Quick comparison overview
| Category | Notion | Obsidian | OneNote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Collaborative docs, wikis, and databases | Personal PKM, research, and extensible workflows | Notebook-style capture in Microsoft 365 orgs |
| Data model | Blocks + pages + relational databases | Markdown files in folders (local-first) | Notebooks → sections → pages |
| Offline & sync | Good offline; cloud-first sync | Full offline; optional sync (paid add-on) | Solid offline; OneDrive/SharePoint sync |
| Collaboration | Excellent (permissions, comments, mentions) | Primarily single-user; community plugins enable more | Good in M365; shares via OneDrive/SharePoint |
| Extensibility | Templates, API, integrations | Rich plugin ecosystem, theming, scripts | Microsoft add-ins, Graph/Power Automate |
| AI features | Native AI for summaries, tasks, writing | Community plugins + local/LAN models support | Copilot features in Microsoft 365 |
| Governance | Workspace roles, SSO/SCIM, audit (business) | Local control; sync privacy model differs | Enterprise controls via Microsoft Purview |
Notion vs Obsidian vs OneNote: head‑to‑head analysis
Structure & data model
- Notion: A block-based editor with powerful databases (tables, boards, timelines) and relations. Ideal for wikis, SOPs, content calendars, and project trackers that blend docs + data.
- Obsidian: Plain-text Markdown files organized in folders, with bidirectional links, transclusions, and a graph view. Great for personal knowledge management (PKM), research, and long-term note durability.
- OneNote: A digital notebook paradigm: notebooks → sections → pages. Excellent for freeform capture, whiteboarding on pen devices, meeting notes, and tight Office integration.
Speed & performance
- Notion: Fast for most docs and databases; massive databases benefit from filtered views and property hygiene. Performance is solid on modern devices.
- Obsidian: Exceptionally quick—local files with instant search, even for large vaults. Performance depends on your device and plugin footprint.
- OneNote: Responsive in desktop apps; large embedded media can slow sync. Works well for typical knowledge-worker volumes.
Offline, sync, and portability
- Notion: Offline mode is good; sync is seamless via Notion’s cloud. Export options include HTML/Markdown/CSV, but complex databases require careful export planning.
- Obsidian: Fully offline by default; your notes are plain files you own. Sync is optional via Obsidian Sync (or third-party like iCloud, Dropbox, Git). Portability is best-in-class due to Markdown.
- OneNote: Strong offline desktop experience; sync via OneDrive/SharePoint. Portability is acceptable within the Microsoft ecosystem; export granularity varies by platform.
Collaboration & sharing
- Notion: Real-time co-editing, comments, mentions, granular permissions, share-to-web, and database views per audience. Excellent for teams.
- Obsidian: Primarily single-user. Collaboration requires plugins, Git workflows, or shared folders; best for individuals and small, technical teams comfortable with Git.
- OneNote: Multi-user editing via OneDrive/SharePoint with Microsoft 365 groups and permissions. Great for meeting notes and departmental notebooks.
Extensibility & integrations
- Notion: Templates, rich API, and a large integration marketplace (Jira, Slack, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, etc.). Databases power workflows without code.
- Obsidian: One of the deepest plugin ecosystems in note-taking: backlinks, spaced repetition, Kanban, DataView, Templater, Mermaid diagrams, and more.
- OneNote: Add-ins, Microsoft Graph API, and Power Automate flows tie notes to your broader M365 environment (Teams, SharePoint, Outlook).
AI features in 2025
- Notion: Native AI assists with summaries, action items, drafts, and rewriting. Strong for team-wide consistency and quick synthesis.
- Obsidian: Community plugins connect to local or hosted LLMs for privacy-friendly summaries and link suggestions; quality depends on model and setup.
- OneNote: Microsoft Copilot can summarize pages, extract actions, and connect to organizational data (permissions-respecting) across Microsoft 365.
Pricing comparison (read this first)
Important: Pricing and tiers change often by region and bundle. To stay accurate, we focus on plan structure and value rather than quoting numbers. Confirm live pricing on official pages:- Notion: notion.so (see also: Security)
- Obsidian: obsidian.md (see: Privacy)
- OneNote (Microsoft 365): onenote.com (see: Microsoft Trust Center)
Use-case scenarios: when each one wins
- Team wikis, SOPs, and content ops: Choose Notion. Databases + views keep content organized for marketing, product, and ops.
