NotebookLM vs Obsidian: Which Note-Taking App is Better?

Ever feel like you’re drowning in a sea of notes? Meeting notes scattered across one app, team task lists scribbled in a diary, and big ideas slipping through your fingers before they can take shape.

It can feel overwhelming.

That’s where the right note-taking app can change everything. Tools like NotebookLM and Obsidian streamline your workflows, connect your thoughts, and bring order to the chaos.

In this blog post, we’ll compare these two tools and explore their unique features, strengths, and differences to help you decide which fits your style. And if neither quite feels like ‘the one,’ stick around—we’ve got a wildcard option that might steal the show.

Let’s enter the Notebook LM vs. Obsidian debate and find the perfect match for your note-taking needs.

What Is NotebookLM?

It transforms into an expert by uploading PDFs, videos, documents, and websites. It summarizes uploaded files and generates creative outputs grounded in your materials, complete with relevant sources.

Plus, since it’s your Notebook, your data is never used to train the NotebookLM algorithm.

NotebookLM best features

NotebookLM offers several features that help students, researchers, freelancers, and businesses boost productivity. 

Let’s see how you can use NotebookLM to enhance your workflow:

Feature #1: Audio overviews

Imagine turning your documents into podcast-style conversations between two AI voices. You can listen to these ‘Deep Dive’ discussions with a single click, absorbing uploaded information on the go.

NotebookLM scans transcribed conversations to pinpoint specific information, saving you the hassle of combing through lengthy audio files for key details. It also allows you to generate a public audio link and share it with your team.

Feature #2: Sourcing citations

NotebookLM fetches answers to your questions with citations that link directly to the original sources. This means you’ll always know where the information came from without wasting time manually fact-checking on search engines.

Its key feature is that the chat responses are based only on the sources you provide unless you ask it to do something creative, like rewriting a story. 

Feature #3: Multi-document analysis

Notebook LM can analyze several articles and documents simultaneously, helping you find common themes, different opinions, and new trends among various sources.

It’s like having a super-powered research assistant who can quickly understand a lot of information, saving you time and effort.

Feature #4: Structured formats for writing projects

NotebookLM turns messy notes into organized documents. Choose a set of notes and ask the tool to create something new. Based on your ask, it suggests formats like a thematic outline or study guide. 

You can type in custom instructions to shape your notes into an email newsletter, script outline, marketing plan, and more. Once you’ve completed the draft, you can export it to Google Docs for final edits.

NotebookLM pricing

• Free to use (currently in beta phase)

What Is Obsidian?

Obsidian best features

Several features in Obsidian make taking notes seamless. Let’s explore them together:

Feature #1: To-do lists

Obsidian allows you to design a standardized format for your to-do list and divide tasks into sections, such as client meetings, workout plans, or creative projects.

It also lets you track and manage tasks across your entire Obsidian vault. You can query tasks, mark them as done from anywhere, and use features like due dates, recurring tasks, completion dates, checklist subsets, and advanced filtering.

Feature #2: Graph view

The Graph View in Obsidian gives you a bird’s-eye view of your entire vault, showing how all your notes are interconnected. 

Each note appears as a node, and lines represent links between them. You can zoom in on specific clusters, filter by tags or links, and customize the appearance to make it easier to explore complex ideas visually.

Feature #3: Canvas visualization

Obsidian has a built-in tool called ‘Canvas’ that lets you map ideas as cards on a board. You can move, group, and connect these cards however you like, creating a non-linear representation of your thoughts.

You can embed online sticky notes, images, PDFs, videos, audio, and articles right into it. Moreover, the Canvas files are stored locally in an open JSON format, making them easy to integrate with other tools, apps, scripts, and Obsidian templates.

Feature #4: Diverse publishing options

You can now turn your plain text notes and images into a shareable website. Obsidian Publish lets you create a public wiki, knowledge base, or digital garden, making your thoughts and information accessible online.

You can fully customize the look of your Obsidian Publish site with CSS and Javascript. Other features include hover previews for quick popovers of linked pages and fast text editing, all powered by the simplicity of Markdown.

You can also use stacked pages to browse links in horizontal panes, like flipping through papers, and backlinks that automatically list pages referencing the one you’re viewing.

Obsidian pricing

• Personal use: Free forever
• Commercial use: $50/year per user
• Sync (Add-on): $5/month per user billed monthly
• Publish (Add-on): $10/month per user billed monthly

NotebookLM vs. Obsidian: Features Compared

At first glance, it can be challenging to distinguish between NotebookLM and Obsidian based on their key features alone. The table below provides an overview of their key differences.

Feature	NotebookLM	Obsidian
AI assistant	✅	❌
Real-time collaboration	✅	✅
Knowledge graph	❌	✅
Backlinking	❌	✅
Mobile app	✅	✅
Syncing across devices	✅	❌
Offline functionality	❌	✅
Markdown support	❌	✅
Spell check	✅	✅
API support	❌	✅
Embed from third-party sites	✅	✅

Now, let’s dig into the finer details.

Feature #1: UI and research organization

NotebookLM simplifies your workflow by helping you combine documents and extract key insights, making it perfect for tasks like studying or brainstorming. For example, it can summarize chapters, answer questions, and create study aids to help you focus on learning.

Obsidian, in contrast, offers a customizable vault system with features like split-pane views. This allows you to work on multiple notes side by side, which is excellent for multitasking and exploring connections between ideas.

Feature #2: Backlinking and knowledge management

NotebookLM’s knowledge management system centers on source linking. When summarizing or answering questions, it connects the answers to their original sources after surfing through the internet. This transparency makes it super handy for researchers or anyone who needs to keep track of where their information comes from.

