EverNote #6 : Please answer each one

Since you are looking for a free alternative that isn't from the "Big Three," here is how Obsidian, Joplin, and Notion handle your five specific requirements:

1. Attachment Handling

* [Obsidian](https://obsidian.md/): Since it is "local-first," attachments (PDFs, images, audio) are simply files stored in a folder on your computer. You can view them directly inside your notes. There is no "storage limit" other than your own hard drive space.

* Joplin: Like Obsidian, it stores attachments locally and syncs them to your chosen cloud. It handles large files well, and your only limit is the capacity of the cloud service you use for syncing (like Dropbox or OneDrive).

* [Notion](https://www.notion.com/): The free tier allows unlimited pages, but individual file uploads (like a large PDF or high-res image) are capped at 5MB per file. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8] 

2. Web Clipper

* Joplin: Has the closest experience to Evernote. Its official browser extension can clip full pages, simplified articles, or screenshots directly into your notebooks.

* Notion: Offers a official Web Clipper that is great for saving links and basic page content, but it sometimes struggles with complex layouts compared to Evernote.

* Obsidian: Does not have an official built-in clipper. You typically use community-made browser extensions (like "MarkDownload") to turn web pages into the Markdown files Obsidian needs. [2, 5, 9, 10] 

3. Mobile Experience

* Notion: Generally considered the most polished and user-friendly mobile app. It feels identical to the desktop version and syncs instantly for free.

* Joplin: Functional but can feel a bit "dated" or utility-focused compared to modern apps. It is excellent for quick text capture and viewing your notes on the go.

* Obsidian: Powerful but has a steeper learning curve. Syncing between mobile and desktop for free requires a bit of technical setup (like using iCloud or a "hack" with Google Drive/Syncthing) since their official sync service is paid. [4, 5, 7, 8, 11, 12, 13] 

4. Offline Access

* Obsidian & Joplin: These are offline-first. Your notes live on your device, so you have full access to search and edit everything even without an internet connection.

* Notion: Primarily cloud-based. While it has introduced limited offline capabilities (caching recently opened pages), it is generally frustrating to use if you don't have a stable internet connection. [2, 5, 7, 13, 14] 

5. Search Power & OCR

* Joplin: Offers strong text search across all your notes and tags, but it does not have built-in OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to "read" text inside your images or PDFs like Evernote does.

* Obsidian: Native search is lightning-fast for text. For OCR (searching inside images), you must install community plugins (like "Text Extractor"), which work well but require that extra step.

* Notion: Search is capable, but can feel sluggish as your workspace grows. It does not natively support deep OCR for PDFs and images on the free tier. [2, 3, 7, 15, 16] 

Which of these features—offline access, web clipping, or searching inside images—is your absolute "must-have"?

[1] [https://affine.pro](https://affine.pro/blog/obsidian-vs-notion-tips)

[2] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taq2XYcw2BU&t=17)

[3] [https://me.pcmag.com](https://me.pcmag.com/en/productivity/18143/the-best-note-taking-apps)

[4] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Occnc7NNmB4)

[5] [https://petronellatech.com](https://petronellatech.com/blog/joplin-vs-obsidian-which-note-taking-app-fits-your-workflow/)

[6] [https://slashdot.org](https://slashdot.org/software/comparison/Joplin-vs-Notion-vs-Obsidian/)

[7] [https://www.productivetemply.com](https://www.productivetemply.com/blog/notion-vs-obsidian)

[8] [https://effortlessacademic.com](https://effortlessacademic.com/notion-vs-obsidian-whats-the-best-note-taking-tool-for-research/)

[9] [https://noteplan.co](https://noteplan.co/blog/evernote-alternatives)

[10] [https://www.usemotion.com](https://www.usemotion.com/blog/notion-vs-evernote.html)

[11] [https://www.reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/Notion/comments/1qcbze5/still_using_notion_in_2026_or_got_any_good/)

[12] [https://www.reddit.com](https://www.reddit.com/r/ObsidianMD/comments/1c5cx7l/justify_why_obsidian_is_better_than_notion/)

[13] [https://photes.io](https://photes.io/blog/posts/obsidian-vs-notion)

[14] [https://slite.com](https://slite.com/learn/obsidian-vs-notion)

[15] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hj8tJU9KtIE)

[16] [https://www.youtube.com](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WO3ewzLiQm4)