Side-by-side comparison of two listed Productivity tools — real listing data only, no paid placement.
On record, they differ in: unique tags (Obsidian 2: #notes #knowledge-graph vs HackMD 4: #collaboration #real-time-editing #ai-agents +1 more); category rank (Obsidian #19 vs HackMD #25). Same pricing model (Freemium) and category (Productivity). Listing facts only — not a recommendation.
Private, local-first notes connected into a knowledge graph
Obsidian stores notes as plain Markdown files on your device and links them into a personal knowledge graph, visualized and extensible with thousands of community plugins. Free for personal use, with optional paid sync.
Published 2026-08-06 · Links checked 2026-09-14
Collaborative Markdown workspace for teams and agents
HackMD is a real-time Markdown editor designed for collaborative work, enabling teams to write, think, and ship together. It serves as a shared context layer where humans and AI agents can work from the same source of truth, with features like multiple cursors and comments. The platform is used by millions daily, from startups to established institutions, and offers free and open-source options.
Published 2026-08-13 · Links checked 2026-09-09
| Obsidian | HackMD | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Freemium | Freemium |
| Category | Productivity | Productivity |
| Rank in Productivity | Position #19 of 77 | Position #25 of 77 |
| Alternatives listed | 12 → | 2 → |
| Shared tags | #markdown | |
| Unique tags | #notes #knowledge-graph | #collaboration #real-time-editing #ai-agents #knowledge-sharing |
| Platforms | iOS · Android · macOS · Windows · Linux · Chrome extension · Firefox add-on | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| Pricing page | Official pricing page | HackMD Pricing & Plans: Free, Personal, Team, & Enterprise |
| Documentation | docs.obsidian.md/ | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-15) |
| Company | Not detected on official site (checked 2026-09-16) | HackMD |
| In their own words | The free and flexible app for your private thoughts.— official site (homepage description), checked | HackMD gives you a real-time Markdown editor for collaborative work. Working with Markdown files in HackMD is simple, straightforward, and fun.— official site (homepage description), checked |
| Official channels | GitHubThreadsBlueskyMastodondeclared on obsidian.md via homepage link with a matching handle / rel=me | X (Twitter)LinkedInFacebookProduct Huntdeclared on hackmd.io via schema.org sameAs |
| Official website | obsidian.md | hackmd.io |
| Site preview | ||
Rank = neutral rotation by listing ID, not a quality score · how it works
Only platforms with an official store or installer link are listed; others may exist.
Obsidian is Freemium; HackMD is Freemium. Both are listed in Productivity on ToolDock.
What they have in common: #markdown
Obsidian is listed as freemium (free tier alongside paid plans); HackMD is listed as freemium (free tier alongside paid plans). Pricing label set at listing time; official pricing page linked where verified — see each official website for current details.
Both are Productivity tools listed on ToolDock, and they share the tag markdown.
ToolDock keeps a tag-matched alternatives list for each: see Obsidian alternatives and HackMD alternatives.