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

SetupVPN offers a free VPN service with limited features. While it provides basic privacy protection, it has significant limitations and frequently ads.
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
  • Free Version: Access to five different countries.
  • Ease of Use: Simple interface suitable for beginners.
  • Basic Privacy: Provides basic privacy protection.
  • 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
6.3
8.5
Total users
1,738,957
278,335
Total ratings
53,375
526
Average rating
4.4 ⭐
4.7 ⭐
Entry Level PriceFreeFree
Chrome
Chrome Web Store logo
4.7
1.47
47.3K+ ratings
1.0M+Users
Chrome Web Store logo
4.8
4.83
297 ratings
200.0K+Users
Edge
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.0
4.19
981 ratings
664.8K+Users
Microsoft Edge Store logo
4.4
4.38
20 ratings
50.6K+Users
Firefox
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.4
3.15
5.1K+ ratings
74.1K+Users
Mozilla Firefox Add-ons Store logo
4.9
4.89
209 ratings
27.7K+Users
Safari
-
-
Features
7.0

SetupVPN offers basic VPN functions with limited free access. With free access, you have the choice of 5 countries to log in to for 30 minutes at a time. When using the premium version, these limitations do not apply, but here too there is a lack of advanced security features like those offered by competitors.

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
4.5

SetupVPN offers basic performance for occasional use. The free version has limited server locations, but the premium version offers better speed and reliability.
Our tests included establishing a VPN connection to London and then using online services to try to localize the location. It turned out that in some cases the actual location was still localized and not London. From our point of view, a continuous secure connection is therefore not guaranteed.

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
7.0

The design of SetupVPN is simple and intuitive. However, the layout in the free version is very dubious and annoying due to the excessive number of advertisements.

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
6.0

In this category, the extension performs completely differently if you are looking for a free or premium extension.
The costs for the premium version are reasonable compared to the competition. However, it should be noted that many other providers have even more functions that can be used at the same time. Here you only get the VPN service.
With the free version, you have the option of selecting 5 different countries. Due to the presence of a lot of advertising and performance problems with the VPN, there are much better alternatives for free users.

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

Setting up the extension is straightforward. A connection can be established immediately after installation and you can even test whether the connection works. Nobody should have any problems here.

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
5.0

SetupVPN offers only basic privacy protection, with limited security features. However, the many advertisements in the free version raise concerns about data collection. Many who use a VPN want to use it precisely so that their data is not stored. From our point of view, a VPN service with such many advertisements is very dubious.

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

SetupVPN is a good choice for users who are only rarely looking for a simple, free VPN service. While it offers privacy features, it has strong drawbacks, such as dubious frequent advertising and limited free access. For those who need more robust privacy and security features, the premium version might be worth considering, but there should be better alternatives. Overall, we agree with the current reviews from other users that there are much better alternatives.

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 SetupVPN and Obsidian Web Clipper, Obsidian Web Clipper came out on top, scoring 8.5.

SetupVPN is the most widely used, with over 2 million users and 53k+ reviews, but Obsidian Web Clipper outperformed it in our review. User reviews for Obsidian Web Clipper reflect our findings, while we rate SetupVPN lower than users do.

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.

There are big differences between these extensions, so it's important to look at the details below to find the best fit for your needs.


  • Looking for the richest feature set? Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 8.7. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • Need top performance? Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 6.5. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 4.5.
  • Design lovers, take note: Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 8.9. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 7.
  • Want to get the most for your money? Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 9.7. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 6.
  • Ease of use? It's a tie: SetupVPN and Obsidian Web Clipper. In the Ease of Use category, SetupVPN 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, Obsidian Web Clipper stands out with a rating of 9.5. On the other hand, SetupVPN lags behind in this area with a rating of 5.

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