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Prevon vs Obsidian
Obsidian and Prevon both keep your notes on your device and neither requires an account; the difference is that Obsidian stores them as plain Markdown files, while Prevon encrypts them and builds in on-device AI. Obsidian is a mature, free app you can use today, and Prevon is in private beta.
Where Obsidian is the better choice
- Plain files. Obsidian notes are Markdown files any editor can open, today and in twenty years. Prevon stores an encrypted vault that opens in Prevon.
- It is free for any purpose, including commercial use, and has a large plugin ecosystem.
- Obsidian Sync is end-to-end encrypted by default, so its private-sync story is already shipping. Prevon’s sync is switched off in the beta.
- Obsidian states it collects no telemetry and that your data is never sent to its servers.
- Availability on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS and Android today. Prevon has no public download yet.
Where Prevon is different
- Encryption on the device. Obsidian’s files are readable by anything on your computer that can read files; Prevon encrypts each note with a key made from your 12 words, so a copied vault is unreadable without them.
- Built-in on-device AI. Obsidian has none built in; you can add it with community plugins, which you choose, configure and trust yourself. Prevon’s search by meaning and filing assistant are part of the app and designed to run on the device.
- One app to trust instead of a set of plugins, each with its own access to your vault.
- Prevon is in a private beta with no public download, and it has not had an independent security audit. Its encryption is designed so that we cannot read your notes; its sync is switched off and its AI features are in beta.
Prevon and Obsidian
Side by side
The same verdicts we use everywhere on this site, narrowed to Obsidian.
| Feature | Prevon | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| We cannot read your notes | ||
| On-device AI processing | (see note below the table) | |
| No account required | ||
| Sync that stays locked in transit | (see note below the table) | |
| Device-to-device sync, no cloud in the middle | ||
| No note content sent to a cloud AI | ||
| Option to end-to-end encrypt whole notes | ||
| Available to download today | ||
| Works in a web browser | ||
| Notes stored as plain files any editor can open |
✓yes · × no. Verdicts are read from each vendor's own published documentation as of , and describe the default setup. Obsidian stores notes as local Markdown files and states that your data is never sent to its servers. Obsidian Sync, a paid add-on, uses end-to-end encryption by default, with an optional “standard encryption” mode whose key Obsidian manages. Obsidian has no built-in AI; community plugins can add it. If any of this changes, it is on us to correct the page.
* Prevon’s sync is switched off in the private beta, so that row describes its design — today your notes do not leave your device. Its on-device AI features are in beta.
Which should you pick?
Pick Obsidian if plain files you fully control matter most, you like building your own setup with plugins, or you need something that works today. For many people it is the right answer.
Pick Prevon if you want notes encrypted on the device as well as off it, and AI search that works without assembling plugins. Importing from Obsidian reads your vault folder directly.
Statements about other products are read from their own published documentation as of . If any of it is out of date, tell us and we will correct the page.
Prevon is in private beta.
There is no public download yet. Leave an email and we write once, when it opens to everyone.