| Fact |  ObsidianLocal-first markdown vault, free with no feature gates |  TinderboxExpensive, perpetual, and unmatched for notes that have to do work |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | $289 |
| Licence | FreewareNothing to buy | Paid upgradesMajor versions cost again |
| The catch | Multi-device sync is $48 a year unless you wire up iCloud or git yourself | A year of upgrades is included, then a new version costs $98 or $83 a year to stay current |
| Against a subscription | Replaces Notion$120 a year | 72 monthsAgainst Obsidian Sync at $48 a year |
| Developer account | Optional | None needed |
| Works offline | Yes | Yes |
| Apple Silicon | Native | Native |
| Free trial | does not apply | Yes |
| On Setapp | No | No |
| Get it | Buy direct |
Both prices read 22 Sep 2026, on the pages these buttons open. Seats, Minimum macOS and App Store rating are not established for either app, so those rows are left out.
In their own right
Obsidian
A markdown editor over a folder of plain files on your own disk, with backlinks, a graph view, Canvas and a very large plugin ecosystem. Free for any use, personal or commercial, with no account required.
Tinderbox
A note environment where notes carry attributes and agents collect and re-sort them by rule, viewable as map, outline, timeline or chart. Built continuously since 2002 and sold outright.