Joplin vs Obsidian: which should you use on Windows?
Both apps keep your notes on your own PC and work offline. Joplin organises notes in notebooks, much like Evernote, while Obsidian is built around linking notes together.
Short answer
Coming from Evernote, or need free encrypted sync, choose Joplin. Building a personal knowledge base with links between ideas, choose Obsidian. Both use Markdown, so moving later is possible.
Side by side
| Joplin | Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| Made by | Laurent Cozic | Dynalist Inc. |
| Licence | Free | Free |
| Latest version we list | 3.7.22 | 1.15.0 |
| Last updated | 29 Oct 2026 | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Download size | — | — |
| Windows versions | Windows 11, Windows 10 | Windows 11, Windows 10 |
| Recommended for | Students, Writers & Authors, Lawyers & Legal | Students, Researchers & Data Analysts, Writers & Authors |
| Install with winget | Joplin.Joplin | Obsidian.Obsidian |
| Official site | joplinapp.org | obsidian.md |
Choose Joplin if
- You are leaving Evernote and want a similar layout
- You want end-to-end encrypted sync using your own cloud storage
- You want a fully open-source app
Choose Obsidian if
- You want links between notes and a graph of how they connect
- You want your notes as plain files in a folder you choose
- You want a large choice of community plugins
Strengths and weaknesses
Joplin
Pros
- Syncs with the service you choose
- End-to-end encryption
- Web clipper and plugins
Cons
- Markdown takes getting used to
Obsidian
Pros
- Notes stay on your PC
- Plain Markdown files
- Huge plugin library
Cons
- Sync is a paid add-on
- Not open source