Breef vs Obsidian
Obsidian keeps your notes as local Markdown files and lets you build almost anything with plugins. Breef links your notes the same way, and builds in what learning needs: spaced reviews, quizzes and lectures written up for you.
Breef and Obsidian, side by side
| Feature | Breef | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Where notes live | YesIn your Breef account, the same on every device | YesMarkdown files in a folder on your device |
| Links and a graph | YesLinks both ways, and a map coloured by project, subject or how well you know it | YesLinks, backlinks and a graph view |
| Spaced review | YesBuilt in for every note: 1, 3, 7, 21, 60 and 120 days | In partThrough community plugins |
| Quizzes from your notes | YesThree questions from each due note; 10 new quizzes a month free | In partThrough community plugins |
| Lecture recording | YesRecords a lecture and writes it up into your note | In partRecords audio; writing it up takes plugins |
| Sync across devices | YesIncluded, on every plan | In partObsidian Sync is paid, or bring your own (iCloud, Git…) |
| Getting started | YesReady the moment you sign up | In partVery flexible, with plugins and themes to choose and set up |
| Apps and offline | In partIn the browser on any computer or phone, and installable as an app | YesNative apps for computers and phones that work offline |
| Price | YesFree to start; Pro is €6 a month or €48 a year | YesFree for personal and work use; Sync and Publish are paid |
What’s said here about other apps comes from their own websites, as of October 2026, and may have changed since.
Which one is for you
Choose Obsidian if
- You want your notes as plain files on your own device.
- You love customising with plugins and themes.
- You need everything to work offline.
Choose Breef if
- You want spaced reviews and quizzes without assembling plugins.
- You want lectures recorded and written up into notes.
- You want your notes the same on every device, with nothing to sync.
Moving from Obsidian
Import your vault as it is, as a folder or a .zip: notes arrive with their [[links]] and tags. Breef keeps them as Markdown, and Settings › Export notes gives them all back whenever you like.
Questions
Can I import my Obsidian vault?
Yes. Import the folder or a .zip of it as it is: notes arrive with their [[links]] and tags.
Are my notes still Markdown?
Yes. Breef keeps your notes as Markdown, and Settings › Export notes gives them all back as Markdown files.
Does Breef have a graph view?
Yes: Knowledge draws every note and link as a map, coloured by project, subject or how well you know each note, and can replay how it grew.
Does Breef work offline?
Breef runs in the browser and needs a connection. If working offline matters most, Obsidian is the better fit.
More comparisons
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