Amplenote and Obsidian are two popular note-taking applications that offer unique features and benefits for different user needs. Each has its own approach to organizing and managing information, making the choice between the two reliant on personal preferences and requirements.
Amplenote is designed as an all-in-one productivity tool, with features for organizing tasks, taking notes, and collaboration. It supports bi-directional linking, which allows users to easily connect related notes and create a network of information that is easy to navigate. This platform is well-suited for users who require a structured environment for their notes and tasks.
On the other hand, Obsidian is focused on creating a personal knowledge base with an emphasis on Markdown editing and knowledge graph visualization. It provides an intuitive way to explore and interlink notes, while offering customization through plugins and themes. Its unique selling point is the local storage of data which guarantees user privacy and makes it an ideal choice for users who prioritize the security and ownership of their data.
Amplenote vs Obsidian: Core Features
Markdown Support
Both Amplenote and Obsidian are powerful note-taking apps that support Markdown, allowing users to create well-formatted documents with ease. In Amplenote, you’ll find rich-text formatting options, while Obsidian offers a more developer-focused and minimalist approach. Although both apps handle Markdown effectively, users might prefer one over the other based on their preferences and needs.
Note Organization
Amplenote simplifies note organization through its task manager and calendar integration, helping users manage their notes and tasks effectively. On the other hand, Obsidian shines in note organization thanks to its bi-directional linking feature, graph view, and customizable folder structure. This allows users to create a web of interconnected notes, making it easier to see relationships between ideas and find specific information.
| Feature | Amplenote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Markdown Support | Rich-text formatting options | Developer-focused, minimalist approach |
| Note Organization | Task manager and calendar integration | Bi-directional linking, graph view, and customizable folder structure |
Privacy and Security
Amplenote’s privacy policy emphasizes user-data protection and claims to make continuous security improvements. By default, notes created in Amplenote are private, but users can choose to share them. On the other hand, Obsidian stores user data on their local machines rather than in the cloud, offering a more privacy-focused approach. While Amplenote offers robust cloud-based features, privacy-conscious users may find Obsidian’s local storage more attractive.
In summary, Amplenote and Obsidian both provide essential core features for note-taking and organization, but they cater to different user preferences. In terms of markdown support, Amplenote offers a rich-text approach while Obsidian is geared towards a minimalist developer experience. Note organization in Amplenote is centered around tasks and calendar integration, while Obsidian focuses on bi-directional linking and customizable folder structures. Finally, data privacy is a concern for both, but Obsidian’s local storage solution may appeal more to those who prioritize privacy.
Cross-Platform Availability
In this section, we’ll compare the cross-platform availability of Amplenote and Obsidian, focusing on their desktop & web app and mobile platform support.
Desktop & Web App
Amplenote is available on all major desktop platforms, including macOS and Windows. It also offers a web app that can be accessed via a web browser, allowing users to work on their notes from any device with an internet connection. Amplenote’s desktop apps are built using the Electron framework.
Obsidian also supports both macOS and Windows with native desktop apps. Additionally, it has a native app for Linux. However, unlike Amplenote, Obsidian does not currently offer a dedicated web app, limiting its browser-based usability.
| Platform | Amplenote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | No | Yes |
| Web App | Yes | No |
Mobile Platforms
When it comes to mobile support, Amplenote has native applications for both iOS (including iPad) and Android devices. This allows users to seamlessly sync and manage their notes across various mobile devices.
On the other hand, Obsidian offers a native app only for iOS and iPad devices. While there is no official Android app at the moment, Obsidian does provide syncing capabilities between mobile and desktop platforms.
| Platform | Amplenote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| iPad | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | No |
In conclusion, both Amplenote and Obsidian offer cross-platform support, with Amplenote providing a stronger offering in terms of web and Android availability.
User Interface and Design
Editor and Navigation
Amplenote and Obsidian both offer a powerful and intuitive user interface. Amplenote’s editor focuses on a clean and simple design, allowing users to create and organize their notes easily. Its sidebar is organized into four main tabs: Notes, Tasks, Vault, and Calendar, providing a comprehensive view of the user’s workflow.
On the other hand, Obsidian’s editor is built around the concept of linking notes together to create a “knowledge base”. It provides a dual-pane view with a live preview of the note’s content. The sidebar in Obsidian consists of various customizable panels, such as the file explorer, backlinks, and a graph view that displays the connections between notes.
Customization and Themes
Amplenote provides limited options for customization, mainly in the form of color schemes. It offers a default theme, a dark theme, and a sepia theme. Additionally, users can switch between two font sizes: normal and large.
Obsidian, however, prides itself on its extensive customization options. It has a vibrant community-driven marketplace where users can find and install numerous third-party themes and plugins. This allows users to personalize both the appearance and functionality of the platform to suit their preferences.
| Feature | Amplenote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Editor | Clean and simple, with a focus on note-taking and task management. | Dual-pane view with live preview, built around note linking to create a knowledge base. |
| Sidebar Components | Notes, Tasks, Vault, Calendar | File explorer, backlinks, graph view, and other customizable panels. |
| Customization | Three color schemes (default, dark, sepia) and two font sizes. | Extensive options, with a marketplace for third-party themes and plugins. |
Task Management and Productivity
Task Creation and Organization
In terms of task creation and organization, both AmpleNote and Obsidian offer powerful tools for managing your tasks efficiently. Task management in AmpleNote is built around the concept of tasks being nested within notes. You can create tasks, assign dates, and add tags for easy organization. Additionally, AmpleNote allows you to convert any part of your note into a task with a simple click, making it easy to create actionable items from your notes.
On the other hand, Obsidian allows you to create tasks within your notes using markdown syntax. Obsidian users often utilize third-party plugins or integrate their tasks with external task management apps. Although task creation is not as seamless as in AmpleNote, Obsidian’s strong support for tags makes organization of tasks a breeze.
| Feature | AmpleNote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Task Creation | Built-in, easily create tasks in notes | Create tasks using markdown syntax |
| Task Organization | Tags and nested tasks | Tags and integration with external apps |
Calendar Integration
When it comes to calendar integration, AmpleNote stands out with its built-in calendar view. This feature allows users to have a clear overview of their tasks, events, and deadlines, making it easier to plan and manage scheduling. AmpleNote’s calendar can be synced with external calendars like Google Calendar, further enhancing its functionality.
Obsidian, on the other hand, lacks a built-in calendar view, and relies on third-party plugins for calendar integration. Users can still manage their tasks and events, but the process is not as seamless as AmpleNote. It is worth noting that the Obsidian community frequently releases new plugins and updates to address such limitations, but the need to rely on external plugins might not be ideal for all users.
| Feature | AmpleNote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Calendar Integration | Built-in calendar view, sync with external calendars | Requires third-party plugins for integration |
In summary, both AmpleNote and Obsidian offer noteworthy features for task management and productivity, but their approaches differ in terms of ease of use and integration with other software. AmpleNote offers a more comprehensive and seamless experience, with integrated task management and calendar features, while Obsidian relies on its robust tagging system and extensibility with plugins to compensate for its lack of built-in task-related tools.
Extensibility and Integrations
When comparing Amplenote and Obsidian, it’s important to consider their extensibility and integrations with third-party services and custom plugins.
Third-Party Services
Amplenote offers solid integration options with popular third-party services such as Google Sheets, Google Calendar, Medium, and Twitter. The seamless synchronization with these services allows users to manage their content, appointments, and social media presence more efficiently.
For example, Amplenote users can:
- Import and embed Google Sheets within their notes
- Synchronize their tasks with Google Calendar
- Publish their notes directly to Medium
- Share content on Twitter with a single click
Obsidian, on the other hand, does not offer native integration with these specific third-party services. However, its extensible nature allows users to create or employ existing plugins to achieve similar functionality.
Custom Plugins
Both Amplenote and Obsidian support custom plugins, enabling users to enhance their experience and tailor the application to their specific needs.
