Owning my content means it's on my local drive, like with Obsidian (or, well, Apple Notes). I realize that may not be the case with a web-based tool, like Notion or Asana; that is justifiable, but I'd like to know that from the outset. This is where a simple product page explaining the functions and features would have helped.

Automatic backups and sync are great—ordinarily I'd consider that a valuable feature—but if that's optional, as you said, it should not be a requirement for using the tool. Besides making me suspicious, it's a speed bump. I was ready to experiment with your tool until I realized I had to set up an account. At that point, I decided I didn't want to bother.

My assumption is that, until proven otherwise, every tool is trying to sell my data or drive me towards a subscription. If you're doing that, be clear about it. If you're not doing that, be very clear about it. Clarity would engender a lot of good will here, since most of us have learned to assume the worst from SaaS tools. Not having ulterior motives is the exception, and that's great, but I think you need to be extra clear about that.