Obsidian Is for Thinking. Screvi Is for Remembering.
Obsidian is a great knowledge base. But for reading highlights, you need auto-import, AI search, and spaced repetition, not another plugin to configure.
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What is Obsidian?
Obsidian is a popular Markdown-based note-taking app focused on linking ideas and building a personal knowledge graph. Many readers use Obsidian to store book highlights via plugins like Readwise Official or Kindle Highlights. While Obsidian excels at connecting ideas and long-form writing, managing reading highlights requires plugins, manual configuration, and ongoing maintenance. It's a general-purpose tool adapted for highlights, not purpose-built for them.
Why Obsidian alone isn't enough for reading highlights
- Requires plugins and manual setup for Kindle, Kobo, or Apple Books imports
- No spaced repetition review system: highlights sit in files until you manually revisit them
- No semantic search: Obsidian search is keyword-based across files
- No highlights feed or passive rediscovery of old highlights
- No daily review emails or mobile widget for highlights
- Plugin ecosystem can break with updates and requires maintenance
- No article reader: you need a separate read-it-later tool
- No physical book scanner or AI highlight cleanup
Screvi vs Obsidian: Feature Comparison
Screvi: 17/22 features · Obsidian: 5/22 features
| Feature | Screvi | Obsidian |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-import Kindle highlights | Via plugin | |
| Auto-import Kobo highlights | Via plugin | |
| Auto-import Apple Books highlights | ||
| Import PDF annotations | Via plugin | |
| Import Twitter/X bookmarks | ||
| Physical book scanner (OCR) | ||
| AI semantic search across highlights | Basic keyword | |
| Spaced repetition review | Via plugin (basic) | |
| Daily email digest | ||
| Highlights feed | ||
| AI topic discovery | ||
| AI highlight cleanup | ||
| Article reader (read-it-later) | ||
| Personal newsletter inbox | ||
| iOS home screen widget | ||
| Share highlights as images | ||
| Zero setup required | ||
| Bi-directional note linking | ||
| Knowledge graph visualization | ||
| Markdown-based local storage | ||
| Extensive plugin ecosystem | ||
| Long-form writing |
Why choose Screvi over Obsidian
Works out of the box
No plugins, no YAML templates, no dataview queries. Import your Kindle highlights in 2 minutes and start reviewing. Screvi is purpose-built for this workflow.
Spaced repetition built in
Obsidian's spaced repetition plugins are basic and require manual flashcard creation. Screvi automatically turns your highlights into a review system with the SM-2 algorithm.
AI semantic search
Search by meaning across your entire highlight library. "What did I read about leadership?" works even when your highlights don't contain that word.
Built-in article reader
Save and read articles directly in Screvi. No need for a separate read-it-later tool. Highlights from articles join your main library automatically.
Export to Obsidian
Screvi exports to Markdown. Drop the files into your vault. Use Screvi for highlight management and review, Obsidian for deep thinking and writing.
Mobile-first experience
Native iOS and Android apps with swipe-based review, share extension, book scanner, and home screen widget. Purpose-built for highlights on the go.
Switching from Obsidian?
Use Screvi alongside Obsidian. Screvi handles highlight collection, import, and review, while Obsidian handles deep thinking and writing. Export from Screvi to your vault whenever you need highlights there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Try it with your highlights
Create your account, add your highlights and see how Screvi can change the way you read.