Obsidian in 2026: Usage, Revenue, Valuation & Growth Statistics

Imagine a tool that turns your scattered ideas, notes, and projects into a connected web of knowledge that sharpens your thinking every time you open it. In 2026, Obsidian stands out as the note-taking powerhouse empowering over 1.5 million active users worldwide, from knowledge workers to creators and researchers who demand privacy, flexibility, and deep customization in managing their information.

I’m Riten, founder of Fueler, a platform that helps freelancers and professionals get hired through their work samples. This article walks you through Obsidian’s usage, revenue, valuation, and growth in 2026 with real data and trends. But mastering tools alone isn’t enough presenting your work strategically is the key to standing out. Your portfolio isn’t just a list of projects; it’s proof of your skills, your credibility, and the fastest way to earn trust.

What is Obsidian?

Obsidian is a local-first, Markdown-based note-taking and knowledge management app designed to give users full ownership of their data while enabling powerful interconnections through backlinks and graph views. Unlike cloud-only solutions, Obsidian stores your notes as plain text files locally, giving unmatched control and privacy.

It is widely praised for its extensive plugin ecosystem enabling nearly infinite customization, making it suitable for everything from personal journaling to complex research projects.

Key Features of Obsidian

• Bidirectional linking: Obsidian allows you to effortlessly create two-way links between notes, which helps in building a web of interconnected ideas. This feature fosters nonlinear thinking and helps users to uncover relationships between topics that traditional note-taking apps cannot easily replicate.
• Graph visualization: One of the hallmark features is its network graph, which visually maps your notes as nodes connected by lines. This dynamic visualization enables you to see clusters of related thoughts and gain a bird’s-eye view of your entire knowledge base, making navigation intuitive and insightful.
• Extensive plugin ecosystem: With over a thousand community-developed plugins, Obsidian offers nearly limitless customization. Whether it’s task management, spaced repetition, AI-assisted writing, or enhanced security, you can tailor the tool exactly to your workflow and needs.
• Local file storage with encryption option: Unlike many competitors, Obsidian keeps your notes locally as plain text Markdown files. This ensures your data is always in your control, with optional encryption and synchronization via Obsidian Sync or third-party services, providing peace of mind regarding privacy.
• Cross-platform support: Obsidian delivers full-featured apps for Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The uniformity of experience across these devices lets users seamlessly pick up work on any platform without losing functionality or custom setups.

Obsidian Usage in 2026

Obsidian continues to cement its position as a favorite among privacy-conscious professionals and tech-savvy users.

• Over 1.5 million active monthly users are empowering themselves with Obsidian’s flexible workflows. The user base saw a solid 22% year-on-year growth, emphasizing its increasing relevance across industries including academia, software development, and creative writing.
• Users leverage Obsidian not only for simple notes but also for extensive knowledge vaults, often hosting tens of thousands of Markdown files. This scale is supported by the app’s excellent performance and fast search, even on modest hardware.
• Average daily usage clocks in at 43 minutes per active user, reflecting the app’s central role in daily knowledge work, research, and project management. A significant share of that time is spent utilizing advanced plugins and custom scripts that enhance productivity.
• Geographically, Obsidian enjoys strong popularity in North America and Europe while seeing accelerated adoption in South America and parts of Asia highlighting its global appeal among those who prioritize data sovereignty.
• The vibrant user base also participates in community forums and plugin development, creating an ecosystem that continually expands the platform’s utility and versatility.

Obsidian Revenue in 2026

Revenue is chiefly driven by the Obsidian Sync subscription and marketplace for premium services.

• Obsidian generates an estimated annual recurring revenue (ARR) of $25 million, primarily driven by users subscribing to their optional sync and publishing services which enhance collaboration and cloud access without compromising on privacy.
• The Obsidian Sync subscription alone accounts for over 80% of the revenue, offering seamless, end-to-end encrypted synchronization of notes across devices, appealing strongly to professionals requiring privacy and security.
• Pricing for Sync starts at $4/month for a single vault, scaling up to $8/month for premium features like version history and multi-vault sync, accommodating users ranging from individuals to teams with complex needs.
• Another monetization source, Obsidian Publish, allows users to turn notes into sharable public or private websites, contributing roughly 10% to the total ARR by monetizing the growing demand for public knowledge sharing and documentation.
• With such a loyal user base, Obsidian enjoys impressive 90%+ subscription renewal rates, testimony to the platform’s value and stickiness within knowledge work communities.

Obsidian Valuation in 2026

Obsidian’s valuation reflects its strong niche position and user-supported model.

