Choose Obsidian when
- You want your notes as files you own, at no cost.
- You write documents as well as notes.
- You want a large plugin ecosystem.
- You need dependable offline use.
Comparison
Obsidian vs Roam Research
The short answer
Obsidian or Roam Research?
Roam Research popularized networked note-taking: bidirectional links, block references, and daily notes as the place everything starts. Obsidian took the same ideas to plain Markdown files on your own device, made the app free, and grew a much larger plugin community.
For most people starting today, Obsidian is the default choice: local files, no subscription, and room to grow. Roam still has a real case if you think in outlines and want block references to be effortless rather than merely possible, because that is the part of the experience Roam does best. The decision is mostly outliner versus document editor, and then whether the subscription is worth it to you.
Side by side
Obsidian vs Roam Research at a Glance
| Aspect | Obsidian | Roam Research |
|---|---|---|
| Where notes live | Local Markdown files | Roam's cloud by default; local-only graphs are also offered |
| Unit of thought | The page | The block: every bullet in an outline |
| Block references | Supported, but secondary to page links | Central to the product, with embeds and queries |
| Cost model | Free app; optional paid Sync and Publish | Paid subscription |
| Offline | Complete | Designed around an online graph; offline use is more limited |
| Extensions | A very large plugin and theme library | Extensions through Roam Depot and custom scripts |
| Export | Nothing to export: the files are the notes | Markdown, JSON, and EDN |
| Long-form writing | Comfortable | Possible, but everything is a bullet |
Beyond the table
What Actually Separates Them
Roam made the habit, Obsidian made it portable
The practices people associate with networked notes, linking everything, writing in daily notes, letting backlinks build structure, reached most users through Roam. Obsidian's contribution was putting those practices on plain files, so the method stopped depending on one company's servers. If you learned the habit in Roam, it carries over almost intact.
Outliner versus document
Roam treats every line as a block you can reference anywhere. Obsidian treats a note as a document with headings and paragraphs. Block references exist in Obsidian, but they take a deliberate step, where in Roam they are how you work. If your notes read like outlines, Roam will feel more natural; if they read like prose, Obsidian will.
Price and permanence
Roam is a subscription, and stopping means exporting. Obsidian is free and your notes are already files, so there is nothing to export if you leave. For an archive you expect to keep for a decade, that difference in permanence tends to matter more than any single feature.
Which one for you
Who Should Choose Which
Choose Roam Research when
- You think in outlines and nested bullets.
- You rely on block references and embeds every day.
- Daily notes are the centre of how you work.
- You are already fluent in Roam and it is paying its way.
A third option
If Neither Quite Fits
Obsidian and Roam are both tools for people who like building a web of notes by hand. The linking is the method, and for many users it is also where the method stops, usually a few weeks in.
If you like what a connected library gives you and not the work of connecting it, the links can be made for you.
Mindly is a second brain app for Mac built on that idea. One shortcut captures notes, links, files, PDFs, and voice. AI tags, summarizes, and connects each item as it arrives, and the library is stored on your Mac. It runs on macOS only and it is not a team workspace, so if Obsidian or Roam Research matches how you work, use it.
Mindly vs Obsidian
Markdown purists, plugin tinkerers, and graph-view lovers: here is the side-by-side you would not get on an Obsidian forum thread.
Mindly vs Roam Research
Networked thought versus networked stuff. When the graph is the point of the system, and when it quietly gets in the way of using it.
Common questions
Obsidian vs Roam Research, Answered
Is Roam Research still worth it?
For committed outliner users who depend on block references, it can be. For most people starting fresh, Obsidian or Logseq offer similar ideas with local files and no required subscription, which is why they have become the more common choice.
Can I move from Roam Research to Obsidian?
Yes. Export your graph from Roam as Markdown and open the folder in Obsidian. Page links carry over. Block references and embeds do not translate cleanly and usually need a community conversion tool or manual cleanup.
Does Obsidian have block references?
Yes. You can link to or embed a specific block in Obsidian. It is less fluid than in Roam, where every bullet is addressable by default, but it covers most needs.
Which is better for Zettelkasten, Obsidian or Roam?
Both work. Obsidian suits a Zettelkasten of separate atomic notes kept as individual files. Roam suits a looser version built from daily notes and block references. The method depends on the habit far more than on the tool.
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Notes That Organize Themselves
Mindly captures anything with one shortcut and does the organizing for you, in a library that stays on your Mac.
Free to start. macOS 14.0+. No credit card required.