A folder of Markdown
Like a vault, kayet's workspace is just a folder. Open the same folder in both apps if you like.
Obsidian alternative
The free, open-source Obsidian alternative for Mac.
Obsidian is a powerful knowledge base built on Markdown files. If you mostly want to write, kayet gives you the same plain files in a far quieter, smaller window.
kayet vs Obsidian at a glance
| kayet | Obsidian | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no paid tiers | Free, paid Sync and Publish |
| Source code | Open source (Apache 2.0) | Closed source |
| Where your text lives | Plain files in any folder you pick | Plain Markdown files in a vault |
| Platforms | macOS on Apple Silicon | Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone, iPad, Android |
| Built with | Rust and Tauri, the system web view | Electron |
| Plugins | None, by design | Large community plugin ecosystem |
| Linking notes | Regular Markdown links | Wikilinks, backlinks and graph view |
| Presentations | Slides from --- sections | Slides (core plugin) |
What will feel familiar
Keyboard first
A command palette on ⌘K, a file finder on ⌘P and workspace search on ⌘⇧F.
Themes
Light and dark appearance with built-in themes like Nord, gruvbox and Solarized, or your own in a TOML file.
Where kayet is different
Quiet by defaultNo ribbon, no sidebars, no status bar. The file tree and preview are hidden until you ask for them.
Open sourceThe whole app is open source under the Apache License 2.0.
Small and fastA native Rust app using the macOS web view. It starts instantly and takes little space.
Nothing to configureNo plugins to choose and maintain. One TOML file holds every setting.
When Obsidian is the better choice
kayet does less on purpose. Stay with Obsidian if:
- You build a personal knowledge base with backlinks, graph view and canvases.
- You depend on community plugins such as Dataview or Tasks.
- You need apps on Windows, Linux or mobile, or a hosted sync and publishing service.
Questions
Can kayet open an Obsidian vault?
Yes. A vault is a folder of Markdown files, so you can open it as kayet's workspace with ⌘⇧O or kayet path/to/vault.
Does kayet support wikilinks and backlinks?
No. kayet focuses on writing and editing. Links are regular Markdown links.
Is kayet open source?
Yes, kayet is open source under the Apache License 2.0 and free to use, including commercially.
Start writing.
Free and open source. Requires macOS on Apple Silicon.
Download for Mac
Signed and notarized. Release notes & previous versions.
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Obsidian is a trademark of its respective owner. kayet is an independent project, not affiliated with or endorsed by the makers of Obsidian. The comparison reflects publicly available information as of October 2026 and may change.