Side-by-side comparison · Productivity & Notes

Obsidian vs Todoist

Everything that matters when choosing between them, in one place: our rating, what each can do, what they cost, and the trade-offs.

Obsidian

4.2

From $4/user/mo

Details Visit

Best overall

Todoist

4.3

From $7/mo

Details Visit

Comparing 2 tools. Add one more if you like.

At a glance

Obsidian4.2

Best value

Pick it if: People who want private notes they own, and Claude Code users who want a knowledge base Claude can read and write.

Todoist4.3

Best overallEasiest to use

Pick it if: Anyone who wants a dependable task list that is fast to use and stays out of the way.

Todoist scores highest overall, but Obsidian gives you more for your money. Which one is right comes down to what you value most.

Overview

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
In one line	Free, private notes app that saves plain files on your computer, so Claude can read them.	A simple to-do list that works everywhere and understands due dates like 'every Monday'.
Pricing model	Freemium	Freemium
Starting price	$4/user/mo	$7/mo
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Works with Claude Code	Yes	Yes

Rating breakdown

Our scores out of 5. The higher bar in each row is highlighted.

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
Overall rating	4.2	4.3Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.	3.0	5.0
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.	4.5	4.0
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.	4.0	3.5
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.	5.0	4.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.	4.5	4.5

Feature comparison

A tick means it does this today. A dash means we haven't checked.

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
Access & platform
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Mobile app	Yes	Yes
Desktop app	Yes	Yes
Browser extension	Yes	Yes
API access	Yes	Yes
Teams & business
Team workspace	No	Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO	Yes	No
Connects to other apps	Yes	Yes
Open source or self-hosted	–	No
AI abilities
Works with your files	Yes	Yes
Understands images	–	No
Makes images	No	No
Makes video	No	No
Writes code	No	No
Runs agents or automations	No	No
Learns your brand or style	–	No
Works in many languages	Yes	Yes
Capabilities score	9/ 17	9/ 17

Pricing

Plans as listed on each vendor's site when we last checked. Confirm before you buy.

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
Plans	ObsidianOur pick Free Everyone, including work use.	Beginner Free Anyone with a simple list.
	Sync $4/user/mo billed yearly ($5 monthly) Keeping notes the same on phone and computer.	ProOur pick $7/mo, or $5/mo billed yearly Anyone who wants more projects and the calendar view.
	Publish $8/site/mo billed yearly ($10 monthly) Turning notes into a public website or wiki.	Business $10/user/mo, or $8/user/mo billed yearly Small teams sharing a workspace.
	Commercial licence $50/user/yr (optional) Businesses that want to support development.
Which plan to pick	Use the free app. Add Sync if you want your notes on your phone and computer without setting up your own sync. A commercial licence is optional, even for business use.	Beginner is fine until you hit the five-project wall. Pro on the yearly plan is the obvious move after that. Business is for teams who want a shared space; it is not a substitute for a real project tool.

Key features

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
Standout features	Plain files you own Linked notes and graph Community plugins Canvas Web Clipper Sync and Publish	Type it how you'd say it Projects, labels and filters Everywhere Calendar layout Shared projects Claude connection

Pros and cons

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
Pros	Free for everyone, including businesses Your notes are private files you fully own Works with Claude Code with no connector Huge plugin library Fast and works offline	Fastest task capture of anything here Works on every device you own and syncs instantly Cheap, with a free plan that covers a lot Dates and repeats typed the way you'd say them just work Official Claude connection
Cons	No built-in AI, so you rely on community plugins AI plugins usually need a paid API key Takes time to set up and learn Weak real-time team collaboration Syncing between devices costs extra unless you set it up yourself	Not a project management tool: no timelines, dependencies or dashboards Prices went up at the end of 2025 Business plan lacks single sign-on The AI features are light compared with the rest of the category

Who each one is for

Attribute	Obsidian	Todoist
Best for	A private second brain you fully own A notes folder Claude Code can read and write Linking ideas, research and meeting notes Writers and researchers who think in notes	Personal task management Recurring reminders Quick capture from any device Tasks Claude can add for you
You'll find it used by	Writers Researchers Founders Developers Students	Solo founders Freelancers Managers Students Small teams

Questions people ask

Which is better, Obsidian or Todoist?

Todoist scores highest overall in our ratings (Obsidian 4.2/5 and Todoist 4.3/5). Obsidian is best for A private second brain you fully own and A notes folder Claude Code can read and write. Todoist is best for personal task management and recurring reminders.

Which is cheaper, Obsidian or Todoist?

Obsidian: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $4/user/mo. Todoist: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $7/mo.

Which is easier to use, Obsidian or Todoist?

Todoist rates highest for ease of use in our scores. Anyone who wants a dependable task list that is fast to use and stays out of the way.

Ratings are our own, from using each tool, across ease of use, features, output quality, value for money, speed & reliability.

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