaborative markdown document editorNote-Taking Apps & Wikis30%Rank #3
- Offline subscription-free to-do appTo-Do List Apps23%Rank #3
- Privacy-focused accountless to-do appTo-Do List Apps17%Rank #3
- Visual mind mappingCollaborative Diagramming and Journey Mapping Software46%Rank #4
- Simple personal and team task managementProject Management Software7%Rank #7
- Mentioned in
- I need a note-taking app that supports bi-directional linking and Markdown.on this question100%
Excerpts where Obsidian appeared in the AI's answer
Google AI ModeOct 15, 2026, Google AI Mode Obsidian : Best for long-form writing, traditional file/folder structures, and deep customization.
Google AI ModeSep 23, 2026, Google AI Mode Obsidian — A powerhouse local-first app built on a folder of plain-text Markdown files.
- Which journaling apps are best suited for users who require offline-first functionality and local storage for their personal data?on this question100%
Excerpts where Obsidian appeared in the AI's answer
ChatGPT SearchOct 7, 2026, ChatGPT Search The strongest choices are Obsidian, Joplin, Diarium, Plume, and Standard Notes
Google AI ModeSep 28, 2026, Google AI Mode Obsidian stores your journal entries as a collection of plain-text Markdown files inside a folder (a "vault") directly on your local hard drive or device storage.
- I'm looking for a note-taking app that supports code blocks, markdown, and syncs flawlessly across all devices.on this question100%
Excerpts where Obsidian appeared in the AI's answer
ChatGPT SearchSep 30, 2026, ChatGPT Search For a developer-heavy workflow, I'd start with Obsidian + Obsidian Sync.
ChatGPT SearchSep 25, 2026, ChatGPT Search Obsidian stores notes as ordinary Markdown files, supports code blocks naturally, and has first-party Obsidian Sync
- I want to build a "second brain" to organize my thoughts and ideas. What's a simple tool for that?on this question100%
Excerpts where Obsidian appeared in the AI's answer
ChatGPT SearchOct 15, 2026, ChatGPT Search My top recommendation is Obsidian if you want to connect ideas over time
ChatGPT SearchSep 18, 2026, ChatGPT Search If you want something simple that can grow into a real “second brain,” I’d start with Obsidian.
How AI describes Obsidian
Common descriptions
local-first · excellent · powerful · highly customizable · markdown-based · local markdown files
Tone of AI’s statements about Obsidian
- Positive63%
- Neutral32%
- Mixed3%
- Negative1%
Question: I need a to-do list app that is privacy-focused and does not require an account to use.
Google AI ModeOct 19, 2026
Obsidian – A powerful, local-first markdown note-taking application that doubles as an incredible task manager.
Google AI ModeSep 18, 2026
Obsidian (with Daily Notes / Tasks Plugin) — The Power-User Local Vault
Google AI ModeAsk Google AI Mode yourself (opens in a new tab)ChatGPT SearchAsk ChatGPT yourself (opens in a new tab)
Question: I want to build a "second brain" to organize my thoughts and ideas. What's a simple tool for that?
