Compare Recall and Obsidian Web Clipper: Which Extension is the Best?

With Recall, you can capture, summarize, and organize articles, PDFs, and videos with AI, spaced repetition, browser extensions, and strong privacy controls.
Obsidian Web Clipper is a browser extension that lets you save, highlight, and organize web content to your Obsidian vault with templates, hotkeys, metadata extraction, and local storage.
Key Features
  • AI Summarization: Instantly summarizes articles, PDFs, YouTube videos, and more.
  • Personal Knowledge Base: Saves and organizes your summaries for easy retrieval.
  • Spaced Repetition & Active Recall: Helps you actually remember what you save, not just store it.
  • Augmented Browsing: Highlights related content as you browse, surfacing connections in your knowledge.
  • Browser Extensions: One-click saving and summarizing directly from Chrome or Firefox.
  • Editable Notebook: Add notes, highlights, and customize your saved content.
  • Tagging & Organization: Automatic and manual tagging, with support for nested tags.
  • Cross-Platform Sync: Works on desktop and mobile, keeping your knowledge base up to date.
  • Privacy-focusedSave anything: Capture entire pages, selected text, or main content
  • Highlight: Mark important passages that remain visible when revisiting pages
  • Templates: Customize how web pages are saved with automatic metadata extraction
  • Rules: Apply specific templates based on website patterns
  • Hotkeys: Quick save pages with keyboard shortcuts
  • Offline access: All content is stored locally in your Obsidian vault
  • Privacy focused: No data collection or third-party sharing
Our Rating
8.9
8.5
Total users
73,229
278,335
Total ratings
95
526
Average rating
4.1 ⭐
4.7 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.2
4.14
78 ratings
70.0K+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.83
297 ratings
200.0K+Users
Edge
-
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.4
4.38
20 ratings
50.6K+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
3.9
3.94
17 ratings
3.2K+Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.9
4.89
209 ratings
27.7K+Users
Safari
-
-
Features
9.2

Recall's range of functions is impressive for a relatively new tool. The AI summary works on a wide range of content, from articles to YouTube videos with a running time of several hours. We particularly liked the personal knowledge base and the way Recall automatically links related content. Spaced Repetition and Active Recall are outstanding features for students. However, some features are still in beta or will be available soon. The functions in the free version are severely limited in the number of users per day, and there is an upper limit for free use.

8.7

The extension offers a comprehensive set of features that cover all essential web clipping needs. The templating system is particularly powerful, allowing for automatic metadata extraction and custom formatting. The highlight feature works well, though we noticed some issues with certain websites. The ability to save different types of content (full page, selection, main content) provides flexibility. The hotkey system is well-implemented and customizable.

Performance
9.0

Retrieval is fast and reliable in most cases. The summary is fast, even with very extreme examples such as a 9-hour news show that we had summarized in our test. Occasionally, we encountered errors or slowdowns, especially when asking further questions about the summarized content via the wizard. The team is actively working on performance improvements and there are regular updates. Overall, the tool feels stable and is suitable for everyday use.

6.5

The direct clipping to Obsidian did not work properly in the test. Only the headline was saved; the rest was not. However, with the intermediate step, Clip to Clipboard and then paste, it works. The clipping process can be slow on certain websites. The highlight feature sometimes lags on content-heavy pages. The extension uses minimal system resources.

Design
9.0

The user interface has a clear and modern design. The focus is on user-friendliness. We found the browser extension intuitive and easy to navigate. The tagging and organization system can be used flexibly, and some users mentioned minor bugs in the user interface, but these were only minimally noticeable in the test.

8.9

The interface is clean and intuitive, following Obsidian's design language. The popup menu is well-organized and easy to navigate. The highlight interface is straightforward and user-friendly. The settings page is logically structured, though some advanced options could be better documented. The visual feedback during clipping operations is clear and helpful.

