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An XDA Developers contributor says he reshaped Obsidian into a personal productivity hub, replacing his use of Evernote, Microsoft Whiteboard, Notion, Day One and Todoist. His setup uses Obsidian features and community plugins, but he notes it does not match every rival app’s capabilities.
An XDA Developers contributor says he has consolidated notes, brainstorming, project tracking, journaling and to-do lists in Obsidian, replacing his personal use of five other apps. The account describes an individual workflow, not a formal product comparison: the writer says the change reduced app switching and subscription costs, while acknowledging that Obsidian lacks some features available in tools such as Notion and Microsoft Whiteboard.
For everyday notes, the writer moved from Evernote to Obsidian, citing its internal links and graph view as useful ways to connect research, article ideas and project material. He also uses the third-party AutoMover plugin to sort some notes into folders automatically. The graph view presents linked notes together, while keeping the underlying material in the same workspace as his other work.
He uses Obsidian Canvas for personal brainstorming in place of Microsoft Whiteboard, which the source says Microsoft is retiring. Canvas lets him arrange text cards, images, web pages and existing notes, then connect them visually. The writer cautions that it is not a full substitute for Whiteboard when a workflow depends on freehand drawing or real-time collaboration.
For project organization, he says Obsidian Bases took over some of his Notion database work. Bases can display notes in tables, use properties such as status and deadlines, filter entries and show Kanban boards. He uses that setup as a writing calendar. He also replaced Day One for journaling with dated Daily Notes, templates and a Calendar community plugin, and replaced Todoist with the Tasks plugin for due dates, priorities, recurring tasks and task queries.
PERSONAL WORKFLOW / PRODUCTIVITY
One Vault.
Five Workflows.
An XDA Developers contributor reshaped Obsidian into a connected home for notes, brainstorming, projects, journaling and tasks—replacing his personal use of five paid apps.
01 / THE WORKSPACE
Five jobs, one connected vault
The contributor says linking reference material, tasks and projects in one place reduced app switching. Each workflow combines Obsidian features with community add-ons.
Evernote → Obsidian
Internal links and Graph view connect research, article ideas and project notes. AutoMover sorts selected notes into folders.
AutoMover pluginWhiteboard → Canvas
Arrange text cards, images, web pages and notes, then connect them visually on an open canvas.
Built-in CanvasNotion → Bases
Use note properties, filters and table or Kanban views. The writer uses the setup as a writing calendar.
Built-in BasesDay One → Daily Notes
Dated entries and templates provide a repeatable journal flow, with a calendar view for navigating days.
Calendar pluginTodoist → Tasks
Track due dates, priorities and recurring tasks, then query tasks alongside related project notes.
Tasks pluginKeep context close
Notes, projects, journal entries and tasks can live together as linked material inside a single workspace.
Files + links02 / CAPABILITY CHECK
Useful overlap, meaningful gaps
This is one user’s account of personal needs—not an independent feature test or a claim that every workflow transfers cleanly.
| Former app | Obsidian setup | Reported fit | Gap to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evernote | Links, Graph view, AutoMover | ✓ Connected notes | Setup depends on how you organize notes |
| Microsoft Whiteboard | Canvas | ~ Visual brainstorming | Less suited to freehand drawing and live collaboration |
| Notion | Bases | ~ Tables, filters, Kanban | Does not match advanced formulas and automation |
| Day One | Daily Notes + Calendar | ✓ Dated journal flow | Personal fit depends on preferred journaling features |
| Todoist | Tasks | ✓ Due dates, priorities, repeats | Requires plugin setup and maintenance |
The source provides no pricing comparison, independent testing, subscription totals or measured savings.
03 / HOW IT COMES TOGETHER
A workflow assembled in layers
A simpler workspace can take time to shape. The reported setup pairs core features with plugins and personal configuration.
Collect notes
Save research and ideas in the vault.
Link context
Connect notes, references and project material.
Arrange ideas
Use Canvas for visual brainstorming.
Track projects
View properties, writing plans and tasks.
Keep a record
Return to dated notes and task queries.
04 / TRADE-OFFS
What the account does—and doesn’t—show
The writer’s clearest reported benefit is a more connected personal workspace and less need to move between apps. Avoiding recurring subscriptions was part of the motivation, but the source gives no prices or savings figure.