ChatGPT SearchOct 15, 2026
My top recommendation is Obsidian if you want to connect ideas over time
ChatGPT SearchAsk ChatGPT yourself (opens in a new tab)Google AI ModeAsk Google AI Mode yourself (opens in a new tab)
Where AI mentions Obsidian
Position in answers
- Named first30%
- 2nd or 3rd20%
- Later49%
Each engine’s share of its own answers across Obsidian’s markets · since Jul 5
- ChatGPT Search3%
- Google AI Mode4%
Insights for Obsidian
Since Jul 5
Gap between platforms: Google AI Mode names Obsidian 7 points more often than ChatGPT Search in Note-Taking Apps & Wikis
Google AI ModeGoogle AI Mode37%ChatGPT SearchChatGPT Search30%
Sources AI cites
obsidian.md 13%Other sites 87%
- Owned13%
- Obsidian - Sharpen your thinking · 7% (opens in a new tab)
- Sync your notes across devices - Obsidian Help · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- How Obsidian stores data - Obsidian Help · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- About Obsidian · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- Internal links - Obsidian Help · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Create your first note - Obsidian Help · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Backlinks - Obsidian Help · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Sync your notes across devices - Obsidian Help · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Import notes · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Obsidian Sync · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 11%
- What do you use to create mind maps? : r/software - Reddit · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best Note-Taking App for Students, Professionals, and Daily Life: Notion, Evernote, Google Keep, or Microsoft OneNote? · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Mind-Map style software? · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Note-taking app for programmers/tech people? : r/learnprogramming · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Reddit - Prove your humanity · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- reddit.com · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Any good prompt management & versioning tools out there, that integrate nicely? · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Are there any note apps that actually work without internet? · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Suggest me a good note taking app that is platform agnostic, supports handwriting, offline available and has good sync. I'm not averse to paying but I'd rather prefer buying it once then subscribe for it. · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Obsidian vs. Daily Journaling App · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 6%
- I Tried Every Notes App and This One Won · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- 15 Best Note-Taking Apps for 2025 (That Aren't Notion or ... · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- THIS is the BEST Note-Taking App 2026 · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- I Found The Best Note Taking App (And Why It Doesn't ... · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- I Tested 20 Note-Taking Apps So You Don't Have To (These are the BEST) · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Efficient Markdown Collaboration (HackMD, Obsidian ... · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best Journaling Apps on Android — 5 That Actually Work (2026) · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Create Your Own Knowledge Graph in Minutes with LLM - YouTube · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Obsidian vs Logseq: Choosing Your 2026 Database Strategy · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Notable Review: Markdown Note-Taking App · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 4%
- I Tried Every Note-Taking App — Here’s What I Actually Use - Medium · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- What is Obsidian?The free and flexible app for your private thoughts. · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Medium · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- I Asked 5 AI Models to Find the Best Second Brain App. Here's ... · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Claude Code’s Next Frontier: Not Code, But Your Local Obsidian Knowledge Base · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 9 of the Best Note-Taking Apps for Building a Second Brain | by Matthew Ritchie | Medium · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Why I Use Markdown, and Why You Should Too · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Medium · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Medium · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Medium · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 3%
- The 7 Best Note Taking Apps in 2026 | Zapier · 2% (opens in a new tab)
- The 10 best note-taking apps for iPad | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The best note-taking apps for Windows | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 7 best note taking apps in 2026 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 4 Best AI Notes Apps in 2026 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 5 best journal apps in 2026 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 5 best note taking apps for Mac in 2026 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 6 best note taking apps in 2025 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 9 best Notion alternatives in 2026 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 7 best to do list apps of 2026 | Zapier · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 2%
- Best Cross-Platform Note-Taking Apps (2026): 8 Compared · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- 8 Best Connected Notes Apps (2026): Linked Note-Taking · 1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best Note-Taking Apps (2026): Definitive Guide by Use Case · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best App for Journaling (2026): 9 Apps Compared · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best Note-Taking Apps 2025: 9 Apps Ranked After a Year · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best Stylus Note-Taking Apps (2026): iPad, S Pen, Surface · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 7 Best Second Brain Apps (2026): Cognitive-Load Tested - Atlas · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Google Keep Alternatives (2026): 8 Best Note Apps Compared · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- OneNote Alternatives 2026: 8 Best Note-Taking Apps Compared - Atlas · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 2%
- The 12 Best Note-Taking Apps in 2026 (We Tested Them All) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 10 Best AI Second Brain Apps in 2026 (Tested and Ranked) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 12 Best AI Note Taking Apps in 2026 (Tested for Real Knowledge Work) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 12 Best Knowledge Management Tools in 2026 (Tested) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 11 Best Mind Mapping Software Tools for Creative Projects ... · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Best Notion Alternatives for Visual Thinkers in 2026 · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 12 Best Apple Notes Alternatives in 2026 (Tested) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 11 Best Mind Mapping Apps for Visual Thinkers (2026) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 12 Best OneNote Alternatives in 2026 (Tested and Ranked) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- The 12 Best Productivity Apps in 2026 (Ranked and Tested) | Storyflow · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- 2%
- Semantic Linker - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Semantic Auto-Linker - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Link Link - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- AI Editor - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Auto Linker - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- belki - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Fluent Tasks - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Local GPT - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Another Quick Switcher - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
- Tasks - Obsidian Plugin · <1% (opens in a new tab)
The page AI cites most for Obsidian
