Obsidian and SilverBullet are both Markdown-based note tools built around bidirectional linking, but they take opposite approaches to hosting and…
Best for Obsidian: Obsidian fits users who want a local-first Markdown app with a large third-party plugin ecosystem, a visual Canvas for diagramming, and optional paid Sync/Publish services rather than running their own server.
Best for SilverBullet: SilverBullet fits users comfortable self-hosting who want to query their notes like a database via SLIQ and script automation directly inside notes with Space Lua, without ever paying a subscription or commercial license.
At a Glance
Obsidian
SilverBullet
Primary category
Productivity
Productivity
Rating
Not documented
Not documented
Pricing model
Freemium
Free / open source (optional paid SilverBullet+ desktop edition)
Starting price
Free
Free
Free plan
Yes
Not documented
Free trial
Not documented
Not documented
Platforms
Windows
Web
Team collaboration
Not documented
Not documented
AI features
Not documented
Not documented
Public API
Yes
Not documented
Key Differences
Pricing & Monetization
Obsidian: Obsidian's core app is free, but Sync costs $4/user/month (annual) or $5/user/month (monthly), Publish costs $8/site/month (annual) or $10/site/month (monthly), and a Commercial License for organizational use is $50/user/year.
SilverBullet: SilverBullet is entirely free and open source (MIT license) with no paid tier or commercial license requirement of any kind.
Optional paid add-ons let casual users stay free while organizations pay for convenience, versus a tool that's free for every use case including commercial ones.
Deployment Model
Obsidian: Obsidian is local-first, storing plain-text Markdown files on-device, with optional paid cloud Sync for cross-device access.
SilverBullet: SilverBullet is fundamentally self-hosted and browser-based, requiring users to run their own server (single binary or Docker) to access notes.
Local-first apps work offline by default, while browser-based self-hosted apps require maintaining a running server.
Extensibility
Obsidian: Obsidian has a large plugin ecosystem with thousands of community plugins and themes, built on an open API.
SilverBullet: SilverBullet offers built-in Space Lua scripting and a query language (SLIQ) baked into the core app rather than a third-party plugin marketplace.
A large plugin marketplace offers ready-made extensions, while built-in scripting offers deeper native customization without third-party dependencies.
Querying Notes as Data
Obsidian: A native query language is not documented for Obsidian; search and the graph view are the primary discovery tools.
SilverBullet: SilverBullet's built-in SLIQ query language lets users query notes like a lightweight database.
A query language enables database-style views (e.g., filtering notes by custom criteria) without external plugins.
Visual/Diagramming Tools
Obsidian: Obsidian includes a Canvas feature, a visual space for brainstorming and diagramming.
SilverBullet: A canvas or diagramming feature is not documented for SilverBullet.
Visual canvases support spatial thinking and diagramming that plain Markdown text can't easily replicate.
Feature-by-Feature
Core Editing & Linking
Feature
Obsidian
SilverBullet
Local Markdown file storage
Available
Not documented
Bidirectional linking
Available
Available
Graph view
Available
Not documented
Canvas/visual diagramming
Available
Not documented
Live-preview Markdown editor
Not documented
Available
Deployment & Pricing
Feature
Obsidian
SilverBullet
Free core app with no feature limits
Available
Available
Self-hosting required
Not documented
Available
Paid sync add-on
Available
Unavailable
Paid publishing add-on
Available
Unavailable
Commercial/organizational license
Available
Not documented
Extensibility & Tools
Feature
Obsidian
SilverBullet
Community plugin ecosystem
Available
Not documented
Built-in query language
Unavailable
Available
In-app scripting
Not documented
Available
Task management/outlining
Not documented
Available
Open plugin API for developers
Available
Not documented
Pricing Compared
Starting price reflects the lowest paid tier, not the full cost for every team size or usage level.
Core app is free for personal and commercial use with no feature paywall.
Local-first, plain-Markdown storage gives users full data ownership and long-term durability.
Extremely deep customization through a large community plugin and theme ecosystem.
Works fully offline with no required account or internet connection for the base app.
User-funded business model keeps incentives aligned with users rather than investors.
Cons
No built-in real-time collaboration, unlike Notion or Google Docs.
Steeper learning curve than simpler note apps, especially when configuring plugins.
Sync and Publish are paid add-ons rather than included with the free app.
Heavy reliance on third-party community plugins can introduce inconsistency or occasional compatibility issues after updates.
Mobile app experience, while functional, is generally considered less polished than the desktop app.
SilverBullet
Pros
Completely free and open source under the MIT license
Notes stored as plain, portable Markdown files with no lock-in
Powerful Lua scripting for users who want to customize their workflow
Works fully offline as a Progressive Web App
Strong privacy since data never leaves servers the user controls
Cons
Requires self-hosting, which involves technical setup most non-technical users will find difficult
No built-in cloud sync between multiple self-hosted instances without additional configuration
Smaller community and plugin ecosystem than established tools like Obsidian
Lua scripting has a learning curve for users without a programming background
No official mobile apps; access is via the browser-based PWA
Use Cases
Choose Obsidian: Obsidian fits users who want a local-first Markdown app with a large third-party plugin ecosystem, a visual Canvas for diagramming, and optional paid Sync/Publish services rather than running their own server.
Choose SilverBullet: SilverBullet fits users comfortable self-hosting who want to query their notes like a database via SLIQ and script automation directly inside notes with Space Lua, without ever paying a subscription or commercial license.
Need both: There's no documented complementary scenario - both are primary note-taking systems built on Markdown and linking, so a user would choose Obsidian for its plugin ecosystem and optional hosted services or SilverBullet for its free, self-hosted, queryable approach rather than running both as their main system.
Obsidian
Personal knowledge management — Individuals build a linked, searchable 'second brain' of notes using bidirectional links and the graph view to surface connections between ideas.
Long-form writing and research organization — Writers and academics use Obsidian's plain-text, offline-first storage to organize research notes, drafts, and citations without vendor lock-in.
Developer documentation and technical notes — Developers use Obsidian's Markdown-native storage and plugin ecosystem to maintain technical documentation and code-adjacent notes alongside version control.
SilverBullet
Privacy-focused personal knowledge base — Individuals who want full control over their notes self-host SilverBullet to keep all data on their own infrastructure instead of a third-party cloud service.
Developer-built custom workflows — Developers use SilverBullet's Lua scripting environment to build custom commands, templates, and widgets tailored to their own note-taking workflow.
Offline-first note-taking — Users who need reliable offline access rely on SilverBullet's Progressive Web App mode to keep working without an internet connection.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Obsidian really free?
Yes, the core app is free with no feature limits; Sync and Publish are separate optional paid add-ons.
Do I need to run my own server for either tool?
SilverBullet requires self-hosting (single binary or Docker). Obsidian is local-first and doesn't require a server, though its optional Sync and Publish services are hosted by Obsidian.
Which has a bigger plugin ecosystem?
Obsidian, with thousands of community plugins and themes built on an open API. A plugin marketplace isn't documented for SilverBullet.
Can I query my notes like a database?
SilverBullet's built-in SLIQ query language supports this. A native query language isn't documented for Obsidian.
What does Obsidian's Commercial License cost?
$50/user/year for organizational use.
Does SilverBullet have a paid tier for more features?
No, SilverBullet is entirely free and open source under the MIT license, with no paid tier documented.