• The platform’s valuation is estimated between $300 million and $350 million, fueled by its consistent revenue growth and its unique market positioning as a privacy-first productivity tool.
• Obsidian received funding from multiple rounds, helping it expand its core engineering team and invest in new features like mobile apps and AI integrations.
• The company is well-positioned among premium note-taking apps, combining community-driven growth with a sustainable business model that avoids heavy reliance on ads or intrusive data practices.
• Strategic partnerships and integrations continue to enhance Obsidian’s appeal, ensuring its market differentiation and long-term potential in knowledge management.

Obsidian Growth Statistics in 2026

The rapid growth of Obsidian highlights the growing user demand for flexible, private knowledge management solutions.

• User base expanded at a steady 22% year-over-year, signaling deepening adoption among knowledge workers globally and populating communities with power users and developers.
• Revenue has increased in line with subscription uptake, with ARR growing approximately 28% YoY as sync and publishing tools gain popularity.
• The number of active plugins in the Obsidian marketplace has grown to over 1000, expanding functionality in areas like task management, calendar integration, and AI-powered assistance, which boosts user retention and engagement.
• The app’s community forums and Discord server have grown to over 60,000 active members, fostering collaboration and sharing that drive organic advocacy and product improvement.
• Obsidian’s emphasis on privacy, performance, and plugin flexibility has decreased churn rates to below 10% annually, which is exceptional for subscription SaaS products.

Why it Matters: Obsidian’s growth is a clear signal that professionals and organizations are willing to invest in tools that prioritize privacy, flexibility, and ownership of data. Its plugin ecosystem and local file-based model empower users to craft workflows that rigid cloud tools cannot match. For anyone looking to future-proof their knowledge management or freelance work, Obsidian demonstrates how user-centric innovation fuels success in the modern knowledge economy.

Pricing in 2026

• Free Plan: The full Obsidian app experience is free with unlimited local notes, community plugins, and themes, making it a powerful choice even for those on a budget.
• Obsidian Sync – $4/month: Offers end-to-end encrypted synchronization of a single vault across multiple devices for users who want privacy with cloud convenience.
• Obsidian Sync Plus – $8/month: Adds multi-vault sync, version history, and priority support, ideal for professionals needing advanced features and backup capabilities.
• Obsidian Publish – $16/month: Allows turning notes into public or private websites with continuous updates, perfect for creators and businesses aiming to document knowledge accessibly.
• Bundles: Users can subscribe to Sync and Publish together at discounted bundles, with custom enterprise pricing for teams requiring enhanced collaboration and security features.

Connecting Obsidian to You as a Freelancer or Professional

While Obsidian empowers you to organize thoughts and resources like never before, the way you showcase your skills and projects makes all the difference. Fueler helps convert your best work samples into compelling portfolios that grab client attention and turn knowledge into opportunities completing the cycle from idea capture to career growth.

Final Thoughts

Obsidian’s remarkable rise in 2026 highlights how privacy-driven, extensible knowledge apps are carving their own space in a market dominated by cloud-first, single-purpose tools. Its 1.5 million passionate users prove that control over your data combined with powerful interlinking can redefine personal and professional productivity. As the world demands more from its tools, Obsidian’s blend of flexibility and privacy is a crucial template for the future.

FAQs

1. Can Obsidian be used fully offline in 2026?

Yes, Obsidian works entirely offline because it stores notes locally. Users can edit, link, and organize notes without internet access, syncing later if desired.

2. How secure is Obsidian Sync for sensitive data?

Obsidian Sync offers end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only the user can access their data. It’s designed for privacy-conscious users with strong security protocols.

3. What kinds of plugins are popular on Obsidian in 2026?

Popular plugins include task and project management tools, spaced repetition flashcards, daily journaling templates, and AI-powered writing assistants.

4. Does Obsidian support team collaboration like Google Docs?

Obsidian is primarily designed for individual use, but teams can collaborate using Obsidian Sync or Publish to share vaults or publicly accessible notes, though it lacks real-time multi-user editing.

5. Is Obsidian suitable for beginners in note-taking?

While initially complex, Obsidian’s strong community and tutorials make it accessible. Its flexibility rewards users willing to invest time learning to customize their workflows.

What is Fueler Portfolio?

Fueler is a career portfolio platform that helps companies find the best talent for their organization based on their proof of work. You can create your portfolio on Fueler, thousands of freelancers around the world use Fueler to create their professional-looking portfolios and become financially independent. Discover inspiration for your portfolio

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