Obsidian, the powerful knowledge management tool, has just made a game-changing announcement: its Commercial license is now optional. This means individuals and organizations can use Obsidian for commercial use without charge.

What is Obsidian?

For the non-geeks reading this post, Obsidian is a markdown-based note-taking and knowledge management tool designed for flexibility and control. Unlike cloud-based alternatives, Obsidian allows users to store their notes as local Markdown files, ensuring full ownership of their data. It also enables users to link nots together, making it an excellent tool for organizing complex information, building knowledge bases, and enhancing productivity. You can literally use Obsidian for anything or from building a Sharepoint replacement and visualizing information to managing a project or planning a road trip. Key features of Obsidian include:

• Markdown Files: Notes are stored as plain-text Markdown files, which are lightweight, widely supported, and easy to edit with any text editor. (Translation: you are not locked down to some proprietary file format)
• Backlinking and Graph View: Users can connect related ideas through backlinks, and the interactive Graph View provides a visual representation of how notes are interlinked. (Translation: You can build a complex “second brain” for yourself or your business.)
• Custom Plugins and Themes: A rich ecosystem of plugins allows users to tailor Obsidian to their specific workflow needs. (Translation: You can adapt Obsidian to work for yourself and your business.)
• Full Offline Access: Since all notes are stored locally, you can work on your knowledge base anytime without needing an internet connection. (Translation: Unlike cloud platforms, you can work and write without Internet access, and sync up the files later when you have Internet access. You can also keep your important data offline for security reasons if you wish.)

Why Obsidian’s New Pricing Model Matters

Previously, businesses needed a Commercial license to use Obsidian for professional purposes if they have more than 2 users. With this requirement now removed, organizations can freely adopt Obsidian for note-taking, project documentation, research, and internal knowledge management. This move aligns with Obsidian’s philosophy: giving users full control over their data while keeping things simple. For companies looking to support Obsidian’s development, the Commercial license remains available as an optional purchase to a sign of support. However, there are no restrictions on using Obsidian for work, making it a viable alternative to paid knowledge management tools like Notion, Evernote.

Obsidian’s Security Advantage

One of the standout benefits of Obsidian is its local-first approach to data storage. Unlike cloud-based alternatives, which require users to store their notes on third-party servers, Obsidian keeps all files on your device by default. This provides several key security advantages:

• Full Data Ownership: Your notes are stored as plain-text Markdown files on your local machine, meaning you retain 100% control over your information.
• No Vendor Lock-In: Because Obsidian doesn’t use a proprietary format, you can access your data with any Markdown-compatible editor, ensuring long-term accessibility.
• Offline Access: Obsidian works seamlessly without an internet connection, reducing exposure to online threats like data breaches and unauthorized access.
• Self-Managed Encryption: If you need synchronization across devices, Obsidian offers an optional Sync service with end-to-end encryption, ensuring that even Obsidian’s servers cannot access your data. This is why a lot of businesses and organizations that require compliance such as HIPPA have already moved to Obsidian.

Why Businesses Should Consider Obsidian

With this pricing update, Obsidian is now a compelling option for businesses looking for a secure, cost-effective, and flexible knowledge management tool. It’s particularly beneficial for:

• Teams handling sensitive information, such as legal firms, cybersecurity teams, or financial analysts, who require local storage and encryption for compliance reasons.
• Remote and hybrid teams needing a powerful offline note-taking system without reliance on internet connectivity.
• Startups and small businesses that want to build a scalable internal knowledge base without ongoing software subscription costs.

How to Get Started

Since Obsidian is now free for work, getting started is as simple as downloading the app and setting up a workspace tailored to your team’s needs. For organizations that require syncing across multiple devices, Obsidian Sync offers an optional encrypted cloud service. Additionally, Obsidian Publish allows companies to share documentation publicly or internally with a simple publishing workflow. You can get started easily at https://obsidian.md

If you would like more information on how Obsidian might work for your business, feel free to also reach out to Smartt and talk to one of our friendly consultants. We’d be happy to take a look at your scenario and see if Obsidian could be the right tool for you.