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TL;DR - Bear

  • Beautiful Markdown notes app for Apple devices with tag-based organization.
  • Features focus mode, nested tags, WikiLinks, and Apple Pencil sketching support.
  • Free with basic features and Pro at 2.99 dollars per month for sync and themes.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
4.5/5 across review platforms

Pros & Cons

Pros

  • Beautiful design
  • Great markdown support
  • Fast and lightweight
  • Good organization
  • Apple ecosystem native

Cons

  • Apple only
  • Sync requires subscription
  • Limited collaboration
  • No web app
  • Basic task management

Ratings Across the Web

4.5(11 reviews)

Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more

Key Features

Markdown notesTagsThemesExport optionsFocus modeApple ecosystem

Pricing Plans

14-day Free Trial

Free

Free

Basic notes

  • Markdown editing
  • All core features
  • Local storage
  • Limited export
Most Popular

Pro

$2.99/month

Power users

  • iCloud sync
  • All export formats
  • Note encryption
  • Custom themes

What is Bear?

Editorial review
Bear is a notes app for people who appreciate beautiful design and markdown simplicity. Write notes, tag them for organization, and access them across your Apple devices with iCloud sync. The editor is pleasant to write in. Tags nest for hierarchical organization. Export handles multiple formats when you need to get data out. Mac and iOS users who want focused, elegant note-taking without Notion's complexity or Evernote's clutter choose Bear for its refined simplicity.

Reviews

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Bear FAQ

Is Bear free?

Free version available with basic features. Bear Pro $2.99/month or $29.99/year unlocks sync, themes, and export options.

What is Bear?

Bear is a beautiful markdown notes app for Mac and iOS. Simple design, powerful organization with tags, and great writing experience.

Bear vs Apple Notes?

Bear has better markdown support and more beautiful design. Apple Notes has better collaboration and is free. Bear for writers; Apple Notes for everyday notes.

Bear vs Obsidian?

Obsidian has more features and local storage. Bear is simpler and prettier. Obsidian for knowledge management; Bear for clean note-taking.

Does Bear work on Windows?

No, Bear is Apple-only: Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Windows users should consider Obsidian, Notion, or Typora.

Source: bear.app

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