Why I Chose Obsidian for My Journal

I chose Obsidian to keep my journal because it stores every entry as a plain text file on my own computer, which means my writing is never locked into a proprietary format and remains readable decades from now. It also links notes together in a way that turns a simple daily log into a connected web of thoughts, people, and projects. In this article, I’ll explain the specific reasons behind that choice, how the app works, and what you should consider if you’re thinking about using it too.

Formula

The calculator above works out how many journal entries you’ll write in a year and how many hours that takes. The formulas are:

• Entries per year = days per week × 52
• Hours per year = (minutes per entry × days per week × 52) ÷ 60

Variables: t = minutes per entry, d = days per week, 52 = weeks per year. The result is an estimate, not a promise—some days you’ll write more, some less.

Worked Example

Using the defaults: 20 minutes per entry, 5 days per week.

1. Entries per year = 5 × 52 = 260 entries
2. Hours per year = (20 × 5 × 52) ÷ 60 = 5200 ÷ 60 = 86.7 hours

So with those defaults, you’d write 260 entries and spend about 87 hours journaling in a year. That’s roughly 3.6 full days—useful to know when you’re deciding how much time to commit.

Background: What Obsidian Is

Obsidian is a note-taking app built on Markdown, a lightweight markup language that uses plain text symbols for formatting. It was first released in 2020 and quickly gained a following among people who wanted more control over their notes than cloud-based apps like Evernote or Notion offered. The key difference is that Obsidian stores everything locally in a folder of .md files. You can open those files with any text editor, even if Obsidian disappears tomorrow. That’s a huge advantage for a journal, which you probably want to keep for years or decades.

How It Works: Files, Links, and Graphs

Obsidian’s core mechanic is the link. You create a link to another note by typing [[Note Name]]. This does two things: it creates a clickable connection, and it lets Obsidian show you a graph of how your notes relate. For a journal, this means you can link a daily entry to a person’s name, a project, or a recurring theme. Later, you can open that person’s note and see every entry that mentions them. The graph view is a visual map of those connections—it can be a satisfying way to see patterns in your life, but it’s not essential to using the app.

Each day’s entry is just a new file. You can name it 2025-04-14.md or April 14, 2025.md. Obsidian doesn’t force a structure, so you decide how to organize. Many people use a folder called Journal and put all entries there. You can also use tags like #work or #family to filter entries later.

Why Plain Text Matters for a Journal

Most journaling apps save your entries in a database or a cloud service. That’s fine while the service exists and you keep paying for it. But what happens if the company shuts down, changes its pricing, or you lose your account? Your writing could be stuck. Plain text files avoid that risk entirely. You can copy them to a USB stick, email them to yourself, or put them in a cloud folder—they’ll always be readable. Markdown is also simple enough that you can learn the basics in five minutes: # for headings, * for italics, ** for bold. There’s no hidden formatting that breaks.

How to Choose Between Obsidian and Other Journaling Apps

Obsidian isn’t for everyone. Here’s a practical way to decide:

• If you want zero setup and a polished mobile experience, a dedicated journaling app like Day One or Journey might be better. They handle syncing and formatting for you.
• If you want full control and long-term durability, Obsidian is a strong choice. You can export everything as plain text at any time.
• If you write on multiple devices, Obsidian has paid sync (Obsidian Sync) but you can also use Dropbox or Google Drive to sync the folder manually. That’s free but requires a bit of technical comfort.
• If you like backlinks and connecting ideas, Obsidian shines. If you just want a linear diary, a simpler app may be less distracting.

Common Problems and How to Solve Them

New Obsidian users often hit a few snags:

• “I don’t know where my files are.â€� Obsidian stores files in a folder you choose when you create a vault. You can find it by clicking the vault name in the bottom-left corner and selecting “Open folder.â€�
• “My entries aren’t syncing.â€� If you’re not using Obsidian Sync, you need to set up your own sync (e.g., Dropbox). Make sure you don’t edit the same file on two devices at the same time—that can cause conflicts.
• “I can’t see my old journal from another app.â€� You can import text files, but not directly from Day One or Evernote. You’ll need to export from the old app to Markdown or text, then move those files into your vault.
• “The graph view is overwhelming.â€� That’s normal. You can filter it by folder or tag, or just ignore it. The graph is a bonus, not a requirement.

Costs and Safety

Obsidian is free for personal use. The paid tiers are Obsidian Sync (end-to-end encrypted syncing) and Obsidian Publish (for hosting notes as a website). Neither is required for journaling. Because your files are local, you control the safety. But that also means you’re responsible for backups. A good habit is to keep a second copy of your vault folder on an external drive or a cloud service. Plain text files are small—a decade of daily entries might be a few megabytes—so backup is easy.

One security note: if you write sensitive things, remember that any cloud service you use for backup could be accessed by someone with your account credentials. If you want strong privacy, use an encrypted folder (like VeraCrypt) or Obsidian Sync with a strong password.

Alternatives to Consider

Obsidian isn’t the only local-first option. Joplin is a free, open-source note app that also uses Markdown and can sync via Nextcloud or Dropbox. Standard Notes is another plain-text app with a focus on encryption, but its free tier is limited. Logseq is similar to Obsidian but built around outliners and daily notes by default. If you want a dedicated journaling app with a mobile-first design, Day One is popular, though it stores data in a database, not plain text. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize durability, privacy, or convenience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Obsidian really free?

Yes, Obsidian is free for personal use. You can use it indefinitely without paying. The paid features are optional: Sync (for encrypted cross-device sync) and Publish (for making notes public). For a local journal, you don’t need either.

Can I write a journal on my phone with Obsidian?

Yes, Obsidian has mobile apps for iOS and Android. They’re free and can open the same vault as your desktop. Syncing between devices requires either Obsidian Sync or a third-party service like Dropbox. The mobile app is a bit less polished than dedicated journaling apps, but it works well for quick entries.

Will my journal be readable in 20 years?

Almost certainly. Your entries are plain text files in Markdown. Even if Obsidian stops being developed, you can open those files with any text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, VS Code) and read them. Markdown is a simple format that’s widely supported. That’s a major reason I chose it.

How do I start a daily journal in Obsidian?

Create a new vault (or use an existing one), make a folder called “Journal,� and create a new note for each day. You can name it with the date. Optionally, install the “Daily Notes� core plugin (Settings → Core plugins → Daily notes) to create a note for today with one click. That plugin also lets you set a template for your entries.

Can I add photos to my Obsidian journal?

Yes, you can embed images by dragging them into a note. Obsidian copies the image file into your vault (unless you change that setting). The image appears in the note and is stored locally. That means your photos are just as portable as your text.

Is Obsidian good for private or sensitive journaling?

It can be, but it depends on how you set it up. Your files are stored locally, so if your computer is secure, your journal is secure. If you sync via a cloud service, that service sees your files unless you encrypt them yourself. For sensitive content, you can use Obsidian Sync (which is end-to-end encrypted) or keep your vault in an encrypted folder. No app can protect you if someone has access to your device or passwords.

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in t | Journal time (min) | min | 20 | 0
in d | Days per week | - | 5 | 0 | 7
out w | Entries per year | entries | d * 52 | 0
out h | Hours per year | hours | t * d * 52 / 60 | 1