Obsidian vs Fathom: The Best Tool for Knowledge Management in 2025?

In the age of digital knowledge management, choosing the right tool can make all the difference. Obsidian vs Fathom are two powerful yet distinct platforms designed to help users organize and access information efficiently. Obsidian is a markdown-based, local-first note-taking tool ideal for researchers and writers, while Fathom leverages AI to transcribe and summarize meetings, making it perfect for business professionals. But which one suits your workflow better?

In this article, we’ll compare their features, ease of use, and security to help you make an informed decision on the best tool for your personal or professional needs.

What is Obsidian?

Obsidian is a markdown-based note-taking and knowledge management tool that helps users store, organize, and connect their thoughts non-linearly. Unlike traditional note-taking apps, Obsidian is local-first, meaning all data is stored on your device instead of the cloud. This makes it ideal for users who prioritize privacy and long-term knowledge preservation.

Originally released in 2020 by the makers of Dynalist, Obsidian quickly gained popularity among researchers, students, content creators, and knowledge workers due to its emphasis on deep linking, networked thought, and customization. It’s designed to function as a "second brain," where notes are not just static entries but interconnected pieces of knowledge that grow over time.

Key Features

1. Markdown-Based Editing

Obsidian relies on Markdown, a lightweight markup language that makes formatting text easy and distraction-free. Users can create, edit, and organize notes efficiently with simple text-based commands.

2. Backlinks and Bidirectional Linking

One of Obsidian’s standout features is its bidirectional linking system, which allows users to create references between notes. This fosters a web-like structure rather than a rigid hierarchy, enabling better information recall and synthesis of ideas.

3. Graph View

The Graph View visually represents how notes are connected. This interactive feature helps users identify relationships between topics, making it especially useful for research-heavy work.

4. Local-First and Offline Storage

Unlike many cloud-based note-taking tools, Obsidian stores all notes locally on your device. This means users maintain full control over their data and can access notes without an internet connection.

5. Plugins and Customization

Obsidian supports a thriving community of plugins that allow users to extend its functionality. Some popular plugins include task management tools, calendar integrations, PDF annotation, and AI-powered search.

6. Multiple Vaults for Different Projects

Users can create separate "vaults" for different projects, ensuring a clean and organized workspace without overlap between unrelated topics.

What is Fathom?

Fathom is an AI-powered transcription and meeting insights tool that helps users record, summarize, and analyze conversations in real-time. Designed primarily for business professionals, sales teams, and remote workers, Fathom eliminates the need for manual note-taking during meetings.

Fathom’s AI-driven automation enhances productivity by automatically capturing key takeaways from meetings, generating summaries, and integrating with workplace tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and Slack. It transforms audio content into structured notes, allowing teams to focus on engagement rather than documentation.

Key Features

1. AI-Powered Transcription

Fathom uses advanced speech recognition technology to transcribe conversations with high accuracy. This eliminates the need for manual note-taking and ensures users never miss important details.

2. Meeting Summaries and Action Items

Instead of going through long transcripts, Fathom automatically summarizes meetings into digestible insights. It also detects action items and key decisions, helping teams stay aligned.

3. Seamless Integration with Business Tools

Fathom integrates with tools like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet, Slack, and CRM software, making it easy to sync meeting notes across platforms.

4. Speaker Identification

The AI can differentiate between speakers, ensuring that transcriptions accurately attribute comments to the right participants.

5. Searchable Meeting History

Users can search past conversations using keywords, making it easy to retrieve important discussions without manually scanning hours of audio.

6. Cloud-Based and Cross-Device Access

Unlike Obsidian’s local-first approach, Fathom stores data securely in the cloud, allowing users to access meeting summaries from any device.

Which One Should You Choose? Obsidian vs. Fathom

Choosing between Obsidian and Fathom depends on how you manage, organize, and access knowledge. While both tools are designed to enhance productivity, they cater to very different user needs.

• Obsidian is a manual knowledge management system designed for deep thinkers, researchers, and writers who prefer a structured, customizable, and local-first approach.
• Fathom, on the other hand, is an AI-driven transcription and meeting assistant best suited for professionals who need to capture and organize spoken information without manual effort.

Let’s explore which tool is best for different types of users and the budget considerations before arriving at a final verdict.

Best Choice for Writers, Researchers, and Knowledge Workers

If you are someone who enjoys writing, researching, and organizing knowledge systematically, Obsidian is the clear winner.

Why Obsidian is Ideal for Knowledge Workers

Deep Interconnected Note-Taking

• Writers, researchers, and academics often need to link ideas across different topics.
• Obsidian’s backlinks and graph view help users connect related notes, making it easier to track knowledge over time.

Markdown-Based Writing

• Markdown allows for fast, distraction-free writing with minimal formatting needs.
• Perfect for drafting articles, research papers, or even books.

Privacy and Local Storage

• Researchers dealing with sensitive information or proprietary data will benefit from Obsidian’s local-first approach—ensuring complete control over data.