Value for Money
8.1

The free tariff is suitable for infrequent users who do not need all the functions, as you will quickly reach the map limit. However, if you want to use the extension on a day-to-day basis, you cannot avoid the
extension. The paid plan is competitively priced, especially with the student discount. We appreciate that some features will remain free forever, and the team is open to feedback on pricing. Compared to alternatives, Recall offers good value for money for those who need advanced knowledge management features, but casual users may find the limitations too restrictive and stop using the extension.

9.7

The extension is completely free with all features included. There are no premium tiers or paid versions. The feature set is comprehensive and well-implemented. The value proposition is excellent compared to paid alternatives.

Ease of Use
8.0

An account is required to use Recall. However, due to the integration with a Google and Apple login, this should be easy for everyone.
Saving and summarizing content is a one-click process that is well explained at the beginning. However, mastering all functions (e.g., nested tags, links, and spatial repetitions) requires some time and some searching, which can lead to many users not being able to exploit the full potential.

8.0

Basic usage is straightforward - just click the extension icon and select what to save. The highlight feature is intuitive and works well. However, setting up custom templates requires some technical knowledge. The learning curve for advanced features can be steep. The documentation could be more comprehensive for new users.

Security & Privacy
9.9

Recall is characterized by its privacy-friendly approach. User data is not used by the extension for advertising, profiling, or AI training. All content is stored securely, and users retain full control over their data. Data can be exported for inspection or deleted at any time. The data protection guidelines are transparent, and support is always available to answer questions about data protection. We were unable to identify any uncertainties during our review.

9.5

The extension maintains excellent privacy standards. All data is stored locally in your Obsidian vault. No data is collected or shared with third parties. The extension doesn't require any special permissions. The code is open source, allowing for community review. The developer has a clear privacy policy.

Conclusion

Recall impressed us with its useful intelligent use of AI and its focus on helping users in their everyday lives, especially when learning. The browser extension makes it easy to capture content, and the revision features with auto-generated questions are a real bonus for learners.

For occasional users, the free version may be enough, but if you want to use the extension, you can't avoid the paid version. The extension is not yet perfect and has small bugs, but the team reacts quickly to these and feedback, and many new functions are currently being introduced.

Overall, Recall is a good choice for anyone looking to do more than just bookmark cards and build a personal knowledge base. If you're tired of forgetting what you've read online and want to save time, it's a must!

The Obsidian Web Clipper is a powerful, privacy-friendly tool for saving web content. Its integration with Obsidian makes it particularly valuable for users of the note platform.

The current focus is still on issues with clipping certain content types and occasional performance issues, which need to be resolved. The robust features and commitment to privacy make it a top choice for storing web content once the issues are resolved.

For Obsidian users looking to improve their web research workflow, this extension is a must-have tool that delivers on its promise while maintaining user privacy and data control.

Our Recommendation

In our comparison between Recall and Obsidian Web Clipper, Recall came out on top, scoring 8.9.

Obsidian Web Clipper is the most widely used, with over 278k users and 526+ reviews, but Recall outperformed it in our review. User reviews reflect our findings.

Notably, Obsidian Web Clipper has the highest user rating in the Chrome Web Store at 4.69, which supports its strong performance in our review.

In the end, the differences between these extensions are minimal, so your choice may come down to personal preference or specific features.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Recall stands out with a rating of 9.2. On the other hand, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.7.
  • Need top performance? Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.5.
  • Design lovers, take note: Recall stands out with a rating of 9. On the other hand, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.9.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, Recall lags behind in this area with a rating of 8.1.
  • Ease of use? It's a tie: Recall and Obsidian Web Clipper. In the Ease of Use category, Recall has scored a solid 8. It is relatively easy to use, but may require some time to get fully accustomed to.
  • With privacy and security becoming ever more important, Recall stands out with a rating of 9.9. On the other hand, Obsidian Web Clipper lags behind in this area with a rating of 9.5.

If you want a quick recommendation, Recall is our top pick. But as always, the best choice depends on what matters most to you.