All the power.
None of the setup.
Beautiful native apps, seamless sync, and powerful features – all without the plugin complexity.
The Bottom Line: Craft vs Obsidian in 2026
Craft
Zero setup required - install and start writing in under 60 seconds
Free sync across all devices included (Obsidian Sync costs $4/month)
Native Swift apps with better battery life than Electron-based Obsidian
One-click web publishing built-in - no plugins needed
AI assistant included free (no plugin configuration required)
Obsidian
You enjoy spending time configuring and customizing your tools
You need local-only Markdown files with full file system control
You're a developer who sees plugin tinkering as part of the workflow
You need specific community plugins that only exist for Obsidian
Craft works instantly out of the box with free sync included - no plugins, no configuration. Obsidian requires hours of setup time, plugin hunting, and Sync costs $4/month extra. If you want the power of linked documents without the complexity, Craft is the choice for writers who value their time.
Craft vs Obsidian: Feature Comparison 2026
See how Craft and Obsidian compare across key features
Feature
Craft
Obsidian
Winner
Native Apps
Yes (Swift/UIKit)
Electron-based
Craft
Sync Included
Free with all plans
$4/month add-on
Craft
Web Publishing
One-click, included free
$8/month Publish add-on
Craft
Total Cost (Sync + Publish)
Free / $7.99/mo Plus
$12/month for both
Craft
AI Assistant
Built-in, included
Requires third-party plugins
Craft
Setup Time
30 seconds
Hours (plugins, themes, sync)
Craft
Local File Storage
Cloud-first (export available)
Local .md files you own
Obsidian
Plugins/Extensions
Features built-in
1000+ community plugins
Obsidian
Real-time Collaboration
Built-in live editing
Not available
Craft
Learning Curve
Minimal - works immediately
Steep - plugin research required
Craft
Why users switch to Craft
A
Anonymous review
“ I've tried almost every software on the market — Obsidian, Notion, Ulysses, Anytype, Capacities. Craft is definitely the most beautiful. The mobile app is in another league.”
App Store Award
Mac App of the Year
Apple Design Awards
Finalist
Webby
Awarded three times in various categories
German Design Award
Excellent Communications Design Interactive UX
What matters most
Craft gets it right
Native experience
True native apps for Mac, iPad, iPhone and Android – not Electron. Feels like it belongs on your device.
Cloud sync
Automatic, seamless sync included free. No setup, no third-party services needed.
Sharing & Publishing
One-click publishing to beautiful web pages. No separate paid service required.
Ease of use
Works beautifully out of the box. No plugins to research, install, or maintain.
AI Assistant
Built-in AI writing assistant included in all plans – no third-party plugins needed.
API, MCP & Automations
Connect with Claude, ChatGPT, Apple Shortcuts, and build custom workflows
Why users switch to Craft
M
Mikailkraft
“ Craft gets rid of all the noise from Notion while not becoming as barebones as Obsidian. It’s a perfect balance of features – and it’s done seamlessly. Synching is immediate, and the app feels right at home on my Mac and my iPad.”
Compare the cost
| Plan | Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | Free | Free |
| Plus Personal | $8.0 | $4 |
| Web Publishing | Included | $8 |
| Sync + Publish | Included | $12 |
| AI Assistant Feature | Included | Not available |
Switch From Obsidian To Craft
Locate your Vault
Find your Obsidian vault folder on your computer - it's where all your .md files are stored.
Drag & Drop to your Craft
Open Craft, go to "All Documents" view, and drag your vault folder directly in, or use the Import option from the menu.
Start Crafting
Craft automatically imports your markdown, images, folder structure, and links.
Write your next
doc in Craft
Start for free.
No credit card required.
Common Questions
For many users, yes – especially if you want a polished, native experience without the complexity. Craft offers the beautiful writing environment and linking capabilities you love, but with seamless cloud sync, native apps, and powerful features built-in. You'll spend less time configuring plugins and more time actually writing and creating.
We understand data ownership matters. Craft stores your data securely in the cloud with full export capabilities – Markdown, PDF, Word, or direct transfer to apps like Bear and Ulysses. While Craft doesn't use local .md files, your data is never locked in. You can export your entire workspace anytime.
Obsidian is free, but Sync costs $4/month and Publish costs $8/month – that's $12/month total. Craft Plus costs $5/month and includes sync, publishing, real-time collaboration, and AI assistant all in one. For the full experience, Craft is 58% cheaper.
Real-time collaboration with your team. One-click web publishing. AI assistant built-in. Share beautiful documents with anyone instantly – no plugins to install, no themes to configure, no sync issues to debug. Just write.
This is where Craft truly shines. Craft's apps are fully native, fast, and feature-complete on iPhone, iPad, and Android. Many Obsidian users cite mobile as their biggest frustration – slow loading, sync issues, plugins not working. With Craft, you get the same seamless experience across all your devices, no matter which platform you use.
Yes. Craft provides full offline access – create, edit, organize, and search documents without internet. Changes sync automatically when you reconnect. Unlike Obsidian, you don't need to configure sync or manage file conflicts.
Yes. Export your Obsidian notes as Markdown files, then use Craft's import feature. Your formatting, headers, and links transfer cleanly. Internal links become Craft's native links. Import folder by folder for large vaults.
Yes. Craft supports bi-directional linking between documents. Link any block or document to another, and see connections in the backlinks panel. It's simpler than Obsidian's graph view but covers most use cases.
No. Craft includes all essential features built-in: sync, publishing, AI, tables, code blocks, templates, and more. No plugin hunting, no compatibility issues, no maintenance. Everything just works out of the box.
Yes. Craft supports real-time collaboration. Share documents with anyone, edit together in real-time, leave comments, and work as a team. This is a major advantage over Obsidian's single-user model.
Craft's publishing is simpler and included in Plus ($5/month). One-click publishing creates beautiful web pages instantly. Obsidian Publish costs $8/month separately. Craft pages look polished without theme configuration.
Yes. Craft has native Apple Pencil support on iPad for writing, drawing, and annotating. Mix handwritten notes with typed text seamlessly. This is a feature Obsidian simply doesn't offer.
Yes, and it's built-in. Craft includes AI assistant in all plans – no plugins to install or configure. Write, edit, summarize, and organize with AI help. Choose cloud AI or on-device models for privacy.
If you value your time, yes. Craft eliminates hours of plugin configuration, sync troubleshooting, and mobile frustrations. The native experience, included sync, and real-time collaboration make Craft worth the investment.
Yes. Craft offers a free Education plan for students with full Plus features. No plugin setup needed – just start writing. The clean interface helps with focus. Seamless sync means your notes are always available for study.
Craft is better for writers who want to focus on writing, not configuration. Native performance, beautiful typography, distraction-free mode, and one-click publishing. Obsidian is better for those who enjoy customization and local files.
Craft sync is faster (sub-second) and included free. Obsidian Sync costs $4/month extra and can have conflict issues. Craft's sync just works – no configuration, no file conflicts, no troubleshooting.
Export your Obsidian vault as Markdown files (they already are!). Use Craft's Import feature and select the folder. Craft preserves formatting and converts wiki-links to native links. Import incrementally for large vaults.
Why users switch to Craft
J
Jeffb129
“ Craft is way more functional than Apple or Google Notes while being much easier to use than Notion”