- Personal research, PKM, and long-form thinking: Choose Obsidian. Local-first markdown and plugins support deep work and longevity.
- Meeting notes in Microsoft environments: Choose OneNote. Great with Teams, Outlook, and SharePoint, plus pen support on Surface devices.
- Mixed stack with strict privacy needs: Obsidian vaults stored locally or on self-controlled sync services.
- Cross-functional projects with stakeholders: Notion for tailored views, permissions, and share-to-web artifacts.
Performance benchmarks: scale, search, and reliability
- Index & search: Obsidian’s local index is extremely fast for large vaults; Notion’s search is strong at team scale; OneNote search is reliable across M365, with speed influenced by notebook size and connection.
- Large attachments: OneNote and Notion handle embedded images and files well; Obsidian can manage large assets, but consider Git LFS or external storage for heavy media.
- Latency & uptime: All three rely on your network when syncing; plan for stable connectivity in workshops and offsites. Obsidian is resilient offline.
User experience & onboarding
- Notion: Low barrier to entry with templates. Train teams on database basics (properties, relations, rollups) for compounding value.
- Obsidian: Learning curve exists for markdown, linking, and plugins. Start with a lightweight setup; add plugins as needs emerge.
- OneNote: Familiar for Office users. Teach section/page organization, tags, and meeting-note templates for consistency.
Security & compliance
Your posture depends more on policies than vendor alone. Baselines to consider:- Identity: Enforce SSO (SAML/OAuth), MFA, and SCIM provisioning where available.
- Data protection: Apply DLP, sensitivity labels, encryption-at-rest, and device compliance.
- Auditability: Ensure logs, retention, and eDiscovery align with your regulatory needs.
- Notion Security: notion.so/security
- Obsidian Privacy: help.obsidian.md
- Microsoft Trust Center: microsoft.com/trust-center
- CISA collaboration guidance: cisa.gov
- NIST SP 800-53 controls: csrc.nist.gov
Integration capabilities
- Notion: Integrates with Slack/Teams, Google Drive, Microsoft 365, Jira/Asana, and more. The API enables custom workflows and dashboards.
- Obsidian: Plugins connect to calendars, to-do apps, diagrams, and even local/hosted LLMs. Git-based automations are popular for versioning.
- OneNote: Deep Microsoft 365 integration via Graph API and Power Automate; easy to tie notes to Outlook tasks, Planner, and Teams.
30‑day implementation guide: migrate with minimal disruption
- Inventory notes (Days 1–3): Export a representative sample; classify by audience (personal, team, public) and sensitivity.
- Pick the destination (Day 4): Align to your ecosystem and use-cases. Avoid mixed standards unless necessary.
- Design structure (Days 5–7): Notion databases and views; Obsidian folders, tags, templates; OneNote notebooks and sections.
- Pilot a team (Days 8–14): Migrate 10–20 users. Measure search success, note creation time, and handoff clarity.
- Automate basics (Days 15–20): Set up integrations (Slack/Teams, tasks, calendar), and common templates.
- Governance (Days 21–25): Enforce SSO/MFA, sharing defaults, retention, and audit policies.
- Cutover & training (Days 26–30): Freeze old locations, redirect links, and deliver role-based training.
Final recommendation: decide in 10 minutes
- List top jobs: Wiki + databases? Personal research? Meeting notes + Office?
- Map your stack: Microsoft 365 → OneNote; mixed/collaborative → Notion; privacy/local-first → Obsidian.
- Define guardrails: SSO/SCIM, DLP/labels, export plans, and retention.
- Pilot: 2 weeks with clear success metrics: search success rate, time-to-first-template, and share friction.
- Standardize: Templates, naming, permissions, and training to lock in habits.
Related internal reads
- Google Drive vs Dropbox vs OneDrive (2025)
- Miro vs FigJam vs Lucidspark (2025)
- HubSpot vs Salesforce vs Zoho CRM (2025)
- ChatGPT vs Gemini vs Copilot (2025)
- Bitwarden vs 1Password vs Dashlane (2025)
Sources & further reading
- Notion: notion.so | Security
- Obsidian: obsidian.md | Privacy
- OneNote: onenote.com | Microsoft Trust Center
- NIST SP 800‑53: csrc.nist.gov
- CISA Secure Collaboration: cisa.gov
