Ending your Obsidian membership made easy

About Obsidian

Obsidian is a powerful knowledge management and note-taking application that has gained significant popularity among professionals, students, researchers, and writers in the UK and worldwide. Unlike traditional cloud-based note-taking services, Obsidian stores your notes locally on your device as plain text Markdown files, giving you complete ownership and control over your data. This means your information remains private and accessible even without an internet connection.

The application is built around the concept of linked thinking, allowing users to create connections between notes through internal links and backlinks. This creates a personal knowledge base that grows more valuable over time, often referred to as a "second brain." Obsidian's graph view visualises these connections, helping users discover relationships between ideas they might not have noticed otherwise.

Obsidian is developed by Dynalist Inc., and whilst the core application is free to use, the company offers optional paid services for synchronisation and commercial publishing. The free version provides full access to all core features, which is unusual in today's subscription-heavy software market. This has made it particularly attractive to individuals who want robust note-taking capabilities without ongoing financial commitments.

The platform supports extensive customisation through community plugins and themes, allowing users to tailor their workspace to specific workflows. Whether you're managing academic research, planning creative projects, or organising personal knowledge, Obsidian provides the flexibility to adapt to your needs. However, some users find that after initial enthusiasm, their needs change or they discover the learning curve steeper than anticipated, leading them to consider cancellation of paid services.

Subscription plans and pricing

Understanding Obsidian's pricing structure is essential before considering cancellation, as it differs from typical software subscriptions. The core Obsidian application itself is completely free for personal use, with no time limits or feature restrictions. You can download and use Obsidian indefinitely without paying anything, which means there's nothing to "cancel" if you're only using the free version.

Obsidian Sync subscription

Obsidian Sync is the company's official synchronisation service that keeps your notes updated across multiple devices. This service operates on a subscription model and is the primary paid offering that UK users might need to cancel. As of current pricing, Obsidian Sync costs approximately £8 per month or £80 per year when billed annually, representing a modest saving for those who commit to the yearly plan.

This subscription includes end-to-end encryption, version history for your notes, and the ability to sync across unlimited devices. The service stores up to 10GB of data in Obsidian's secure servers, which is typically sufficient for text-based notes but may be limiting if you store many images or attachments. Users who no longer require synchronisation across devices, who have found alternative sync methods, or who are consolidating their digital tools often choose to cancel this service.

Obsidian Publish subscription

Obsidian Publish allows users to publish their notes as a website directly from the application. This service costs approximately £16 per month or £160 per year with annual billing. It's designed for individuals who want to share their knowledge publicly, such as researchers publishing their findings, writers sharing their work, or educators creating resources for students.

The service includes hosting, automatic updates when you modify notes, and customisation options for your published site. However, many users find they don't utilise this feature as much as anticipated, or they discover more cost-effective alternatives for web publishing, making cancellation a practical decision.

Commercial licence

If you use Obsidian for work-related purposes in a company with two or more employees, a commercial licence is required at approximately £40 per user per year. This is a one-time annual payment rather than a monthly subscription. Freelancers and sole traders can use Obsidian free of charge for their business activities, which is a generous policy compared to many productivity tools.

Cancellation terms and conditions

Understanding your rights when cancelling Obsidian's paid services is crucial for UK consumers. As a digital service provider operating in the UK market, Obsidian must comply with UK consumer protection legislation, including the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. These laws provide you with specific protections and cancellation rights that many consumers are unaware they possess.

Your statutory cancellation rights

Under UK law, you have a 14-day cooling-off period for online purchases of digital services. This means that if you've recently subscribed to Obsidian Sync or Publish, you can cancel within 14 days of purchase and receive a full refund. However, there's an important caveat: if you've actively used the service during this period, the provider may deduct a proportionate amount for the service you've already consumed.

In practice, this means you should act quickly if you've changed your mind about a subscription. The 14-day period begins from the day after you complete your purchase. Therefore, if you subscribed on the 1st of the month, your cancellation period extends until the 15th. This statutory right exists regardless of the company's own cancellation policy, and no service provider can remove or restrict these legal protections.

Cancellation notice periods

For subscriptions held beyond the initial 14-day period, cancellation terms depend on whether you've chosen monthly or annual billing. Monthly subscriptions typically operate on a rolling basis, meaning you can cancel at any time, but you'll continue to have access until the end of your current billing period. You won't receive a refund for the remaining days in that month, which is standard practice for subscription services.

Annual subscriptions present a more complex situation. Whilst you can request cancellation at any point, most service providers, including Obsidian, do not offer pro-rata refunds for unused portions of annual subscriptions unless required by law or exceptional circumstances. This means that cancelling six months into an annual subscription typically won't result in a refund for the remaining six months. As a result, if you're considering cancellation and you're on an annual plan, it's worth timing your cancellation request to prevent automatic renewal rather than seeking mid-term cancellation.

Why postal cancellation protects your interests

Sending your cancellation request by post using Recorded Delivery provides the strongest evidence of your intention to cancel and the date you communicated this decision. In consumer disputes, proof of delivery can be crucial. Email cancellations can be filtered to spam folders, online forms can malfunction, and verbal cancellations leave no paper trail. Recorded Delivery creates an undeniable record that you've fulfilled your obligations as a consumer.

This method is particularly valuable if you're cancelling close to a renewal date. If a company claims they didn't receive your cancellation in time and charges you for another period, your proof of posting and delivery provides clear evidence that you acted within the required timeframe. This protection is worth the modest cost of Recorded Delivery, typically around £2-£3, especially when cancelling subscriptions that cost hundreds of pounds annually.

Common reasons for cancellation

Understanding why others cancel can help you assess whether cancellation is right for you. Many UK users find that after the initial learning period, they're not using Obsidian's paid features sufficiently to justify the ongoing cost. Some discover free alternatives for synchronisation, such as cloud storage services they already pay for, making Obsidian Sync redundant.

Others find their workflow has changed, perhaps moving to collaborative tools that their workplace requires or simplifying their productivity system. Financial considerations also play a role, particularly during economic uncertainty when households review discretionary spending. Some users simply find the application more complex than their needs require and prefer simpler note-taking solutions. Whatever your reason, cancellation is a straightforward consumer right that requires no justification to the service provider.

How to cancel Obsidian by post

Cancelling your Obsidian subscription by post ensures you have documented proof of your cancellation request. This method provides the strongest consumer protection and creates an audit trail that can be invaluable if any disputes arise about cancellation dates or renewal charges.

Preparing your cancellation letter

Your cancellation letter should be clear, concise, and include all necessary information to identify your account. Include your full name as it appears on the account, the email address associated with your Obsidian subscription, and your account reference number if you have one. Clearly state which service you're cancelling—whether it's Obsidian Sync, Obsidian Publish, or a commercial licence.

Specify the date from which you want the cancellation to take effect. If you're within the 14-day cooling-off period, state this explicitly and request a full refund under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013. If you're outside this period, indicate whether you want cancellation at the end of your current billing period or immediate cancellation if you're willing to forfeit remaining subscription time.

Request written confirmation of your cancellation, including confirmation that no further payments will be taken and the final date of service access. This confirmation serves as additional documentation for your records. Keep your language professional and factual—there's no need to explain why you're cancelling, though you can provide feedback if you wish.

The correct postal address

Sending your cancellation to the correct address is absolutely essential. Based on current information, Obsidian's developer Dynalist Inc. operates primarily from Canada, and there isn't a dedicated UK postal address for subscription management. For postal cancellations, you should send your letter to:

• Dynalist Inc.
• Attention: Subscription Cancellations
• 340-2889 East 12th Avenue
• Vancouver, BC V5M 4T5
• Canada

When sending post internationally from the UK to Canada, ensure you use the correct postage. Standard international Recorded Delivery from Royal Mail costs approximately £7-£8 and provides tracking to Canada. This investment in tracked delivery is worthwhile for the peace of mind it provides.

Using Recorded Delivery

Visit your local Post Office and request International Tracked & Signed service for your cancellation letter. This service provides online tracking and requires a signature upon delivery, giving you comprehensive proof that your letter reached its destination. The Post Office will provide you with a receipt containing your tracking number—keep this receipt safe.

Track your letter's progress using the Royal Mail website and the tracking number provided. International delivery to Canada typically takes 5-7 working days, though this can extend to 10 working days depending on customs processing. Once delivered, download or screenshot the delivery confirmation showing the date and time of delivery. This evidence is crucial if any dispute arises about when you submitted your cancellation.

Streamlining the process with Postclic

For those who find the postal cancellation process daunting or time-consuming, services like Postclic offer a practical solution. Postclic handles the entire postal cancellation process on your behalf, from professional letter formatting to sending via tracked delivery. You simply provide your cancellation details through their platform, and they manage the rest.

The service maintains digital records of your cancellation, provides tracking information, and stores proof of delivery automatically. This can be particularly valuable if you're managing multiple subscription cancellations or if you're uncertain about proper letter formatting. Whilst there's a small fee for the service, many consumers find the time saved and the assurance of professional handling worth the cost, especially for higher-value subscriptions.

Following up on your cancellation

After your letter has been delivered, allow 5-7 working days for processing, keeping in mind the international nature of the correspondence. If you haven't received confirmation within two weeks of delivery, send a follow-up email referencing your postal cancellation, including the date sent and the tracking number. This email serves as a secondary record of your cancellation attempt.

Check your bank statements or payment method to ensure no further charges are taken. If you're charged after your cancellation should have taken effect, contact your bank immediately to dispute the charge, providing your proof of cancellation and delivery. UK banks are generally supportive of consumers who can demonstrate they've properly cancelled services but continue to be charged.

Customer reviews and tips

Learning from other UK users' experiences with Obsidian and its cancellation process can help you navigate your own cancellation more effectively. The Obsidian community is generally positive about the application itself, but experiences with subscription management vary.

User experiences with cancellation

Many users report straightforward cancellation experiences, particularly those who cancel through the account portal before their renewal date. However, some users have encountered challenges when trying to obtain refunds for annual subscriptions cancelled mid-term, finding that the company's policy of no pro-rata refunds can be frustrating if circumstances change unexpectedly.

Several UK users have shared that response times for international postal correspondence can be slower than expected, reinforcing the importance of allowing adequate processing time and cancelling well before renewal dates. Some users recommend cancelling at least 30 days before your renewal date to ensure processing completes before the next billing cycle begins.

Practical tips from experienced users

Before cancelling Obsidian Sync, export your vault and ensure you have backups of all your notes. Whilst your local files remain on your devices after cancellation, version history stored on Obsidian's servers will become inaccessible. Therefore, if there are older versions of notes you might need, retrieve them before your subscription ends.

Consider whether you truly need to cancel or whether downgrading might better serve your needs. If you're using Obsidian Sync but find 10GB excessive for your needs, you're still paying the same price—there's no lower tier. However, if you're using both Sync and Publish but only need one service, cancelling the unused service reduces costs whilst maintaining the functionality you value.

Document everything throughout the cancellation process. Take screenshots of your subscription details before cancelling, save copies of all correspondence, and maintain your Recorded Delivery receipts and tracking information. This documentation protects you if any billing disputes arise and provides evidence if you need to involve your bank or consumer protection services.

Alternative synchronisation methods

Many users who cancel Obsidian Sync successfully use alternative synchronisation methods to maintain access across devices without the subscription cost. Cloud storage services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or OneDrive can synchronise your Obsidian vault folder across devices. Whilst this lacks Obsidian Sync's end-to-end encryption and version history features, it provides basic synchronisation at no additional cost if you already subscribe to these services.

Technical users have implemented synchronisation using services like Syncthing, which provides peer-to-peer synchronisation without cloud storage. This requires more technical knowledge to configure but offers complete control and privacy. Others use Git repositories for version control, particularly beneficial for users comfortable with developer tools who want comprehensive version history.

When to reconsider cancellation

Whilst cancellation is often the right decision, consider whether temporary circumstances are influencing your choice. If financial pressure is the primary driver but you genuinely value the service, you might pause your subscription and return when circumstances improve. Obsidian allows reactivation at any time, and your previous settings and data structure remain intact in your local files.

If complexity is the issue, explore whether simplifying your Obsidian setup rather than cancelling might address your concerns. Many users initially over-complicate their systems with excessive plugins and elaborate structures, then find that stripping back to basics makes the tool more manageable and valuable. The Obsidian community forums offer guidance on simplified workflows that might reignite your appreciation for the platform.

Remember that cancelling paid services doesn't mean abandoning Obsidian entirely. The core application remains free and fully functional for local use. You can continue benefiting from Obsidian's powerful note-taking and knowledge management features without any subscription, only losing the synchronisation and publishing capabilities. This flexibility means cancellation doesn't have to be an all-or-nothing decision.

Whatever you decide, ensure you act within your rights as a UK consumer. You're entitled to clear information about cancellation procedures, reasonable processing times, and respect for statutory cancellation periods. If you encounter difficulties or feel your consumer rights aren't being respected, organisations like Citizens Advice can provide guidance, and you can escalate complaints through official channels if necessary. Your decision to cancel is a legitimate consumer choice that deserves professional, prompt handling.