Obsidian vs Roam Research
Obsidian takes the higher SoftwareScore, 70 to 50. That's a clear gap that holds up across most use cases. Both are scored on the same public formula. See how.
Roam pioneered networked, block-based thinking, but Obsidian has largely caught up while adding local files you own and a far lower price. Roam still appeals to hardcore outliners committed to its workflow, but for most people Obsidian delivers similar linked-notes power without the subscription or the lock-in.
Obsidian vs Roam Research: our take
Obsidian takes the higher SoftwareScore, 70 to 50. That's a clear gap that holds up across most use cases.
Obsidian pulls ahead on Value and Ownership (Value 9 vs 3), which makes it the stronger pick for privacy and data control.
Roam Research pulls ahead on Collab (Collab 6 vs 3), which makes it the stronger pick for power users.
The clearest divide is Value (Obsidian 9, Roam Research 3). If that axis is central to how you work, let it settle the choice.
On lock-in, Obsidian is the safer bet: it scores 10/10 on data ownership to Roam Research's 5, so weigh how easily you could move your notes out later.