Can I move my notes from Obsidian to Octarine?

Yes. The migration guide walks through the export and folder setup for Obsidian.

Will Octarine lock me into another proprietary format?

No. Octarine works with standard markdown files stored in folders you choose.

Does Octarine replace every Obsidian feature?

No. Octarine is focused on local-first writing and personal knowledge management. If a specialized Obsidian feature is essential, it may remain the better fit.

Can I try Octarine without committing to the move?

Yes. Work from a copy of your exported notes first, verify the result, and keep your original library untouched while you decide.

Where are my notes stored?

In the workspace folder you select. The files remain visible and usable outside Octarine.

Octarine vs. Obsidian

Like Obsidian's approach but tired of managing plugins? Octarine has the core features built in, is 90% lighter, and edits in true WYSIWYG.

Download for macOS Migration guide

Choose Octarine if

You want the core features built in and working together, without assembling them from a plugin marketplace.

Try Octarine on a copy of your Obsidian vault

Choose Obsidian if

You enjoy building a deeply customized workflow from community plugins, or you depend on a specific plugin Octarine does not offer.

Feature comparison

How They Compare

Capability	Octarine	Obsidian
App Size	Under 30MB	400MB+
Setup Time	Open and start writing	Need to configure plugins
Editor Experience	True WYSIWYG, smooth	Split view or jumpy preview
Core Features	Everything built-in	Depends on community plugins
Performance	Fast, light on RAM	Slower with many plugins
Sync & Backup	Built-in Git sync + iCloud, Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive, Syncthing	Need a plugin / Paid sync
AI Integration	Built-in chat and writing assistant	Various plugin options
Natural Language Dates	Works out of the box	Need a plugin
Themes	30+ included	Community themes vary in quality
Graph View	Available	Available
Properties	Available	Available
Price	Free, $79 for Pro features	Free; Sync from $4/month, $25 one-time for early access
Platform Support	macOS, Linux, Windows	All platforms + mobile
Mobile App	Pro-only iOS TestFlight beta	Available now

Strengths & Weaknesses

Octarine

Strengths

App Size: Under 30MB
Setup Time: Open and start writing
Editor Experience: True WYSIWYG, smooth

Weaknesses

A smaller ecosystem than Obsidian
Focused on personal notes rather than every possible workflow
Some Obsidian features do not have a direct equivalent

Obsidian

Strengths

A large, mature plugin and theme ecosystem
Extremely flexible for people who enjoy configuring their tools
Free

Weaknesses

App Size: 400MB+
Setup Time: Need to configure plugins
Editor Experience: Split view or jumpy preview

The bottom line

Summary

Obsidian is great if you enjoy tinkering. Some people love spending hours perfecting their setup, and that's totally valid. If you want to write and connect ideas without maintaining plugins, Octarine makes more sense.

Your notes are still plain markdown files, so you can point Octarine at a copy of your Obsidian vault and start using it right away, with no conversion or import step. If you don't like it, go back to Obsidian with the original vault untouched.

Octarine uses a one-time purchase rather than a recurring sync subscription. You can sync the same folder with Dropbox, iCloud, GitHub, or another service you already use.

Verification

Methodology

Compared against Obsidian's official documentation and public pricing. Octarine details were checked against the current product and documentation.

Last reviewed: 2026-08-17

Making the move

Switching from Obsidian to Octarine

Read migration guide Octarine docs

Frequently Asked Questions

Start writing with Octarine.

A fast, private Markdown workspace for capturing ideas, shaping notes, and keeping your writing in files you control.

Download for macOSIncludes a 7-day Pro trial.

Available onDesktop & iOS

macOSDetected Windows Linux iOS