Obsidian vs Roam Research: Which is Better?
The Verdict
All 2 tools are strong choices, but they win in different lanes. Roam Research takes the top spot overall thanks to its balance of quality, popularity and community trust. If budget matters, Obsidian is the best free pick. Use the table below to weigh the exact trade-offs for your use case.
Winners by category
Best Overall
Best Value
Best Free
Best for Enterprise
Best for Students
| Tool | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rating |
Obsidian
- Local-first — you own your files
- Massive plugin ecosystem
- Backlinks and graph view
- Free for personal use
- Sync costs extra
- Collaboration is limited
- Plugin overload can overwhelm