Obsidian, with its local-first approach, graph view, canvas, and Markdown support, initially seemed like the perfect note-taking haven. But as I started integrating it into my workflow, those shiny add-ons started losing their luster. From its basic mobile apps and a lack of toolbar to limited project management features, Obsidian left me wanting more. And while its plugin ecosystem is vast, relying on them for core functionality felt fragile. Here are the top reasons why I have started looking for Obsidian alternatives.

7 Lacks a dedicated toolbar

Unnecessary focus on Markdown only

Obsidian has fully embraced Markdown and opted for a distraction-free writing environment. Now, while Markdown is future-proof, powerful, and efficient, it’s not ideal for everyone. After having used OneNote for years, I’m used to having a dedicated toolbar to format my notes like a pro.

First, you'd need to remember the Markdown syntax (for example, **bold**, #heading). This constant switching between writing and remembering syntax can disrupt the flow, especially for beginners like me. In contrast, alternatives like Joplin and Standard Notes are flexible and offer a dedicated toolbar along with markdown support.

This hybrid approach caters to a wider range of users and offers a convenient and accessible setup for Markdown newbies.

6 Limited project management features

Give me those Kanban boards, please

Project management is a key part of my workflow. While I wasn’t expecting robust project management features like Airtable, Jira, or Asana, I wanted basic Kanban boards in Obsidian to manage small projects without breaking a sweat.

After all, Obsidian, at its core, is designed for knowledge management and note-taking. It only offers basic checklists and manual linking within notes, which is not ideal for personal projects. And although I can create tasks, there is no way to assign due dates, prioritize, and track project progress. The collaboration features are also limited.

5 Misses out on advanced tables

Offers back tables only

A PKM tool is simply incomplete with powerful databases. While Obsidian allows you to create basic tables (that is also complex due to Markdown and a lack of toolbar), it misses out on the advanced features that can truly transform your notes into powerful databases.

Besides, Obsidian tables primarily support text-based columns only. There is no way to add dates, checkboxes, dropdowns, or formulas directly to cells. This restricts the kind of information I can organize in my Obsidian vaults.

4 Not ideal for quick notes

Fails to capture those instant thoughts

There is no doubt that Obsidian is a great tool for establishing note connections. However, it’s not optimized for quick notes, something that’s an essential part of any note-taking system. In contrast, OneNote has Sticky Notes integration, Evernote offers Scratch Pad, and even Apple Notes has quick notes to catch those quick thoughts.

With Obsidian, I typically have to open the app, create a new note, and organize it into a relevant folder. This multi-step process is cumbersome for capturing fleeting ideas. And with large vaults, Obsidian often takes its sweet time to load. This delay, while seemingly minor, can be enough to disrupt the flow of quick capture.

3 Limited aesthetic appeal

My notes look bland

Obsidian focuses on a clean and minimalistic aesthetic, which can sometimes feel a bit too stark. The lack of visual customization options makes my notes look bland. Unlike Notion, which allows you to add eye-catching banner images to your pages, Obsidian offers no built-in feature for this.

Obsidian sticks to a plain white background with limited theme options. This can make your notes feel uninspiring. I hope Obsidian takes some clues from Craft, which offers some of the mesmerizing background for notes.

2 Basic mobile apps

Lacks widgets

Obsidian has done a splendid job in bringing its core functionality to mobile. However, it still misses out on essentials like home screen widgets, voice assistant integration, and lock screen widgets. Imagine using voice commands to create new notes, open specific files, or even trigger complex workflows within Obsidian.

1 Too much emphasis on plugins

A double-edged sword

Obsidian has a robust fan following. These passionate users have created a growing ecosystem of plugins to supercharge your Obsidian vaults. While it offers incredible extensibility, such solutions from third-party plugins introduce potential instability.

Some of the features that should have been a part of Obsidian from day one are locked behind third-party plugins. These plugins can break due to updates to Obsidian itself or changes in their own code. While many Obsidian plugins are well-maintained, you're ultimately placing your trust in third-party developers. There's always a risk that a plugin might be abandoned, become malicious, or stop working with the latest Obsidian version.

Confessions of an Obsidian refugee

My decision to move away from Obsidian wasn’t an easy one, but ultimately, it was a necessary one. While Obsidian surely excels in certain areas, its limitations in fundamental features like ease of use, project management, and mobile apps became roadblocks in my workflow.

If you are in a similar boat and want to move on from Obsidian, there is no shortage of alternatives out there. See our comparison of Obsidian to Notion, Evernote, and OneNote and make a decision accordingly.