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Granola vs Obsidian
Short answer: Pick Granola if you want AI-enhanced meeting notes without a bot; pick Obsidian if you want local-first markdown knowledge base. Granola has a free plan, paid from $14/month per user; Obsidian has a free plan.
Which to pick
Pick Granola if you want…
- AI-enhanced meeting notes without a bot
- Integrations with Zoom, Google Meet or Notion (on Granola's list, not Obsidian's)
Pick Obsidian if you want…
- Local-first markdown knowledge base
- Local markdown notes
- Integrations with Markdown, Obsidian Sync or Obsidian Publish (on Obsidian's list, not Granola's)
Side by side
- What it is
- Granola:Granola is an AI-powered notepad that records, transcribes, and summarizes meetings without joining as a bot.
- Obsidian:Obsidian is a free, local-first Markdown note-taking app that lets you build a personal knowledge base.
- Best for
- Granola:AI-enhanced meeting notes without a bot
- Obsidian:Local-first markdown knowledge base
- Who it’s for
- Granola:Professionals and teams who attend frequent virtual or in-person meetings.
- Obsidian:Individuals and teams who want private, offline-first note taking and knowledge management.
- Pricing
- Granola:Freemium
- Obsidian:Freemium
- Starting price
- Granola:$14/month per user (Business)
- Obsidian:—
- Free plan or trial
- Granola:Free plan (Basic)
- Obsidian:—
- Plans
- Granola:Basic $0 per user per month · Business $14 per user per month · Enterprise $35 per user per month
- Obsidian:Sync $4USD per user, per month, billed an · Sync $5USD per user, per month, billed mo · Publish $8USD per site, per month, billed an · Publish $10USD per site, per month, billed mo · Catalyst $25USD one-time
- Works with
- Granola:Zoom, Google Meet, Notion, Zapier, HubSpot, Attio, Slack, API
- Obsidian:Markdown, Obsidian Sync, Obsidian Publish
Granola features
- Bot-free audio capture. Transcribes meetings using device audio while you stay present.
- Cross-platform apps. Available on macOS, Windows, iOS, Android, and Apple Watch.
- Calendar sync & briefs. Integrates with your calendar to auto-generate pre-meeting briefs.
- Private by default. Notes are private, searchable and shareable on demand.
- Post-meeting actions. Generates action items, follow-up emails and project plans instantly.
- Integrations & API. Connects to Notion, Zapier, HubSpot, Attio, Slack and offers API access.
Obsidian features
- Local Markdown files. Notes are stored as plain-text Markdown files on your device, giving you full ownership.
- Bidirectional linking. Create links between notes to build a personal wiki and see connections in a graph view.
- Canvas workspace. An infinite canvas for brainstorming, diagramming and visual research.
- Extensible plugins. Thousands of community plugins and an open API let you customize the app to fit any workflow.
- Obsidian Sync. End-to-end encrypted sync across devices with version history and selective file sync.
- Obsidian Publish. Turn a vault into a fast, SEO-friendly public website or digital garden with custom themes.
- Collaboration. Shared vaults let multiple users edit notes together while keeping data private.
Granola vs Obsidian FAQ
What is the difference between Granola and Obsidian?+
Obsidian stores local markdown notes and lacks AI summarization or meeting integration.
Should I use Granola or Obsidian?+
Pick Granola if you want AI-enhanced meeting notes without a bot or integrations with Zoom, Google Meet or Notion (on Granola's list, not Obsidian's). Pick Obsidian if you want local-first markdown knowledge base, local markdown notes or integrations with Markdown, Obsidian Sync or Obsidian Publish (on Obsidian's list, not Granola's).
Is Granola or Obsidian free?+
Granola has a free plan (Basic); paid plans start at $14/month per user (Business). Obsidian has a free plan and paid plans.
Do Granola and Obsidian integrate with the same tools?+
Their integration lists don't overlap: Granola lists Zoom, Google Meet, Notion, Zapier and 4 more; Obsidian lists Markdown, Obsidian Sync and Obsidian Publish.
On DevHunt
Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.