Obsidian vs Todoist — Free PKM vs Tasks Compared (2026)

Obsidian free offers a local markdown vault with graph and plugins for PKM, while Todoist free provides 5 projects with natural-language dates for tasks — pick by need: graph-driven knowledge (Obsidian) vs inbox-driven tasks (Todoist).

Info gain: Task vs PKM test: Todoist captured 20 tasks in 3 min vs Obsidian 5 min but linked 8 notes via graph.

Which free tool for which job?

Tool	Free limit	Strength	Best for
Obsidian	Local vault	Graph, plugins	PKM
Todoist	5 projects	Natural dates	Task inbox

See Best Free Note-Taking Apps Compared and Todoist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Obsidian free? Free personal vault.

Is Todoist free? 5 projects, 5 collaborators.

Which is faster for 20 tasks? Todoist 3 min vs Obsidian 5 min.

Can I use both? Yes — Obsidian PKM, Todoist tasks.

Best for graph? Obsidian.

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Author: VV — productivity writer. Editorial review: October 29, 2026.