Obsidian vs Superhuman

Obsidian

Local-first knowledge base on plain Markdown files

Obsidian is a note-taking and knowledge management app that stores notes as plain Markdown files on your own device. Users write and link notes together to build a personal knowledge base - sometimes called a second brain - that can be explored through links, backlinks and a visual graph of connections. Its local-first design is the defining choice. Notes are ordinary text files in a folder you control, not records in a company's database, so they remain readable with any editor, work offline, and are not locked into a proprietary format. That gives users confidence that years of notes will outlast the app itself, and it appeals strongly to privacy-conscious people, researchers, writers and developers. The linking model encourages networked thinking. Typing double brackets creates a link to another note, backlinks show every note that references the current one, and the graph view visualises how ideas connect. Canvas provides an infinite board for arranging notes and media spatially, and properties, tags and powerful search help organise large vaults. Extensibility is a major strength. A very large community has built plugins and themes that add task management, spaced repetition, calendars, databases, kanban boards, integrations and much more, so Obsidian can be shaped into almost any workflow. The core app is free to use, and the company earns revenue from optional paid services: Obsidian Sync for encrypted syncing across devices and Obsidian Publish for turning notes into a website. The trade-offs follow from the flexibility. A blank vault and endless plugins can lead to time spent configuring rather than writing, real-time collaboration is limited compared with cloud tools, and syncing without the paid service requires setting up an alternative. Alternatives include Notion for collaborative docs and databases in the cloud; Logseq, an open-source outliner with local files; Roam Research, which popularised bidirectional linking; Bear and Apple Notes for simple writing; Evernote for traditional note capture; and Capacities and Tana for object-based knowledge management. Choose Obsidian when you want a personal knowledge base you fully own and can customise without limits.

Superhuman

The fastest email experience ever made

Superhuman is a premium email client built for speed. It works on top of Gmail and Microsoft Outlook accounts and redesigns the email experience around keyboard shortcuts, a minimalist interface and features meant to help heavy email users get through their inbox faster. Superhuman was acquired by Grammarly in 2025, bringing it into a broader suite of AI writing and productivity tools. The product became known for its focus on performance and workflow. Almost every action can be done from the keyboard, and the interface responds instantly, which matters for executives, founders, investors and salespeople who process hundreds of emails a day. Split Inbox separates important messages from newsletters, notifications and other categories, so attention goes where it matters. Features such as snoozing, reminders when someone has not replied, scheduled sending, read statuses, undo send and instant search support the goal of reaching inbox zero. AI has become central to Superhuman. It can write and edit replies in the user's voice, summarise long threads, sort and label incoming mail, and let users ask questions of their inbox in natural language to find information. Calendar integration helps schedule meetings and share availability without leaving email. Team features let organisations share templates and best practices. Superhuman is a paid subscription and one of the most expensive email clients available, which is the main objection. It also works only with Gmail and Outlook accounts, and some users find that the speed gains depend on learning its shortcuts and workflows. Alternatives include Gmail and Outlook themselves, increasingly adding AI features; Spark for a free or low-cost smart email client with team features; Shortwave, an AI-first client for Gmail; Missive and Front for shared team inboxes; Hey, an opinionated email service with its own address; and Apple Mail for simplicity. Choose Superhuman when email is a large part of your job and speed justifies a premium price.