In contrast, Obsidian takes a graphical approach. It lets you create a ‘web’ of interconnected thoughts and ideas, perfect for building personal wikis or long-term knowledge systems. With its Canvas feature, you can see how everything ties together from a top-level view.

Feature #3: Team collaboration

If your team uses Google Workspace, NotebookLM will integrate seamlessly into your workflows. This AI tool allows you to upload a marketing presentation, generate summaries or insights, and share them directly with colleagues, unlocking its ability to boost alignment and productivity.

Obsidian, on the other hand, is more tailored for individual use. While shared vaults are possible with plugins or third-party tools, they’re not as seamless as NotebookLM’s collaboration features. 

However, Obsidian offers an entire version history for every note, making it easy to track changes, which is especially helpful when multiple users are involved.

Feature #4: Offline functionality and data storage

NotebookLM operates almost entirely in the cloud, relying on Google’s servers to analyze and organize your documents. This means you’ll need an internet connection to take advantage of its features.

Although beneficial for accessibility and collaboration, NotebookLM might not satisfy users who need strong offline capabilities or are worried about data privacy.

In contrast, Obsidian is proudly offline-first. It uses open, non-proprietary files that prevent lock-in and preserve uploaded data. This approach gives you peace of mind about privacy and ensures you can continue working without an internet connection.

NotebookLM vs. Obsidian on Reddit

When we researched NotebookLM vs. Obsidian, we used Reddit to determine what users think.

As one user puts it:

On the flip side, another Redditor praises NotebookLM’s utility for time-strapped learners:

Although NotebookLM and Obsidian have a lot of other user reviews on Reddit, both tools have their share of critics. So, where do you land in this battle of AI tools for note-taking?

Hold that thought because we want you to get acquainted with an all-in-one productivity platform.

Meet : The Best Alternative to NotebookLM vs. Obsidian

Both NotebookLM and Obsidian are excellent in their own ways. But what if you need more than just note-taking? What if you want to combine your notes with task management, team collaboration, and project tracking all in one place?

Enter , a robust NotebookLM vs. Obsidian alternative. It’s a complete productivity powerhouse that elevates your life and work.

Let’s explore its features together. 👇

’s One Up #1: Docs

Docs lets you create wikis, knowledge bases, checklists, or detailed notes tailored to your preferences. You can also use intuitive styling options like banners, tables, and rich text editing.

Plus, its nested pages and backlinks help you create an interconnected document management system with the bonus of tying them into your tasks and projects to keep your workflow moving.

And here’s the game-changer: you can turn any note into a task, assign it to yourself or a team member, and track progress without leaving the document. It’s perfect for those who want their ideas and to-dos to live in the same space.

’s One Up #2: Notepad

Imagine effortlessly capturing fleeting thoughts, links, and to-dos without disrupting your workflow. Notepad makes this a reality through its integrated solution for quick note-taking within your existing workflow.

Your notes live within the same platform as your Tasks, Calendars, and Goals, making it easier to align team efforts without juggling multiple apps. 

Plus, your notes are private by default, ensuring no one else in your workspace can see them. This lets you jot down personal thoughts without worrying about sharing sensitive information.

’s One Up #3: Brain

Combine note-taking with artificial intelligence, and you’ll create a system where everything is contextually relevant. That’s what Brain brings to the table.

This AI assistant helps you work smarter and faster, from brainstorming new ideas to polishing existing work.

One of the standout features of Brain is its ability to link notes to Tasks and Projects. This means your notes are no longer isolated ideas sitting in a vacuum. Instead, you can jot down an idea during a meeting and turn it into a Task for a dedicated team member. 

What makes this particularly powerful for note-taking is how effortless it becomes to refine your thoughts. 

Instead of sifting through messy notes or unstructured ideas, let Brain do the heavy lifting. Imagine scribbling key points during a meeting and, in seconds, having a professional email or a ready-to-share content draft. That’s the power of Brain. 💪

’s One Up #4: Connected Search

’s Connected Search unifies your files, documents, and tools in one place, making it effortless to find what you need, no matter where they’re stored.

Plus, integrating your favorite apps, such as Google Drive, Slack, and Figma, brings your entire tech stack to your fingertips, all from a single search bar in . 

And it becomes more potent with time. As you use it, it adapts to your needs and provides personalized, more relevant results.

For instance, you can add custom search commands, like shortcuts to links, and store text for later for an intuitive search experience.

’s One Up #5: Pre-built templates

Why reinvent the wheel when offers 1000+ ready-to-use templates for making your note-taking strategies structured and professional?

Take the Meeting Notes Template, for instance.

It’s packed with features to help you deliver your best work in less time:

• Link your Docs and tasks so you can easily reference related information while working
• Import your previous content from other apps for rich formatting and collaborative editing

Knowledge Base Template is another fantastic resource for transitioning from meeting notes to team-wide knowledge sharing. With sections for knowledge articles, FAQs, and resources, it’s perfect for organizing and sharing knowledge across your team.

To give you more, it integrates with Connected AI, making it easier than ever to link your knowledge with your workflows.

Take Notes The Smart Way With

Both NotebookLM and Obsidian are solid tools. You can collate all your notes and thoughts and visualize them in ways you deem fit.

But what happens when your needs evolve, teams grow, and switching between multiple tools becomes a hassle? 

That’s when you need a solution that scales with you. is the perfect productivity tool for note-taking, task management, and project execution. 

That’s why we’re the everything app, for work!

Sign up for for free today and see for yourself.

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