Table of Contents
Scrivener and Obsidian are potent pieces of software that were developed for certain creative tasks. Authors, novelists, and screenwriters can take advantage of the extensive capabilities that are available in Scrivener, which is generally renowned as a tool for writing and project management. On the other hand, Obsidian is a multifunctional tool for taking notes and managing knowledge that is highly regarded by individuals who are looking for a method to efficiently organize their thoughts and ideas. In this comparison, we will look into their relative capabilities, features, and applications, with the goal of assisting you in making an informed decision regarding which software is better suited to meet your unique requirements and creative workflows.
Scrivener vs Obsidian Comparison Table
Scrivener is a complete writing program that is great for authors. It has features for organizing projects and editing manuscripts. Obsidian, on the other hand, is a tool for taking notes and managing information that focuses on how ideas and thoughts are linked.
| Feature | Scrivener | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Price | macOS: $49, Windows: $45 | Free, but some features require a subscription |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, iOS, iPadOS, Android | macOS, Windows, Linux |
| File format | .scriv file | Markdown |
| Syncing | Supports Dropbox, iCloud, and Google Drive | Supports Dropbox, OneDrive, and GitHub |
| Plugins | Available through the Scrivener Marketplace | Available through the Obsidian Community Forums |
| Download Now | Download Now |
Scrivener vs Obsidian: Purpose and Use Cases
Scrivener is a flexible piece of writing software made for authors, screenwriters, and researchers who are working on long writing projects. It gives you a structured place to write, organize, and format long papers quickly. It has features that meet the needs of people who are writing books, academic papers, or scripts. For example, it has tools for managing projects, integrating research, and formatting manuscripts.
Obsidian, on the other hand, is a tool for managing information and taking notes that encourages creativity and non-linear thinking. It is great at making notes that are linked to each other, which helps users find connections between ideas and learn more. This makes it a favorite among thinkers, writers, and knowledge workers who need a digital workplace to develop and connect their ideas, insights, and research.
Scrivener vs Obsidian: User Interface and Experience
Scrivener is known for its polished and easy-to-use interface, which helps writers organize their work in the best way possible. It has a binder view for hierarchical organization and a corkboard view for visual planning, which makes it a great choice for authors who like to write in a structured setting. It is good at putting together manuscripts and managing projects.
Obsidian, on the other hand, is simple and focuses on taking notes and learning new things. It encourages users to make notes and link them together, which makes it easier to think and study in non-linear ways. Obsidian is great at helping people build their own information bases and make connections between different ideas.
Scrivener vs Obsidian: Collaboration and Sharing Capabilities
Scrivener is a powerful writing program that is known for how well it can organize projects and style manuscripts. But it mostly works as a stand-alone tool, which makes it hard to work with other people. It helps authors and content creators structure and write long-form papers very well, but it doesn’t have any built-in tools for real-time collaboration or shared editing.
Obsidian, on the other hand, is a tool for taking notes and managing knowledge that is great at helping people work together and share information. Its strength is that it lets people think in a way that links thoughts, notes, and ideas together easily. Obsidian’s note-sharing and linking features make it easier to work together. This makes it a good choice for collaborative projects, study teams, or anyone who wants to build a shared knowledge base.
Scrivener vs Obsidian: Customization and Extensions
Obsidian is mainly a tool for taking notes and keeping track of information. It does a great job of encouraging non-linear thinking and study. It stands out because of its large library of plugins, which lets users change and add to the application‘s features to meet their own needs. Because of this, Obsidian is a great choice for people who want a customizable note-taking system that is also very flexible.
Scrivener, on the other hand, is a complete piece of software for writers. It has some customization choices, but its main focus is on organizing projects, formatting manuscripts, and making writing faster, not on supporting a lot of plugins. It’s the best choice for writers who care most about managing their manuscripts and having smooth writing processes.
Scrivener vs Obsidian: Export and Backup Options
Scrivener is best at creating and organizing manuscripts because it was made for writers in particular. It gives you a lot of control over how your document looks, which is important for writers who need accurate document structure, especially for books, scripts, or school papers. Its export choices are made to fit publishing standards, which makes it easy to go from writing to publishing. Authors can keep the look of their work consistent.
Obsidian, on the other hand, is a tool for managing information and taking notes that emphasizes non-linear thinking and how ideas are linked. It can export notes so they can be shared or backed up, but it doesn’t have the full formatting controls that are needed for professional writing tasks. Obsidian’s strength is that it makes it easier to do study, come up with new ideas, and cross-reference. This makes it an important tool for knowledge workers and researchers.
Scrivener vs Obsidian: Performance and Resource Requirements
Scrivener is known for being stable and good at managing resources. It is made to handle large writing projects easily, making it a good choice for writers and people who make content. Its organized way of organizing research, notes, and drafts makes it easier to get work done, especially when writing long pieces.
Obsidian, on the other hand, is a local-first app, which means that how well it works rests a lot on the capabilities of your device. It does a great job of encouraging non-linear thinking and managing information by letting users make notes and ideas that link to each other. It works well on most current hardware, but the amount of resources it uses will depend on how big and complicated your personal knowledge graph is.
Which is better?
Scrivener and Obsidian comes down to what you need. Scrivener is a great tool for writing and managing projects. It is perfect for authors and writers. The way it is set up helps structure long-form material. Obsidian, on the other hand, shines as a flexible platform for taking notes and managing knowledge. It is used by people who want to connect ideas and organize knowledge efficiently. To decide which choice is better, think about how you plan to use it: Scrivener for focused writing projects or Obsidian for flexible note-taking and organizing of knowledge. Each has its own strong points, so it’s important to choose the one that best fits your artistic or organizational needs.
Scrivener: The good and The bad
Scrivener is the most effective writing app currently available. It provides you all the tools you need to conduct research, compose, and reorganize your work.
The Good
- Powerful outlining and research tools
- Easy to use and learn
The Bad
- Can be expensive
Obsidian: The good and The bad
Obsidian is a great note-taking program, however it is lacking a few features that are available in competing note-taking apps. To start, there is absolutely no functionality for group work included.
The Good
- Open-source and community-driven
- Highly customizable
The Bad
- Learning curve can be steep for beginners
Questions and Answers
Scrivener is the best app for writers of all kinds. It is used every day by best-selling authors, screenwriters, non-fiction writers, students, academics, lawyers, journalists, translators, and more.
If you want to write more, use an app that lets you take notes. It will change the way you do things. I like to use obsidian, but there are many other tools as well. It works because it’s similar to how I think, lets me make random and specific links.