Work · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to I built an app that competes with Notion and Obsidian
App summary: Local-first productivity tool that combines note-taking, task tracking and journaling into one simple app. Advantages over Notion: Way simpler UI, all user data is only stored locally on their device - providing significantly faster load time, fully functional offline mode and complete privacy of their data Advantages over Obsidian: Dedicated features for task tracking and journaling - not just note-taking, with cheaper end-to-end encrypted device syncing compared to Obsidian Sync
Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. I built an app that competes with Notion and Obsidian launched in 2024; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
- 1
NotionApps▲816Sameer and Jatin here. We are building NotionApps, a no-code tool to create apps, portals, & forms from Notion databases. With the tool, you can: - restrict your data behind an email auth - show only limited data based on logged-in user - share Notion data outside of your organization without adding people to your workspace - handle large databases with ease - create mobile friendly apps to interact with your data Users have been creating apps for their events, inventory, catalogues, businesses, etc. with all the data on Notion. Late in 2019, we built a product called utilize.app (it's still…
2023 · notionapps.com · its alternatives →
- 2
The all-in-one workspace - notes, tasks, wikis, & databases
2018 · notion.so · its alternatives →
- 3
Ideaverse Pro▲325Manage your whole life in Obsidian
2023 · linkingyourthinking.com · its alternatives →
- 4
Obsidian Mobile brings the power of our desktop app to your mobile devices.
2021 · obsidian.md · its alternatives →
- 5
NodeLand▲533Hello, HN! Have you ever considered that you might be a visual thinker? A lot of studies emphasize the benefits of visual thinking in learning, as it activates different parts of the brain and enhances comprehension and retention. It is common, for example, to remind yourself of a concept by visualizing the page where you wrote it down. This is because the brain is more likely to remember visual information than text. Unlike traditional linear note-taking apps like Notion and Evernote, NodeLand introduces a revolutionary connection-based model. Everything you write is seamlessly integrated…
2024 · nodeland.io · its alternatives →
- 6
A unified workflow system built in Notion
2021 · parallelconnect.gumroad.com · its alternatives →
- 7
Obsibrain▲158All-in-one productivity template made for Obsidian
2024 · obsibrain.com · its alternatives →
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Agenda▲111To-do app that focuses on simplicity and efficiency
2017 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
- 10
Pi▲117The all-in-one productivity powerhouse for your whole day
2018 · pipipi.co · its alternatives →
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- 12
I initially released this as just an IOS app. Since then it has been growing steadily but a lot of people have emailed asking for a web / android version. It took me nearly 2 months to build a version for the web. The nice thing about using Convex as my backend is that all the data is always synced between the app and web. I do not have to setup any syncing logic. The moment you change something in the app, it will reflect on the web version in realtime. I know there are loads of these kind of tools online but it's starting to feel like mine is actually starting to differentiate itself…
2025 · three-cells.com · its alternatives →
- 13
Obsidian▲3Think clearly. Connect ideas. Own your knowledge.
Jul 2026 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
- 14
Affordable project management software, redesigned
2017 · freedcamp.com · its alternatives →
- 15
Customizable Obsidian template for productivity
Apr 2026 · joem.app · its alternatives →
- 16YP
Care to share a screenshot and the 'killer feature' of any of your personal, self-built productivity tools? eg. I made my own calendar and money-tracker last year - there are no other users, it makes no money, I have no plans to make it public, but it holds my life together :) http://i.imgur.com/h2keJDg.png GREAT BECAUSE... it tells me how much I'm going to get paid this month. Absolutely no ulterior motive here (ie. I'm not canvassing opinions for a productivity app startup or anything), just interested.
2013 · i.imgur.com · its alternatives →
- 17
Seven months ago I was wasting real life minutes (and plenty of willpower) copy-pasting tasks from my Notion database into a separate time-tracking app. Every. Single. Day. One day I spent half of it hunting for a solution, failed, and thought: “Fine—I’ll build it.” Result? - Seamless Notion Database sync - Instantly reflected in Notion Calendar - Built-in Stats dashboard to keep you honest No more app-switching, no more lost minutes—just deep work. Give it a try and tell me what you think!
2025 · home.notion-pomodoro.com · its alternatives →
- 18
I got the idea of [mindmap.so](http://mindmap.so/) out of my own frustration of managing my personal notes in Notion and Miro in parallel. I have built it 3 months back on top of excalidraw, posted it in Reddit a couple of times, and never looked back (was using it only for personal use). Little did I know that the small and nimble tool that I created has crossed 2000+ users (was so surprised when I saw the dashboard last week). It was all organic and word of mouth . Having 2000+ users trusting a product is no easy feat. That’s when I thought may be I should put some more…
2024 · mindmap.so · its alternatives →
- 19OS
My Public Second Brain (https://brain.sspaeti.com) is built with the help of a wonderful tool called Quartz (https://brain.sspaeti.com/quartz-publish-obsidian-vault/). Obsidian (https://brain.sspaeti.com/obsidian/) has become my favorite for note-takers, given its flexible and linked structure that closely mirrors our natural way of thinking. With Quartz, I was able to seamlessly publish my Obsidian notes to a public vault, providing the groundwork for my Public Second Brain. The journey of making this possible involved some scripting as…
2023 · its alternatives →
- 20
I’ve always liked fast online tools for jotting notes or organizing thoughts — but most “productivity” sites either save data to the cloud, require sign-ups, or are full of distractions. So I built an online productivity tools website, a small collection of browser-based tools. It includes an online notepad where you can write and save notes right in your browser, a cornell notes tool available in more than 20 languages, and more coming soon like a pomodoro timer and a simple blank page for focused writing. Everything works entirely in-browser using localStorage — no accounts, no cloud sync,…
2025 · onlinenotep.ad · its alternatives →
- 21PN
2015 · prodigynotes.com · its alternatives →
- 22
Set is a dead-simple, local-first, open source note-taking app. A private alternative to Notion and Obsidian that keeps your notes on your own devices and syncs them device to device, with no account and no cloud. Free for macOS, Windows and Linux.
Sep 2026 · app.writewithset.com · its alternatives →
- 23
tickk▲5Hey HN, I built tickk because I have ADHD and every productivity app felt like work. I'd have an idea, open an app, then spend 5 minutes deciding if it's a "task" or a "note" or which project it belongs to. By then, the thought was gone. What it does: - Talk into your phone/laptop → it transcribes and auto-categorizes into tasks, notes, or events - Uses local NLP (compromise.js) - no data leaves your device - Works offline, no account needed, completely free The key insight: Capture first, organize later. Your brain shouldn't have to categorize while it's still thinking. Tech stack: -…
2025 · tickk.app · its alternatives →
- 24
Almost 40 Shortcuts actions for working with Obsidian
2023 · its alternatives →
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Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →