Obsidian gives you files. It does not give you a database.
A folder of Markdown files is portable until required fields, queries, templates, and views live in plugins and conventions.
Local knowledge database
One Home for Your Ideas, Files, and Notes
Ordobase is a local desktop app for structured storage of Markdown files. Attach related PDFs and images, define personal required attributes, search quickly, and keep your data on your own computer.
Free 14-day trial. Works offline. Your data stays on your computer. You only need an account for the trial and license.
Full access for 14 days
Offline-first on your machine
Export anytime
Your daily companion
Not just a notes app. No cloud.
Ordobase is exactly for you when your Markdown files need structure and should not end up in a cloud.
Comparison
Ordobase offers structure and privacy
Obsidian, Notion, and DEVONthink are all good at something. Ordobase exists for the part where each of them starts asking you to compromise.
Notion gives you structure. It also owns the room.
Structure is useful. Having your working knowledge depend on someone else's cloud is the part worth questioning.
DEVONthink is local. Ordobase is local and structured.
Local document management is powerful, but custom fields, Markdown workflows, and Windows support should not feel like an edge case.
Independent desktop product
Ordobase is built and maintained by one developer, so the subscription funds product maintenance, support, and continued development.
macOS and Windows
The desktop app supports macOS and Windows, with downloads routed to the platform you are using.
Local data, open exit
Your databases stay on your computer, existing data remains readable in free mode, and export stays available.
First five minutes
Use the trial to see whether Ordobase fits the way you work.
Start with one real thing you manage, add the fields you actually search for, then attach the files that usually drift away.
Step 1
Create a real database
Use books, specs, clients, research, leads, projects, or decisions. If the category has repeatable properties, it deserves fields.
Step 2
Add fields that make retrieval honest
Author, status, source, due date, owner, rating, URL, related document. The point is to search by meaning, not memory.
Step 3
Attach the evidence
Write the Markdown note, attach PDFs and screenshots, then come back tomorrow and filter, search, or reopen what you touched yesterday.
Plans
Pay only once you are convinced
Try Ordobase for 14 days with full functionality, keep read-only access to your data, and scale up only when your way of working requires it.
Basic
A focused personal workspace with search, backlinks, fields, plugins, and themes.
$7 / month
Compare all plans
Most popular
Pro
All features for automation, OCR search, sync, Web Clipper, and AI-assisted access.
$9 / month
Compare all plansTry every feature for 14 days. If you stop paying later, existing data remains readable and exportable through the free read-only mode.
Trial
14 days, full feature set
Billing
Cancel before renewal
Data
Export remains available
Storage
Local-first workspace
Test Ordobase on real work before committing
Do not evaluate Ordobase with an empty demo. Download the Free Trial, create one database, add real fields, import a few real files, and see whether retrieval feels different.
Common questions
Does it work without the internet?
Yes. Ordobase runs fully offline. Internet is only needed for trial activation and periodic license verification, so your daily workflow is never cloud dependent.
I have more than just Markdown notes. Does it handle that?
Yes. Ordobase handles mixed content: Markdown notes, PDFs, images, and files in one searchable system with shared tags, backlinks, and metadata.
How do I make sure I never lose my data?
Your database lives on disk, not in our cloud. Back it up with iCloud, an external drive, WebDAV, Dropbox, or your existing routine.
I'm already on Notion / Obsidian / DEVONthink. Can I move over?
Yes. Import from DEVONthink, Obsidian, and Notion. If you ever leave, export in open formats at any time. Your work stays portable.
What if my laptop gets stolen or someone accesses my machine?
Enable encryption per database with your own passphrase. File contents and metadata become unreadable without that key, including to us.
Why does a local-first app need a subscription?
Ordobase is developed and run by one person. The subscription funds maintenance, bug fixes, operating-system compatibility, support, and continued development. Your data is not held hostage: if you stop paying, existing work remains viewable and exportable through the free read-only mode.