Obsidian
- The policy says your content is not used for AI training.
- Your data is used for personalized ads, including by third-party ad companies.
- Data is shared only with the providers who run the service.
- The documents do not say who can read your content.
Notes stay on your device; paid Sync/Publish store data, fees are non-refundable, and they can cut access without notice.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Local notes stay on your device; the website may collect email, IP, cookies, and browsing data.
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Privacy policy
“All data is saved locally on your device and is never sent to our servers. We do not collect any personal data. We do not collect any telemetry data.”
Training
They use account and site data to sell products, send receipts, and run the site; notes are not used to train AI.
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Privacy policy
“You will be deemed to consent to our use of your personal information for the purpose of: communicating with you generally processing your purchases”
Sharing
Email goes to payment companies; other helpers may see data needed to do their jobs.
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Privacy policy
“We don't share your email with third parties, except payment processors (Stripe, WeChat, Alipay, PayPal).”
Kept
Cancel Sync or Publish and they delete that data right away, or after one month if a plan just expires.
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Privacy policy
“If your Sync or Publish subscription expires, your data remains stored on our servers for one month, then deleted permanently. If you cancel the subscription yourself, your data is deleted immediately.”
Controls
You can turn off update checks, delete your account in the dashboard, and keep notes only on your device.
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Privacy policy
“You may choose to delete your Obsidian account at any time using the account dashboard, which will permanently delete your account, licenses, and subscriptions.”
Fine print
Fees are non-refundable, the app is “as is,” you them, and they can cut access without notice.
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Terms of service
“All fees are non-cancellable and non-refundable and are based on Services purchased and not actual usage.”
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Delete your Obsidian account
Account dashboard
Turn off automatic update checks
Settings → About
Cancel Sync or Publish to delete server copies immediately
Your subscription / account settings as described in the privacy summary
Opt out of company logo use (commercial license)
Contact support at the email listed in the terms (supp[email protected] as written)
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
They can shut off your access to the site or services whenever they want, without telling you first.
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Terms of service
“In its sole discretion, in addition to any other rights or remedies available to the Company and without any whatsoever, at any time and without notice may terminate or restrict your access to any component of obsidian.md.”
For example, you could lose access to the account dashboard overnight with no email warning.
If someone sues them because of your notes or how you used the app, you may have to pay their legal bills.
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Terms of service
“Customer shall , the Company from and against all liabilities, damages and costs (including settlement costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees) arising out of any claim by a third party against the Company”
For example, if a published note leads to a lawsuit, you could be on the hook for their lawyers.
If you pay for Sync, Publish, or a license, you generally cannot get the money back.
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Terms of service
“All fees are non-cancellable and non-refundable and are based on Services purchased and not actual usage.”
For example, if you buy a year of Sync and stop using it the next week, they still keep the payment.
The marketing site may show ads from other companies that can see your IP and use cookies.
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Privacy policy
“These third-party websites and advertisers, or Internet advertising companies working on their behalf, sometimes use technology to send (or “serve”) the advertisements that appear on our website directly to your browser.”
For example, visiting the pricing page could let an ad network drop a cookie on your browser.
They do not promise the software will work perfectly or be always available.
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Terms of service
“All Services are provided “as is” and on an “as available” basis. Neither the Company nor its suppliers or representatives make any , express or implied”
For example, if Sync is down and you lose time, they say they are not on the hook for that.
The note-taking app itself is designed so your vault stays on your computer or phone.
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Privacy policy
“All data is saved locally on your device and is never sent to our servers. We do not collect any personal data. We do not collect any telemetry data.”
For example, a private journal in a local vault is not uploaded unless you turn on Sync or Publish.
If you pay for Sync, they say even they should not be able to read your files or names.
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Privacy policy
“With Obsidian Sync, your data, including file names, is end-to-end encrypted.”
For example, a synced diary file should look like ciphertext on their servers.
Canceling Sync or Publish wipes the copy on their servers right away; your local notes stay.
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Privacy policy
“If you cancel the subscription yourself, your data is deleted immediately. Any local vaults on your devices are unaffected.”
For example, you cancel Publish and the hosted site copy is removed, but the notes on your laptop remain.
You can wipe the account yourself in the dashboard, including licenses.
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Privacy policy
“You may choose to delete your Obsidian account at any time using the account dashboard, which will permanently delete your account, licenses, and subscriptions.”
For example, you log into the account page, delete the account, and the email login is gone.
Kids are not supposed to use the services; you must be a legal adult where you live.
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Terms of service
“You may use the Services only if you have reached the age of majority where you live, and you can form legally binding contracts under applicable law.”
For example, in many places that means 18, and they rely on you to tell the truth.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- personal data
- Any information that is about you or can be linked to you, from your name to your phone's ID. For example, your email, your IP address and the list of apps on your phone are all personal data.
- consent
- Your clear agreement to something, given by an action like ticking a box or tapping Accept. For example, a pop-up asking if the app may use your location is asking for consent.
- third parties
- Any company or person other than you and the app, such as advertisers, partners or analytics firms. For example, an analytics company that receives a record of every screen you tap is a third party.
- service providers
- Outside companies that handle your data on the app's instructions, such as a cloud host or an email sender. For example, the company that stores the app's files in the cloud sees your data but only does what the app tells it.
- limitation of liability
- A cap on what the company will ever pay you if something goes wrong, often only what you paid in the last year. For example, if a leak of your data costs you thousands, the most you may get back is a month's subscription fee.
- indemnify
- You promise to pay the company's legal costs and losses if your use of the service gets it sued. For example, if you post a song you do not own and the label sues the app, you owe the app's lawyer bills.
- as is
- You get the service in whatever state it is in, with no promise that it works or will keep working. For example, if the app deletes your photos by mistake, it is not promising to fix that or pay you back.
- warranty
- A promise that a product will work as described; most apps say they make no such promise at all. For example, if a paid feature never works on your phone, a no-warranty clause says that is your problem.
How we got here · grade A+ · score 67/100 · 15 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 1 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
Local notes stay on your device. The website may collect email, IP, cookies, browser details, and clickstream. Sync and Publish store vault data you choose to send.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
The documents do not describe collecting voice, face, or body data.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
They say they do not collect local note content or telemetry. Nothing says your notes are used to train AI models.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Not stated in the documents.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
The website may include third-party ads that get your IP and may use cookies and similar tools.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They say they do not share email except with payment processors, and they use vendors who may only use data to do their jobs. Customer lists can transfer in a company sale.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
You keep rights in notes you create. They license you the software; for Publish you must own what you upload. A commercial license also lets them use your company logo unless you opt out.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
You can delete the account in the dashboard. Sync/Publish data is deleted immediately if you cancel, or after one month if a plan expires.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
This is a local notes app. The documents do not describe a lasting AI memory of you.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They describe TLS, encryption at rest and in transit, end-to-end encryption for Sync, passwords, and limited access. No independent audit is named.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
You may use the services only if you have reached the age of majority where you live. There is no extra age check described.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
Policies are dated. Account holders get email about terms changes. Privacy also says you should check the site often.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
They may terminate or restrict access at any time without notice and without liability. After the term they may delete your data.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
The service is “as is,” liability is capped at what you paid in the last 12 months, and you must indemnify them for claims about your content or misuse.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
Fees are non-cancellable and non-refundable, based on what you bought, not usage. Auto-renew is not clearly described.
The privacy policy is 2,182 words at a college graduate level (Flesch reading ease 36.5); the terms are 6,139 words at a college level.