Obsidian’s community plugins foster creativity, offering a variety of options such as:
- Theme customization
- Workflow enhancements
- Citation management
- Creation of diagrams and visualizations
With plugins installed, Obsidian users can expand the application’s capabilities and customize their environment to suit their preferences.
Amplenote, while not as extensive in terms of custom plugins, does offer some flexibility through its API. The API allows developers to create tools and integrations tailored to their needs, extending Amplenote’s functionality beyond its core features.
| Feature | Amplenote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Google Sheets | Native integration | Via plugins |
| Google Calendar | Native integration | Via plugins |
| Medium | Native integration | Via plugins |
| Native integration | Via plugins | |
| Custom Plugin Support | API available | Community plugins |
In summary, Amplenote and Obsidian both offer extensibility through integrations and custom plugins, with Amplenote featuring native integration with popular third-party services, and Obsidian boasting a vibrant community plugin ecosystem.
Monetization Options and Customer Support
Pricing and Plans
Amplenote and Obsidian offer different pricing models to cater to their customers’ needs. Amplenote provides a tiered subscription model with plans starting from $0 (Basic) to $15 per month (Pro) billed annually. These plans offer varying features, including note-sharing, task management, and additional storage.
On the other hand, Obsidian has a one-time fee for the desktop version, starting from $25 for individuals and $50 for commercial use. It also offers a subscription model for Obsidian Sync, with plans starting from $4 per month billed annually.
| Pricing Model | Amplenote | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | $0 – $15 per month | – |
| One-time fee | – | $25 – $50 |
| Sync Service | Included | $4 per month |
Both services offer flexibility in their pricing to suit user preferences and requirements.
Customer Support Resources
Amplenote and Obsidian have different approaches to customer support. Amplenote offers a comprehensive help center with various resources such as a blog, FAQ section, and detailed guides to help users get started and understand its features. Customers can also contact the support team directly via email.
Obsidian provides documentation through their help vault. The knowledge base includes guides, tutorials, and FAQs. Obsidian also relies on its active community forum to provide support and address user questions. Additionally, the noteapps.info website offers a public comparison of various note-taking apps, including Obsidian, which can aid users in understanding the app’s features.
In summary, both Amplenote and Obsidian offer resources and support channels to assist their users, with Amplenote having a more centralized help center and Obsidian leveraging its active community.
Comparing with Other Note-Taking Apps
Amplenote and Obsidian Alternatives
Amplenote and Obsidian are popular note-taking tools, but there are other alternatives worth considering. Evernote is a long-standing app offering powerful search features and a clean interface. Mem focuses on quick note-taking with its minimal interface and inline tagging. Roam Research is a powerful tool for creating interconnected notes with bidirectional links, perfect for building a personal knowledge base. Notion is an all-in-one workspace supporting notes, tasks, and databases with a versatile drag-and-drop interface. OneNote is a well-integrated option within the Microsoft Office suite, offering smooth syncing and organization capabilities.
Here’s a brief comparison of these note-taking apps:
| App | Key Features | Ideal User |
|---|---|---|
| Evernote | Powerful search, clean interface | General note-taking, organizing information |
| Mem | Quick note-taking, minimal interface, inline tagging | Rapid ideation, lightweight knowledge storage |
| Roam | Bidirectional links, personal knowledge base | Researchers, writers, knowledge workers |
| Notion | Drag-and-drop interface, all-in-one workspace | Planning, project management, team collaboration |
| OneNote | Microsoft Office integration, smooth syncing, organization | Students, professionals using Microsoft Office |
Choosing the Right Fit
Selecting the right note-taking app depends on individual preferences and specific use cases. When comparing, consider your primary goals. Are you looking for a simple app for daily notes? In this case, Mem might be a good choice. Need a more sophisticated tool for creating a personal knowledge base? Roam Research or Obsidian could be better fits. If project management and team collaboration are essential, consider Notion.
Additionally, many users may benefit from using more than one app. For example, you could use Roam Research for building a personal knowledge base and Notion for managing tasks and projects within a team. Ultimately, it’s crucial to assess each app’s features and capabilities according to your needs and decide which one works best for you.