ℹ️ Notion Credits Pricing — May 4, 2026

How to Migrate from Notion to Obsidian Without Losing Your Data

Notion's new AI agent credits pricing (starting May 4) is pushing thousands of users to explore Obsidian as a free, local alternative. The migration is straightforward — but the official Obsidian Importer plugin has a setup step that trips up most users: the Notion integration token. This guide covers the full process.

💡 Why Obsidian? It's free, local-first, stores notes as plain Markdown files, has no subscription pricing, and supports AI integrations via community plugins. Your data is always yours.

Export your Notion data
Install Obsidian
Install the Obsidian Importer plugin
Get your Notion integration token (the friction point)
Run the importer
Fix common issues
Set up Obsidian for power use
Notion vs Obsidian comparison
Should you switch?

Step 1

Export Your Notion Data

In Notion: Settings → General → Export all workspace content
Choose format: Markdown & CSV (not HTML — the Obsidian Importer prefers Markdown)
Click Export. Notion will email you a .zip file.

⚠️ Large workspaces take 5–30 minutes to export. Check your email before assuming it failed.

Step 2

Install Obsidian

Download from obsidian.md — free, available on Mac / Windows / Linux / iOS / Android
Create a new vault: choose a local folder (e.g., ~/Documents/MyVault)
Your vault is just a folder of Markdown files — nothing proprietary, fully portable

Step 3

Install the Obsidian Importer Plugin

In Obsidian: Settings → Community Plugins → Browse
Search "Importer" → Install the official "Importer" plugin by obsidianmd
Enable it after install — the toggle must be on before you can run it

Step 4 — ⚠️ The Friction Point

Get Your Notion Integration Token

This is where most users get stuck. The Obsidian Importer needs a Notion API integration token — not your Notion login password or session cookie.

Go to https://www.notion.so/my-integrations
Click "+ New integration"
Give it a name (e.g., "Obsidian Migration"), select your workspace, click Submit
Copy the Internal Integration Token — it starts with secret_

⚠️ Critical: You must also share your Notion pages with this integration. In Notion, open each top-level page → click the "..." menu → Add connections → select your integration. If you skip this step, the importer will return empty results — this is the #1 reason the import appears to "fail."

Step 5

Run the Importer

In Obsidian: Open the Importer plugin (Ctrl/Cmd+P → "Open Importer")
Select "Notion" as the format
Paste your integration token (the secret_... value from Step 4)
Select which pages and databases to import
Choose your destination folder inside the vault
Click Import — the plugin shows progress in real time

Step 6: Fix Common Issues

Problem: Importer returns no pages

→ You haven't shared pages with the integration (see Step 4). Go back and add connections to each top-level page.

Problem: Images not importing

→ Notion exports images as URLs, not local files. Use the "Download images" option in Importer settings, or manually download them later using a bulk image downloader.

Problem: Databases import as flat lists

→ Expected behavior. Notion databases become Markdown tables in Obsidian. Install the Dataview plugin to query them like a database again.

Problem: Internal links are broken

→ Obsidian uses [[Wiki links]]. The importer converts most Notion links automatically, but cross-workspace links may need manual repair.

Step 7: Set Up Obsidian for Power Use (Optional)

Once your notes are in, these community plugins replicate and extend what you had in Notion:

Dataview — Query your notes like a database using a SQL-like syntax
Templater — Create note templates with dynamic fields (replaces Notion templates)
Calendar — Daily notes with a calendar view for time-based navigation
Tasks — Full task management with due dates, recurrence, and filters
Smart Connections — AI-powered note linking, runs locally or via API key

💡 Install plugins via: Settings → Community Plugins → Browse. All plugins above are free and open source. Smart Connections uses your own API key — no per-credit billing.

Notion vs Obsidian: Quick Comparison

Feature	Notion	Obsidian
Price	$16/mo (Plus) + AI credits	Free (sync is $4/mo optional)
Storage	Cloud	Local (your device)
AI features	$10 / 1,000 credits (from May 4)	Community plugins (varies)
Offline access	Limited	Full offline
Data portability	Export required	Native Markdown
Mobile	Native app	Native app
Collaboration	Built-in	Obsidian Publish / Share

Should You Switch from Notion to Obsidian?

Obsidian is the right move if: you want local-first storage, you're allergic to subscription pricing, you work primarily alone, and you want AI features without credit-based billing.

It's NOT ideal if your team relies heavily on Notion's real-time collaboration and shared database workflows — Obsidian is designed for personal knowledge management, not multi-user editing.

The migration takes about 30 minutes for most users. The hardest part is the integration token setup in Step 4 — once that clicks, the rest is fast and painless.

Bottom line: For solo users and developers hit by Notion's May 4 credit pricing, Obsidian is the clearest free alternative. Local storage, zero subscription lock-in, and a plugin ecosystem that covers nearly everything Notion does.

📖 Also read: Evaluating Notion alternatives for AI agent workflows?

Best Notion Alternatives for AI Agents in 2026 → Free AEO Checker →