Bear

Write beautifully on iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Freemium

About Bear

Bear is a beloved note-taking app for Apple users who value elegant design and distraction-free writing. The app uses markdown for formatting but hides the syntax behind a clean WYSIWYG interface—you see formatted text, not markup characters. Organization is tag-based: add #tags anywhere in notes to create a flexible, non-hierarchical structure. Bear 2 (2023) added tables, redesigned interface, and improved web link handling. The free version is fully functional for basic note-taking; Pro ($2.99/mo or $29.99/year) unlocks iCloud sync across devices, advanced export formats (PDF, Word, HTML), and beautiful themes. Bear excels at quick capture and longer-form writing alike—Apple Watch support lets you dictate notes on the go. The app is intentionally simple, avoiding feature bloat that plagues competitors. Limitations: Apple-only with no web or Windows version, no collaboration features, and basic search compared to Obsidian or Notion. Perfect for writers, developers, and Apple users who want a fast, beautiful notes app without complexity.

Key Features

Clean markdown editor with live preview

Tag-based organization with nested tags

iCloud sync across iPhone, iPad, and Mac

Focus mode for distraction-free writing

Quick capture with widgets and Shortcuts

Export to PDF, Word, HTML, Markdown, ePub

Beautiful themes and customizable typography

Apple Watch app for voice notes

Wiki-style linking between notes

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Stunning, award-winning design
• Very affordable Pro subscription ($2.99/mo)
• Fast and responsive on all Apple devices
• Tag-based organization is flexible and intuitive
• Excellent markdown support with clean rendering
• Privacy-focused with end-to-end encryption option

Cons

• Apple ecosystem only—no Windows, Android, or web
• No real-time collaboration features
• No web clipper for saving articles
• Limited search compared to Notion/Obsidian
• No tables or databases (unlike Notion)
• iCloud sync requires Pro subscription

Best For

Apple users wanting beautiful, simple notes Writers and bloggers drafting content Developers keeping technical notes in markdown Anyone who values design and simplicity over features Personal knowledge management without complexity