Bear

Beautiful Markdown notes for Apple devices.

Verified facts: 2 of 3
Alternatives ranked: 5
Approved reviews: 0
Visits sent from here: 0

About Bear

Bear is a Markdown note-taking app made for Mac, iPhone and iPad, known for its clean design and fast writing experience. Notes are organized with nested hashtags instead of folders, and the editor supports Markdown shortcuts, tables, todo lists and inline images. Notes can be exported to formats such as PDF, HTML, DOCX and Markdown. The core app is free to use, while a Bear Pro subscription adds sync across devices through iCloud, extra themes and more export options. Because it is Apple-only, Windows and Android users need something else.

Best for: Apple users who want a fast, beautiful Markdown writing app.

What works

Polished, distraction-free editor
Nested hashtags for organizing
Many export formats

Why people leave

Apple devices only
Sync requires Bear Pro

Top Bear alternatives

See all 5

1
Obsidian
Cross-platform local Markdown notes with plugins.
80.3
2
Joplin
Free, open-source and available on every platform.
69.8
3
Notion
Cross-platform workspace with databases and sharing.
57.8
4
Apple Notes
Free and built into every Apple device, with scanning and sketching.
40.0
5
NotePlan
Markdown notes plus tasks and calendar planning on Apple devices.
40.0

Why people left Bear

In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.

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Reviews

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Bear: common questions

Is Bear free?

Bear has a free plan and paid plans.

Is Bear open source?

No, Bear is not open source. Open-source alternatives include Joplin.

What platforms does Bear run on?

Bear is available for macOS and iOS.

What are the best alternatives to Bear?

The highest-ranked Bear alternatives right now are Obsidian, Joplin and Notion. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.

See all 5 Bear alternatives

Bear facts

2 of 3 verified

Platforms: macOS, iOS, iPadOS; Checked Oct 24, 2026bear.app(opens source in a new tab); “Bear: Markdown Notes App for Mac, iPhone & iPad Bear Features Pricing Blog Community Support”
Sync: Bear Pro subscription; Not checked yetbear.app(opens source in a new tab)
Editor: Markdown; Checked Oct 24, 2026bear.app(opens source in a new tab); “Bear: Markdown Notes App for Mac, iPhone & iPad Bear Features Pricing Blog”