The setup took time to refine and continues to rely on plugins.
Canvas falls short for freehand drawing and real-time collaboration; Bases lacks Notion’s advanced formulas and automation.
No independent comparison, total cost analysis, or exact Whiteboard retirement schedule is provided.
“It handles my everyday needs well.”
XDA Developers contributor“The biggest improvement has been having a simpler, more connected setup.”
XDA Developers contributor05 / QUICK QUESTIONS
Before you build a similar hub
Which five apps were replaced?
Evernote, Microsoft Whiteboard, Notion, Day One and Todoist—for this contributor’s personal workflow.
Which tools power the setup?
Canvas, Bases and Daily Notes, plus the AutoMover, Calendar and Tasks community plugins.
Is it a full replacement for every feature?
No. The writer identifies gaps in Canvas collaboration and freehand drawing, and in Bases formulas and automation.
How much money did he save?
The source gives no dollar amount or plan-by-plan comparison. It describes simpler, connected work as the main improvement.
One Vault, Five Workflows
The account highlights a practical trade-off for people who want fewer separate productivity tools: Obsidian can combine notes and task or project workflows in one place, but doing so may require plugins, configuration and ongoing adjustments. In the writer’s experience, linking tasks and reference material to project notes made it easier to keep related information together and reduced the need to move between apps.
Cost savings are part of his rationale, but the article does not report subscription prices or calculate a total saving. The more directly supported benefit is a simpler, more connected personal workspace, built around files and workflows the writer controls. That result may appeal to users comfortable tailoring their software; it does not establish that Obsidian is an equivalent replacement for every user or every paid app.
Why the Writer Consolidated Apps
The contributor describes starting with separate services for different jobs: Evernote for notes, Microsoft Whiteboard for brainstorming, Notion for databases, Day One for journaling and Todoist for tasks. He says managing information across those apps became frustrating and recurring subscriptions accumulated. He then experimented with Obsidian as a single home for those activities.
The setup relies on a mix of built-in features and community add-ons. Daily Notes and Canvas are Obsidian features described in the source; AutoMover, Calendar and Tasks are plugins. The article also points to Obsidian’s mobile apps as improved in recent months, though it provides no measurements or details about the changes. The account focuses on the writer’s needs and does not compare pricing, security, syncing options or performance across all five alternatives.
““Turning Obsidian into my productivity hub wasn’t an overnight process.””
— The XDA Developers contributor
Limits of the Personal Setup
The article does not specify how much the writer saved, which subscription plans he previously paid for, or whether every replacement remains in use across all circumstances. It also does not provide independent testing of the features or compare Obsidian’s total costs, including any paid services or time spent maintaining plugins.
Some limitations are explicit: the writer says Canvas falls short for freehand drawing and live collaboration, while Bases does not match Notion’s advanced formulas and automation. The source also does not identify the precise Microsoft Whiteboard retirement schedule. The account should be read as one user’s experience, not evidence that the five apps have been discontinued or that Obsidian can replace them for everyone.
How the Workflow May Evolve
The source describes a setup the writer has already built, not a forthcoming product release or announced change. His next steps are not specified. He says the system took time to refine and continues to rely on plugins, so users considering a similar approach would need to decide which features they actually use and test whether Obsidian’s tools cover those needs.
For now, the writer’s reported arrangement keeps notes, projects, journal entries and tasks together, with mobile access as part of the workflow. Whether that remains simpler over time depends on the maintenance required and on the features each person expects from dedicated apps.
Key Questions
Which five apps did the writer replace?
He says he replaced his use of Evernote, Microsoft Whiteboard, Notion, Day One and Todoist with Obsidian features and community plugins.
What Obsidian tools does the setup use?
The workflow uses Canvas, Bases and Daily Notes, alongside the AutoMover, Calendar and Tasks community plugins. The writer uses them for brainstorming, project information, journaling and task management.
Does Obsidian fully replace Microsoft Whiteboard and Notion?
Not according to the writer. He says Canvas is less suitable for freehand drawing and real-time collaboration, and Bases does not provide Notion’s advanced formulas and automation.
How much money did the writer save?
The source does not give a dollar amount or subscription comparison. It says avoiding recurring subscriptions was a benefit, but identifies a simpler, more connected workflow as the main improvement.
Source: XDA Developers
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