Is Bear worth the price?
Bear Pro at $2.99/month or $29.99/year is one of the most affordable premium note-taking apps.
The free tier is functional for local-only notes but missing iCloud sync makes it impractical as a daily driver. Pro is an easy buy for Apple users who want clean markdown notes with sync.
Pricing Plans
14-day Free TrialFree
Free
Basic notes
- Markdown editing
- All core features
- Local storage
- Limited export
Pro
$2.99/month
Power users
- iCloud sync
- All export formats
- Note encryption
- Custom themes
Hidden Costs & Gotchas
Apple-only -- no Windows, Android, or web version
iCloud sync requires Pro (no sync on free tier)
No collaboration features at any price
Limited organization (tags only, no folders)
Advanced search (text in images/PDFs) is Pro-only
Which Plan Do You Need?
Apple ecosystem users (Mac + iPhone + iPad)
Writers who prefer markdown
People wanting a simple, fast note-taking app
Users who find Notion too complex
Our Recommendation
startup
Bear is a personal tool, not a team tool. For team notes, look at Notion or Obsidian with shared vaults.
enterprise
Not applicable -- Bear has no team or enterprise features. Consider Notion ($8-$15/user/month) or Confluence for team knowledge management.
How Bear Compares to Competitors
Apple Notes is free with iCloud sync but lacks markdown support and export options. Notion is free for personal use with far more features but heavier and slower. Ulysses costs $5.99/month and targets long-form writers with publishing features Bear lacks.
Bear Pricing FAQ
How much does Bear cost?
Bear starts at $2.99/month on the Pro plan. A free plan is also available with limited features.
Does Bear have a free plan?
Yes. Bear offers a free plan called "Free". It includes: Markdown editing, All core features, Local storage.
Does Bear offer a free trial?
Yes, Bear offers a free trial lasting 14 days. No credit card is typically required to start the trial, though this may vary.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Bear?
Yes. Popular alternatives to Bear include Obsidian, Ulysses, Craft, iA Writer. Free alternatives include Obsidian, Craft, Apple Notes. Compare them side-by-side on Toolradar.
Cheaper alternatives to Bear
3 of 6 direct competitors below offer a free plan. Per-seat pricing varies up to 60% across this set.
