I Used Notion, ClickUp & Obsidian – Which One is Best for Freelancers?
Sixty days ago I was drowning in my freelance mess. Notes everywhere, client emails mixed with random ideas, and deadlines sneaking up because I could not keep track of everything in one spot. As a writer handling pitches, drafts, revisions, and invoices, I got tired of the chaos. I decided to pick three popular tools, Notion, ClickUp, and Obsidian, and use each one as my main system for a full 60 days. I switched between them while doing real work, not just playing around.
This came from actual days of outlining articles, chasing payments, researching topics, and trying to stay sane with multiple clients. Some mornings everything clicked and I got more done. Other days the tools got in my way and left me frustrated. I bought my own accounts, put my real freelance stuff in them, and lived with the results. No one sponsored this. Here is what actually happened.
Why I Decided to Test These Three Specifically
These tools kept coming up when I talked to other freelancers about staying organized. Notion for its all-in-one vibe, ClickUp for handling projects, and Obsidian because it felt simple and private. I needed something that worked for creative writing time plus the business side like client follow-ups.
The first week with each one felt fresh as I moved my old notes over. By the third week the real habits kicked in. I paid attention to how fast I could start writing or find old research, and how often I got distracted tweaking things instead of working.
Notion
I started with Notion for the first chunk of time. I set up a workspace with client databases, a content calendar, and pages for research. The templates helped me get going quickly. I liked being able to drag blocks around and make custom trackers for proposals or invoices that looked clean when I shared them. It saved me from jumping between different apps for most things. During one busy week with overlapping deadlines I could see everything in one view without feeling lost. For freelancers juggling writing and admin it felt pretty natural.
Still, as my pages filled up it sometimes slowed down, especially on my phone when I was working from a cafe. I caught myself rearranging layouts more than I should have instead of actually writing. Sharing worked but it was not the smoothest for anything beyond basic stuff. In the end it gave me a central spot that felt like mine.
ClickUp
I moved to ClickUp next because I wanted stronger deadline tracking. The different views like boards and lists helped me map out projects clearly. Built-in time tracking made invoicing at the end of the month way easier. I set up simple automations so tasks moved forward when I finished a draft.
Breaking big writing jobs into smaller steps with reminders kept me from dropping balls on client work. The reports on time per project even helped me see where I was spending too many hours so I could adjust rates later.
The problem was the amount of options. Some days I spent more time picking the right view or setting fields than actually working. It started to feel built for bigger teams, which made my solo days more complicated than they needed to be. Mobile use drained the battery faster too. But when I had tight delivery schedules it definitely pushed me to stay organized.
Obsidian
For the last stretch I mostly used Obsidian. Everything lives as local files so it opens instantly and stays private. Linking notes together turned my random ideas into connected chains that helped with outlining. I set up daily notes with tasks that synced across my devices. Research for articles felt better here. I could connect sources and old pitches without extra steps. No subscription after the basic setup and it worked offline perfectly on trips. The speed made me want to open it and just start typing.
It cut down on overthinking the setup. I ended up writing more because the focus stayed on the words. For deep creative work or long form stuff it felt closer to how my brain actually works. The gaps showed in client task management and sharing proposals, so I paired it with a basic calendar for that side.
Direct Comparisons on What Mattered Most
Task tracking and deadlines worked best in ClickUp for complex client jobs. Notion handled lighter stuff okay. Obsidian needed extra setup to keep up. For notes and brainstorming Obsidian won on speed and feeling private. Notion came close with nicer visuals. ClickUp felt heavier for pure writing.
On cost, all have decent free options for one person but Obsidian stays cheapest long term. Mobile apps varied. Notion looked good but lagged sometimes. ClickUp had more power with occasional glitches. Obsidian stayed reliable.
One thing that stood out after switching around is that forcing one tool to do everything wasted time. My better days came from mixing strengths, like Obsidian for thinking and Notion for client overviews.
Which One Did I Stick With?
I settled on mostly Notion as the main hub with Obsidian for deeper research notes. It gave me enough flexibility for both creative writing and business tasks without feeling forced. ClickUp was useful during busy project stretches but too much for normal weeks.
Freelancing throws enough curveballs already. Pick something that supports how you actually work. Try each with your real client stuff for a week and see what clicks.
