Notesnook Sync Server vs Obsidian
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted notes & knowledge base options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Obsidian
Local-first knowledge base on a folder of Markdown files
| Feature | Notesnook Sync Server | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Under-an-hour setup | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 78 · Good | 96 · Excellent |
| Category | Notes & Knowledge Base | Notes & Knowledge Base |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Proprietary |
| Language | C# | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | docker | binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 925 | ★ 21,797 |
| First released | 2023 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Evernote, OneNote | Evernote, Notion, OneNote |
What are Notesnook Sync Server and Obsidian?
Notesnook Sync Server
The Notesnook sync server is the self-hostable backend for the Notesnook end-to-end encrypted note-taking application. It allows users to keep their encrypted note data fully under their own control.
- Self-hosted sync backend
- End-to-end encryption
- Cross-platform clients
- Open-source server
Obsidian
Obsidian is a powerful personal knowledge base that works on a local folder of plain Markdown files. While the app is proprietary, your notes remain fully local and portable, and self-hosted sync is possible via plugins.
- Plain Markdown file storage
- Bidirectional links and graph view
- Large community plugin ecosystem
- Local-first and private
Notesnook Sync Server vs Obsidian: key differences
Notesnook Sync Server is written in C#, while Obsidian is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Notesnook Sync Server versus Proprietary for Obsidian. Obsidian is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for Notesnook Sync Server. Obsidian is the more established project (first released 2020), while Notesnook Sync Server arrived in 2023. Obsidian has the considerably larger community, at 21,797 GitHub stars versus 925. Notesnook Sync Server lists first-class Docker deployment; Obsidian does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Notesnook Sync Server if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Written in C#
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose Obsidian if…
- Notes stay portable and local
- Highly extensible
Watch out for
- Core app is closed source
- Official sync is a paid service
Frequently asked questions
Is Notesnook Sync Server or Obsidian better?
Obsidian is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Notesnook Sync Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Notesnook Sync Server and Obsidian free and open-source?
Yes. Notesnook Sync Server is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Obsidian under Proprietary. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Notesnook Sync Server and Obsidian with Docker?
Notesnook Sync Server: yes. Obsidian: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, Notesnook Sync Server or Obsidian?
Obsidian has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for Notesnook Sync Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.