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Side-by-side comparison · Productivity & Notes

Obsidian vs Todoist vs Wispr Flow

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

Todoist

4.3

From $7/mo

Best overall

Wispr Flow

4.4

From $15/mo

Comparing 3 tools, the maximum.

At a glance

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.

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

Best overall

Pick it if: Anyone who writes a lot during the day and is tired of typing it, including people who brief AI tools constantly.

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

Overview

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
In one lineFree, 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'.Talk instead of type, anywhere on your computer or phone, and get clean text back.
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemiumFreemium
Starting price$4/user/mo$7/mo$15/mo
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Works with Claude Code Yes Yes No

Rating breakdown

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

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
Overall rating4.24.34.4Winner
Ease of useHow quickly someone non-technical gets value from it.
3.0
5.0
5.0
FeaturesHow completely it covers its own job, and how well the pieces fit together.
4.5
4.0
4.5
Output qualityHow good the results are before you fix them.
4.0
3.5
4.5
Value for moneyWhat you get for the price, including the free plan.
5.0
4.5
3.5
Speed & reliabilityHow fast it is and how often it falls over.
4.5
4.5
4.5

Feature comparison

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

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
Access & platform
Free plan Yes Yes Yes
Mobile app Yes Yes Yes
Desktop app Yes Yes Yes
Browser extension Yes Yes No
API access Yes Yes No
Teams & business
Team workspace No Yes Yes
Enterprise plan or SSO Yes No Yes
Connects to other apps Yes Yes–
Open source or self-hosted– No No
AI abilities
Works with your files Yes Yes No
Understands images– No No
Makes images No No No
Makes video No No No
Writes code No No No
Runs agents or automations No No No
Learns your brand or style– No Yes
Works in many languages Yes Yes Yes
Capabilities score9/ 179/ 177/ 17

Pricing

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

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
Plans

ObsidianOur pick

Free

Everyone, including work use.

Beginner

Free

Anyone with a simple list.

Free

Free

Light users and trying it out.

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.

ProOur pick

$15/mo, or $12/mo billed yearly

Anyone who talks more than they type.

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.

Growth

$23/user/mo, or $18/user/mo billed yearly

Teams with security or compliance needs.

Commercial licence

$50/user/yr (optional)

Businesses that want to support development.

Enterprise

Custom

Large managed rollouts.

Which plan to pickUse 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.Free tells you within a day whether talking suits you. If you hit the weekly cap, which most people do fast, Pro on the yearly plan is the one. Growth is only about security paperwork.

Key features

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
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
  • Works in every app
  • Cleans up as it goes
  • Learns your words
  • Matches the app
  • Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android
  • Team workspace

Pros and cons

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
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
  • Output is clean enough to send without editing
  • Works the same in every app, including terminals and browsers
  • Much faster than typing for long prompts and emails
  • Learns your names and jargon
  • Good free plan to test the habit
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
  • Weekly word cap on Free is small
  • Accuracy drops in noisy rooms and open offices
  • Dictating out loud is awkward in shared spaces
  • Your speech is processed in the cloud, which some workplaces won't allow
  • Pro is pricey next to built-in dictation if you only use it occasionally

Who each one is for

AttributeObsidianTodoistWispr Flow
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
  • Dictating emails and messages
  • Long prompts for AI tools
  • Writing on your phone
  • Capturing thoughts fast
You'll find it used by
  • Writers
  • Researchers
  • Founders
  • Developers
  • Students
  • Solo founders
  • Freelancers
  • Managers
  • Students
  • Small teams
  • Founders
  • Writers
  • Developers
  • Sales teams
  • Anyone briefing AI

Questions people ask

Which is better, Obsidian, Todoist or Wispr Flow?

Wispr Flow scores highest overall in our ratings (Obsidian 4.2/5, Todoist 4.3/5 and Wispr Flow 4.4/5). 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. Wispr Flow is best for dictating emails and messages and long prompts for AI tools.

Which is cheaper, Obsidian, Todoist or Wispr Flow?

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. Wispr Flow: There's a free plan, and paid plans start at $15/mo.

How we compare

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

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