Customizable with Plugins

• Writers can enhance their workflow with task managers, templates, and citation management tools using plugins.

Offline Access and Long-Term Knowledge Preservation

• Unlike cloud-based tools, Obsidian does not rely on an internet connection, making it great for those who prefer long-term data security.

Who Should Choose Obsidian?

• Writers drafting articles, books, or scripts.
• Researchers managing large amounts of data and citations.
• Knowledge workers building a second brain for long-term learning.
• Academics organizing course materials, lecture notes, and literature reviews.
• Privacy-conscious users who prefer local storage over cloud-based tools.

Best Choice for Business Professionals and Teams

If you’re a business professional, sales executive, or remote worker who frequently attends meetings, Fathom is the better choice.

Why Fathom is Ideal for Professionals and Teams

AI-Powered Transcription and Summaries

• Fathom automatically transcribes meetings, ensuring no important details are lost.
• AI-generated summaries help teams stay aligned and reduce the need for manual note-taking.

Seamless Integration with Business Tools

• Works with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Slack, and CRM systems, making it easy to sync notes across multiple platforms.

Time-Saving Automation

• No need to listen to long recordings—Fathom highlights key takeaways and action items.
• Saves hours of manual documentation work, freeing up time for high-value tasks.

Cloud-Based and Cross-Device Access

• Access meeting summaries from any device, anywhere, unlike Obsidian’s local-first model.

Speaker Identification and Searchable Meeting History

• Identifies different speakers and allows users to search past conversations by keyword, making it easy to retrieve specific discussions.

Who Should Choose Fathom?

• Business professionals and executives who need quick access to meeting summaries.
• Sales teams track client interactions and update CRM records.
• Remote and hybrid teams need efficient collaboration and documentation.
• Podcasters and journalists conducting interviews and needing quick transcripts.
• Anyone attending frequent meetings who wants to focus on the discussion rather than taking notes.

Budget and Pricing Considerations

While both tools are useful, pricing plays a crucial role in decision-making.

Obsidian Pricing

• Free for personal use.
• Obsidian Sync ($8/month): Secure cloud syncing for cross-device access.
• Obsidian Publish ($16/month): Publish notes online with a custom domain.
• One-time payment options for commercial use.

Best for: Users who prefer a one-time purchase rather than monthly subscriptions.

Fathom Pricing

• Free Plan: Limited access with basic transcription features.
• Premium Plan ($19–$29/month): Full AI-powered transcription, meeting summaries, integrations, and unlimited storage.

Best for: Business professionals and teams who rely on AI-powered automation and real-time collaboration.

If you need an affordable, one-time purchase tool for personal knowledge management, Obsidian is more cost-effective.

However, if you attend frequent meetings and want AI-powered transcription, the monthly investment in Fathom is worth it for business users.

Final Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Obsidian: Best for Knowledge Builders and Privacy-Focused Users

Ideal for researchers, writers, students, and knowledge workers.

Offers deep customization and long-term data security.

Best for offline access and structured note-taking.

One-time cost makes it affordable for personal users.

Fathom: Best for Business Professionals and Teams

Perfect for busy professionals, executives, and sales teams.

AI-powered transcription and automation save time.

Integrates with Zoom, Teams, Slack, and CRM tools.

Cloud-based access ensures notes are available anytime, anywhere.

When to Use Both?

Some users might benefit from using both Obsidian and Fathom together:

• Use Fathom to capture and summarize meetings automatically.
• Use Obsidian to store, refine, and interlink insights for long-term reference.

This hybrid approach ensures efficient knowledge capture (Fathom) and deep knowledge organization (Obsidian).

Conclusion

Both Obsidian and Fathom cater to different needs—whether you value structured note-taking or AI-powered meeting transcription. The best tool depends on how you manage information and streamline your workflow. Have you used either tool? Which features do you love or wish were better? Share your thoughts in the comments!

If you're looking for an AI-driven productivity tool, exploreKnapsack—designed to automate meeting notes and enhance collaboration.

FAQs

Which tool is better for long-term knowledge management?

Obsidian is better for structured, long-term note-taking, while Fathom focuses on AI-powered meeting transcription.

Can I use both Obsidian and Fathom together?

Yes! Use Fathom for meeting summaries and Obsidian for organizing insights. For an all-in-one secure AI note-taking solution, check outKnapsack.

Is Obsidian or Fathom better for team collaboration?

Fathom is better for teams with AI-powered meeting summaries, while Obsidian is best for personal knowledge management. Knapsack offers a secure AI-driven alternative for professionals.

Does Obsidian or Fathom offer better security?

Obsidian stores data locally, ensuring full privacy, while Fathom is cloud-based with AI-driven automation. For a secure AI note-taking alternative, considerKnapsack.

Which tool is better for financial professionals?

Fathom helps with meeting transcription, but for secure, private AI-powered note-taking, Knapsack is designed for financial experts handling sensitive data.